The word “Islamophobia” is commonly used for two distinct phenomena: the targeting of innocent Muslims in vigilante attacks, which is never justified, and the honest analysis of how jihadis use the texts and teachings of Islam to justify violence, which analysis is always justified and urgently necessary. Numan Kurtulmus is referring to “anti-refugee sentiments, xenophobia and Islamophobia,” which are “manifesting themselves in the form of hostility against Turkey and Turks.” He should ask himself why this “hostility,” insofar as it actually exists, has come about, when Europeans have been and continue to be welcoming of Hindu and other immigrants. Why is it only Muslims who end up coming into conflict with the society to which they migrate? If Kurtulmus wants to see an end to this “Islamophobia,” he could work to bring about an end to jihad terror attacks, Muslim migrant crime and violence, Muslim boasts of imminent conquest, etc. But he won’t.
“Turkey warns against growing Islamophobia in Europe,” Anadolu Agency, March 9, 2018:
Turkey’s culture and tourism minister on Friday warned against growing Islamophobia and anti-refugee sentiments in Europe.
“It is extremely worrying that in Europe, the rise of anti-refugee sentiments, xenophobia and Islamophobia are manifesting themselves in the form of hostility against Turkey and Turks,” Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday.
The Turkish minister visited Mevlana Mosque of Muslim-Turkish community in Berlin, which was badly damaged by an arson attack in 2014.
Kurtulmus said Muslims in Germany were worried over the rise of racism and growing number of xenophobic attacks in recent years.
He condemned a Molotov cocktail attack at a Turkish mosque in southern German city of Lauffen am Neckar on Thursday night, which caused a minor fire.
The Turkish minister said the rise of racists and anti-Muslim sentiments were undermining peaceful coexistence in the country.
“This is manifesting itself not only by the use of far-right rhetoric in politics. It is also a very dangerous development poisoning relations between the countries,” he said, referring to recent tensions between Ankara and Berlin.
Kurtulmus called on German politicians and civil society organizations to take a stronger stance against xenophobic and Islamophobic hate crimes.
Germany has witnessed growing Islamophobia and hatred of migrants in recent years triggered by a propaganda from far-right and populist parties, which have exploited fears over the refugee crisis and terrorism….