Egypt, France airdrop aid to Gaza amid growing humanitarian crisis, global criticism of Israel    Supply minister discusses strengthening cooperation with ITFC    Egypt launches initiative with traders, manufacturers to reduce prices of essential goods    SCZONE chief discusses strengthening maritime, logistics cooperation with Panama    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Egypt reviews health insurance funding mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability    Gaza on verge of famine as war escalates, ceasefire talks stall    Gaza crisis, trade on agenda as Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland    Egyptian president follows up on initiatives to counter extremist thought    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Turkey -- accept or except
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 13 - 10 - 2005

Muslims and Islam took centre stage, writes Dina Ezzat
It could have been Ramadan, the most celebrated Muslim month, or it could have been the agreement reached by Turkey, the Islamic but secular country, and the European Union, the profoundly Christian club. Whatever the reason, issues related to Islam -- as a culture rather than strictly a religion -- and to Muslims, mainly those living in non-Muslim countries, especially Europeans, provided material this week to reflect on.
Throughout the week, commentators debated the many dimensions of the possible accession of Islamic Turkey to the Christian European Union. They also debated the impact of the growing Muslim communities in Europe on the otherwise predominantly European countries.
The findings were interesting. By the account of many commentators, the Islamic nature of Turkey is unlikely to be challenged even if the country actually becomes a Muslim member of the European Union. Moreover, Muslims in Europe will still have problems integrating in European societies, even if they were born there, for a long list of reasons that starts with their names.
"Deep down there is something that has not changed about both Europe and Turkey," wrote Abdullah "Ubeid Hussein in the UAE daily Al-Ittihad. "Europe, despite the adoption of secularism, democracy and progressive thinking, remains a Christian continent. Meanwhile, Turkey, despite the many changes it has undergone since the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1920, has been mainly an Islamic country of 70 million Muslims." Hussein added, "despite the enthusiasm of European politicians, especially the British, to obtain for Turkey membership in the European Union, their constituencies have an issue with annexing 70 million Muslims into their neighbourhood."
That said, there was recognition that the Islamic connection is not easy either to reconcile with or break away from.
In another UAE daily, Al-Khaleej, Rogheid Al-Solh argued, "the Turks seem determined to overcome the cultural divide" even if they have to undergo some societal metamorphose in order to fit into the European context. But Al-Solh said, this change will not strip Turkey of its Islamic character, although it might force some Islamist political parties, including the ruling Justice and Development Party, to evolve into a secular party.
In fact, as long-time commentator of the Saudi-financed and London-based Asharq Al-Awsat Amir Taheri noted, it is this Islamic identity of Turkey, among other reasons, that is encouraging a few European politicians, especially the British, to invite Turkey into the European Union. But Taheri argued, this Islamic nature should be excluded from the calculations. "Islam is not the issue... Turkey should not be perceived as a bridge between Europe and the Muslim world simply because it does not have strong ties, as such with the Muslim world, including its immediate neighbours," Taheri wrote. After all, he proposed, it might not be too far down the road before some of the current member states of the European Union find themselves with a majority Muslim population.
Examining the profiles of Muslim populations in some European countries in a series of articles this week, Asharq Al-Awsat said Muslims constitute around 2.5 per cent of the population of Spain and 5.8 per cent of the population in Holland -- the two countries that were forecast by the paper to have Muslim communities up to the size of France.
France, Spain, Holland, and even Serbia -- that has for centuries had a significant Muslim population -- were not much different from Turkey when it came to its problems with the European Union: integration. And in as much as Turkey is finding problems accessing the European Union because of its Islamic identity, Muslims in Europe, even if they are fully-fledged European citizens, Asharq Al-Awsat reported, tend to be denied equal citizenship rights on the basis of their Islamic religion that is widely perceived as being problematic.


Clic here to read the story from its source.