The inflated sense of tension ensuing from Gaza and Palestine has had a further increment amid the speculations and expected outcomes of the US President Barrack Hussein Obama’s meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli premier. A lot is being said about the three days visit that started on the 20th when the US President landed in Tel Aviv.

With analysts drawing the reader’s attention towards Obama’s initial stance about the matter of Israel, some expect him to be not as welcome in Israel as any other American president would be. This is the case because of the standpoint taken by him about the Palestinian problem in his initial days at the White House. He clearly propagated an idea of two adjacent states in the name of Israel and Palestine –an idea not applauded by Israel at all.

Though Obama’s stance over Iran and its nuclear program was rather oratory with the same tone and rather formal remarks over the nuclear program being a threat to the world and so on, the real point of importance was his speech regarding Palestine.

It was very likely that Obama has had a change of tactics when talking about Muslims –a change probably triggered by the negative response he received in the aftermath of his 2009 Cairo speech, where he showed a soft corner for the Palestinians. But regardless of that, his speech at the International Convention Center Jerusalem did have some surprises; the biggest of them without doubt would be uttering something that no other American president has ever said:

“The need for justice for the Palestinians”

It was evident from his initial praise and pampering of Israel that he wanted to be on the good side of the gold crib baby, but eventually he did manage to switch to a rather mature tone. Clearly depicting his improved political experience, he made it a point that the two-state theory was a serious consideration –something that Israel has neither favored nor shown interest in. Another very impressive stance, taken by the American president, was to highlight the Israeli concerns about security being the major reason for their actions against Palestinian people. In doing so, his point was that he does not consider it to be a fertile way of reaching peace.

The visit to Israel followed by a visit to Palestine in such early days of his term seriously has their impact. Add to that, the air of seriousness that the meetings have carried, a good analyst can be sure of one thing; the Obama administration is sincerely starting to work towards solving the crisis. If it is so, it will be for the first time since Obama’s initial election as a president that his government will take honest steps towards solving the matter. Though opinions might get biased at some point owing to the long standing alliance between Israel and the US, but there still is some level of decipherable hope in Obama’s words.

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Far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders could learn a lot about the strengths of multiculturalism during his Australian visit, community and religious leaders say.

Mr Wilders will give speeches in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth this month about what he calls the "Islamisation of Australia".

A coalition of 24 groups – including the AFL and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne – issued a joint statement in Melbourne on Monday, reinforcing their support for Victoria's "multicultural and multifaith community".

"We have a collective responsibility to respect our fellow citizens and preserve the social cohesion and harmony that characterise Victoria and makes our society great," the statement says. "We welcome challenging ideas and debate, however, inciting hatred and animosity towards specific cultural or faith-based communities has no place in Victoria."

State Multicultural Affairs Minister Nicholas Kotsiras says Mr Wilders could learn a lot from his visit to the state. "I find it amazing that someone could travel 16,000 kilometres to tell us why he and his party have failed in his own country," he told reporters in Melbourne. "If he wants to come to learn and to educate himself about the success of multiculturalism and diversity, Victoria is the place to be."

AAP, 18 February 2013

See also "Cold reception for anti-Islam campaigner", SBS, 18 February 2013

There will be protests against Wilders' visit in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

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White supremacists are urging Australian "patriots" to gather at public meetings by the controversial Dutch MP Geert Wilders, ready for trouble and a no-holds barred fight.

Tensions have been mounting over the impending visit of the far right-wing politician who has been accused of Islamophobia and racism.

One group, Australian New Nation, has been encouraging followers to react to any threat or sign of violence from Muslim protesters who might attend.

On its website, the group has posted an audio from "Radio Free Australia, the voice of white revolution in Australia" warning them to "expect an Islamic rent-a-crowd outside screaming and foaming at the mouth like the evil bastards they are".

"We encourage all patriots to exercise their legal right of self defence if any ragheads try to prevent them accessing the venue, or threaten, or use violence against their person once they try to strike the first blow, everything that follows is self defence on your part," it said.

The vitriolic broadcast, which lasts almost 10 minutes, goes on to say, "go . . . and be prepared to defend yourself and if they take a swing at you, they push at you, they spit on you, don't hold back. You have a legal right of self defence do what should be done to this rag-head camel f--- . . . Islamic filth who have no place in civilised society.

Social media sites protesting against Mr Wilders's visits to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth have also been the target of hate messages.

The Age, 2 February 2013

In response the Q Society, the "counterjihad" group at whose invitation Wilders is visiting Australia, have issued a press release trying to distance themselves from threats of violence.

"Any anti-Islam protests or demonstrations are not associated with Q Society in any way...," they state piously. "Q Society and Geert Wilders distance themselves from any white supremacism and racism in all forms; as we distance ourselves from all groups advocating violence."

The Q Society has invited a raving anti-Muslim bigot to visit Australia in order to incite fear and hatred of Islam, but apparently they have no responsibility whatsoever for any anti-Muslim violence that his visit may inspire.

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Controversial anti-Islamic Dutch MP Geert Wilders will face protests from Muslims and others in Melbourne next month.

The Baillieu Government has also warned that Mr Wilders could fall foul of the state's hate speech laws if he incites tensions.

Mr Wilders had been due to visit Australia last year but had to postpone the trip following delays in processing his visa.

He opposes the "Islamisation" of the Netherlands and has called for the banning of the Koran, which he equates with Adolf Hitler's autobiography Mein Kampf.

Mr Wilders was invited to Australia by a nationalist group called the Q Society.

A meeting is planned for Melbourne on February 19, and there are appearance dates in Sydney and Perth.

Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad said he had been approached by Leftist groups about protests against the Right-wing politician.

Q Society spokesman Andrew Horwood said details of meetings would be released with only 48 hours' notice, for security reasons.

"We feel strongly that as a democracy we can't not talk about things because of the threat of violence," he said.

Mr Horwood said Islam was unlike any other religion, and his organisation was concerned that Australia, like Europe, was changing as Muslim numbers grew.

Victorian Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Minister Nick Kotsiras said Mr Wilders had the right to free speech, subject to the state's racial and religious vilification laws.

Herald Sun, 25 January 2013

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Dutch anti-Islam campaigner Geert Wilders will visit Australia next month.

The right-wing MP was due to visit in October but was forced to postpone because the federal government took its time deciding whether to approve his visa.

Tour organisers Q Society – a group concerned about the so-called "Islamisation of Australia" – have now announced Mr Wilders will speak in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in February.

"The Australian experiment of multiculturalism is failing in relation to Islam, just as it has failed everywhere else," the group says on the event website. Australians are being misled to believe Islam is 'just another religion' – when it is in fact much more."

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has condemned Mr Wilders' extremist views but ultimately decided not to use his ministerial discretion to block his visa.

AAP, 16 January 2013

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Tariq Ramadan will be speaking at the Proud Muslims Convention in Edmonton this weekend.

Tarek Fatah – whose own organisation, the so-called Muslim Canadian Congress, backed the hysterical "Ground Zero mosque" protests and calls for a ban on the veil – accuses Professor Ramadan of "using our Labour Day weekend to propagate the Muslim Brotherhood credo of 'destroying the West from within'."

Toronto Sun, 28 August 2012

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ON THE VISIT OF RAMADHAN

Oh you are back, welcome Ramadhan!
Shall skid and make friends with beggars on streets?
But how can I repay them for building the temple of my dreams?
I do not possess a loaf; take the paint smile on my lips?

Sweet word I say to a kin nearby sitting
Giggling and running with happy children playing
Gobbling ripe dates in my mouth laughing
Shall sing to You the melody of Your own voice on evening

Tomorrow when you depart
Shall long for your next coming
Under the starry skies
Beside the tidal waves
Beneath the sun rises
Again, for another blaze of thousand blessings

Shall too count
Every star in the heaven
Every sheep in the barn
Every petal in the garden
‘Til one day shall offer you the last rose standing

But if you tell your Source one day to greet me
By the unknown gate
Neither time, nor space, nor death
In silken maiden, we shall celebrate
The gifts given by the Gracious Grace

Meanwhile, merry is the heart that fears
It hears your call, your sight it sees
From above, like a sparkle of descending meteorites
How very precious you are, Oh Ramadhan!

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