Simon Hilber, Jerusalem

The Swiss voted. Minarets are now forbidden in Switzerland. The logic behind banning those minarets is, that they are seen as an imperialistic symbol of Islam. If Islam means surrender or submit – those minarets are seen as a sign that the country is already surrendering or at least should do so according to the Muslims. Sadly of course this kind of understanding of minarets is exactly the same as the understanding by the Islamists. The Swiss people decided by this vote that they agree with the interpretation of the Islamists and not the one of moderate Muslims.
On a different level than the obvious: that the decision mirrors a xenophobic sentiment, that banning minarets might constitute an undue limitation of freedom of religion, the real issue is, that this decision overshadows the real problems of Swiss-Islamic relations. The very same state that makes deals with Iran, that has its Foreign Minister wear a head scarf abroad to bewitch senile Muftis, the same country that succumbs to pressure of the likes of madman Gaddafi, now makes this useless and purely symbolic policy, while doing nothing to fight the worst Islamists. On the contrary: it tries to do them nice. Banning minarets wont help the real problems of Muslim integration into Swiss society: suppression of women, “honour” killings, petty crime, etc.

From an Israeli perspective this vote must seem quite absurd. European-Islamic relations still seem to be in an infantile state. The Swiss Muslim population consists of merely 6 % of the whole population – compared to 20% in Israel. What did the Swiss Muslim do? They do not constitute an demographic threat. They surely did not wage half a dozen wars or intifadas on Swiss Christians, there were no suicide bombings in Zurich or Bern, not even stabbings. I also do not know of burning cars like in France. Continue reading →