Stand, men of the West

Two small western democracies founded on freedom are currently under siege by Imperial Islam. Both are accused of crimes against the faithful and both face vicious violence as a result. In Israel's case, the crime is to simply exist in the midst of the Arab world. Denmark, however, had to work for its opprobrium by practicing its core values. While the fight rages in these two linked arenas, the response by Europe has been continued appeasement.

For decades, Europe has been unable to offer a consistent and evenhanded approach to diplomacy in the Middle East. Yet, after a clear and unequivocal statement of principle by the Palestinian people, I hoped that the EU would finally wake up to the menace faced by the western world in general and Israel in particular. Of course, I hoped in vain, for that would require the EU to stand and fight, not surrender.

The Palestinian people were faced with a choice between the "moderate" mass murderers of the old PLO and the religious lunatics of Hamas, a genocidal group of thugs. They choose Hamas because it has been more effective lately at providing a veneer of social services and killing the infidels. In large measure, this choice was driven by the perception that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza was caused by Hamas' campaign of suicide attacks. Whatever Israel's actual motives for withdrawal, the Palestinian assessment of those motives did play a role in last month's elections.

Now the Palestinian government walks, talks and acts like terrorists but doesn't want to be treated as such. The only silver lining of this election is the hope that being forced to provide basic services will somehow moderate Hamas. Now, the EU proposes to provide those very basic services to the Palestinian people, regardless of whether responsibility actually changes Hamas. Thus, the aid will indirectly allow Hamas to murder and maim by freeing up funds that would otherwise be used for peaceful purposes, even though the money is being funneled through a third party.

That Europe is willing to support a terrorist government at war with Israel is not surprising. Nearly 60 percent of Europeans view Israel as the greatest threat to the world, greater than Iran, North Korea, al-Qaeda or even the much-hated Americans. The first reason for this feeling is latent anti-Semitism; two millennia of murder are not exorcised by 50 years of tolerance. The second reason is fear. Demography and immigration dictate a more Muslim-filled Europe in the years ahead, and European officials are terrified of that prospect, especially after recent religious violence. Europeans watch their streets and embassies go up in flames and shudder, realizing that standing up for their beliefs has a price. These dynamics mean Europe is hoping to appease the terrorists and bigots at home by appeasing the terrorists abroad.

The one group of Europeans consistently standing their ground is the Scandinavians. This is the part of Europe that has the fewest Muslim immigrants and the least to lose by speaking truth to rising power. Additionally, it has the greatest tradition of tolerance for Jews, having stood firm against the Holocaust while much of the rest of Europe turned a blind eye to or actively supported the massacre.

The Scandinavian nations are also like America in a way: they have not tried to create parallel Denmarks for natives and immigrants, demanding that all accept the supremacy of Danish law. In the rest of Europe, extremists have been excluded from the benefits of citizenship and so became a cancerous growth that now threatens to kill the host. The growing suburbs of France bear little resemblance to the shrinking city within and will soon force integration on their terms.

America hasn't had significant homegrown Muslim violence because America has forced the immigrants to adapt. American culture takes the experiences of newcomers and makes it part of a shared American experience. The Jews, Irish and Italians were once the outsiders, yet all were integrated by the forced equality of American democracy. Each group has a unique identity but is American first and foremost. Hence, Islamic-Americans, but French Muslims. If Western Europe as we know it today is to survive, it must remember what defines it. Nativism and xenophobia don't, while integration, liberty and free exchange once did. Only if the EU returns to its founding principles can the moderates within Islam stand up for a way other than jihad and forcefully condemn perversions of the faith. Only then will we have "peace in our time." Barry Caro is a freshman from White Plains, New York. He can be reached at bcaro@princeton.edu.