Australia 'must limit Muslim immigration'
February 16, 2007
The Australian
AUSTRALIA should limit Muslim immigration or a large Islamic population could pose a higher risk of violence, a visiting Jewish expert on Islam says
.
Professor Raphael Israeli is quoted in the Australian Jewish News as saying that without such a migration cap Australia risks being swamped by Indonesians.
But Prof Israeli told Fairfax newspapers his comments had been misunderstood.
When the Muslim population gets to a critical mass you have problems, he told Fairfax.
That is the general rule – so if it applies everywhere, it applies in Australia.
Prof Israeli, an expert on Islamic history at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, has been brought to Australia by the Shalom Institute of the University of NSW.
He said Muslim immigrants had a reputation for manipulating the values of western countries, taking advantage of their hospitality and tolerance.
Greeks or Italians or Jews don't use violence, he said.
When there are large Muslim populations who are prepared to use violence, you are in trouble.
If there is only one or two per cent they don't dare to do it – they don't have the backing of big communities.
They know they are drowned in the environment of non-Muslims and are better behaved.
He said France, which has the highest proportion of Muslims in Europe at about 10 per cent, has passed a point of no return where the French say they are strangers in their own country.
Muslims account for about 1.5 per cent of the Australian population.
