Muslim group takes offense at columnist

A column by Tribune Media Service's Cal Thomas has provoked outrage from the Council for American-Islamic Relations. Published by the Jewish World Review, the column suggests that Palestinians should leave Israel. Thomas's statements that "Israel should declare its intention to transfer large numbers of its Palestinian residents to Arab nations…" and that "Eviction is a better avenue to stability" were interpreted by CAIR President Ibrahim Hooper as "quasi-genocidal" and comparable to Germany's Nuremberg Laws.\n"This is so bizarre," said Hooper. "Is he recommending the transfer of his fellow Christians along with Muslim Palestinians? Should we go back to the old Nuremberg Laws? Bizarre implications come from (Cal Thomas's) kind of thinking."\nBinyamin Jolkovsky, editor-in-chief and publisher of the Jewish World Review, said CAIR's reaction to the column borders on hypersensitivity. "For an Arab group to condemn a point of view (on Arabs), after the Arab press regularly calls for the removal from Arab nations of people who do not want to be there...it's ridiculous, nothing short of ridiculous."\nJolkovsky continued, "It is absurd to compare the Nuremberg laws to Cal Thomas\'s column. He expressed a valid viewpoint. He was just saying, pragmatically, 'If you [Palestinians] don't like Israel, then get the hell out.'"\nThis is not the first time that Cal Thomas has offended the sensibilities of CAIR. Hooper said in the past Thomas has questioned the honesty of the prophet Muhammad and called Islam itself "murderous." Thomas's columns have also touched on diaspora, a sensitive issue for American Muslims.\n"Palestinians are singled out for the honor of being the only people to not control their destinies and to not control their human rights," said Hooper. "All the conflict (in the U.S.) is coming from the other side, from Jews and Christians. Muslims bear no ill will against anyone. And here someone is suggesting an entire racial minority be eliminated."\nThe Middle East crisis has provoked strong sentiments about Palestinian terrorists from many pro--Israel groups. New York Post columnist Rod Dreher wrote Oct. 17, "...Unlike the Israelis, the Palestinians are not products of Western civilization, but of one informed by Islamic religion and ethnic Arab customs. Because of that, it's easy for naive Westerners to be scandalized and perplexed by their actions...As the only outpost of the West in that savage and irrational desert, we owe the Israelis our loyalty...The Israelis, whatever their failings, are fighting for us and for our civilization."\nJolkovsky attributed the image problem of Palestinian Muslims in part to lack of positive leadership and accountability in the Palestinian culture. "Palestinians don't stand up, there are no responsible voices. The majority are peace-loving people. But the loudest voices (terrorists) are the ones heard."\nThe validity of leader Yasser Arafat is also a mark against Palestinians for many Israel supporters. \n"Yasser Arafat murdered tons of people before becoming a statesman. Does this say that you can become important by killing a lot of people?" said Jolkovsky.\nJolkovsky also addressed the attitude of Muslims toward Palestinian settlement in Israel. "Obviously, I'm biased because I'm Jewish, but I don't get the CAIR's attitude. The idea of a diaspora is wherever you are, you get on with it. You practice, you marry. Blowing up nightclubs at random is not normal… And if the Palestinians are unhappy in Israel, there are many other places they can go to. It's insane that the Muslims want to isolate themselves within Israel from other groups"