King Abdullah urges EU to fight Islamophobia, likens ISIS to Nazis
Jordanian leader: Failure to solve Palestinian issue fuels extremism
STRASBOURG (Reuters) – King Abdullah of Jordan urged Europeans on Tuesday to fight hostility toward Islam that he said was fueling extremism among Muslims, including those drawn from Europe to fight in the Middle East. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Abdullah praised Europe’s “unbeatable courage” in responding to attacks such as those in Paris in January and likened Islamic State to Nazism – “an expansionist ideology based on hatred.” But in calling for cooperation to combat Islamist violence, the king, who attended commemorations for the slain French satirists of Charlie Hebdo but criticized the paper’s use of cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, said that European governments must promote “mutual respect” and an “inclusive society.” “Insulting other peoples and their faiths and their convictions, this is no way forward,” he told a chamber that includes dozens of far-right members critical of Muslim immigration. “Europe is an important partner in this effort, especially in helping to stop the global rise in Islamophobia,” Abdullah said. But Abdullah said the root problem fueling extremism among Muslims was the world’s failure to “defend Palestinian rights.” “This failure sends a dangerous message,” he said. “And it has given the extremists a powerful rallying cry. They exploit the injustices and the lingering conflict, to build legitimacy and recruit foreign fighters across Europe and the world.” “How can we fight the ideological battle, if we do not chart the way forward towards Palestinian- Israeli peace?”