The controversial Muslim scholar Haitham al-Haddad says he still intends coming to the Netherlands even though Amsterdam’s VU University has cancelled a debate he was due to participate in. The British-Palestinian cleric was invited by the Islamic students association of Amsterdam to speak at a symposium on Friday.

Has the VU University Amsterdam bowed to public pressure, as al-Haddad claims, or is it a prudent move, as MPs believe?

The Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI) urged the Dutch government to ban Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad from entering the Netherlands. The cleric, who sits on the UK’s Islamic Sharia Council, is known for his radical statements like “Jews are the enemies of God and the descendants of apes and pigs”.

Al-Haddad, an expert in Islamic law, was to meet university lecturer Yasser Ellethy head to head in the Islamic students’ debate.

Dutch MPs agree with CIDI’s standpoint. Christian Union MP Joël Voordewind:

“If you preach the destruction of Israel, implementation of Sharia law, female genital mutilation and justify the stoning to death of adulterers or cutting off a thief’s hands, then there’s no place here for you in a public debate.”

Out of context
Al-Haddad denies having made anti-Semitic statements. Speaking to Radio Netherlands Worldwide, he said:

“They’re not my words…Things I said in a speech ten years ago have been taken out of context and posted on internet.”

The cleric says he’s open-minded about other people’s opinions. “I particularly invite people who don’t agree with me to take part in a discussion with me.”

Not welcome
“I’m actually very surprised that the VU University would give a platform to such a figure,” said Mr Voordewind on Wednesday morning. The university was still defending its position at that point and maintained al-Haddad was welcome.

“The organisers of the Islamic student association have complied with our strict standards for a well-balanced debate. Yasser Ellethy will be a tough contender.”

Later on the same day, the university changed its position - “after talks with various parties”.

Meanwhile, MP Voordewind had garnered support in parliament. The small Christian parties joined forces with Geert Wilder’s Freedom Party and the Christian Democrats – the junior partner in the minority coalition government – and asked Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten to ban the radical Muslim scholar from entering the country.

The VU University decided not to wait for the outcome. It went ahead and cancelled the event.

Check the facts
Then it was Sheikh al-Haddad’s turn to be in the spotlight. “This isn’t an academic approach,” he argued. “A university is supposed to check out the facts and question their sources before making a decision.” Al-Haddad has made up his mind. “Even if they offer an apology, it won’t change the fact that they bowed to the Zionist lobby.”

Spokesperson of the VU University Aukje Schep doesn’t share the cleric’s viewpoint. “An academic debate just wouldn’t have been possible because of all the commotion. The debate would centre around whether the man made those statement or not.”

Symposium still open
The subject of the symposium was the role of the Muslim scholar in the West. “We’re looking together for alternative ways to hold the debate,” says Ms Schep.

The student association will announce on Thursday evening “following numerous requests” that registration for the symposium is still open. It is still unclear whether the debate will go ahead at another location.

Sheikh al-Haddad remains undeterred. He’s still going to travel to Amsterdam, but it is not known if he will speak in public. A debating centre in Amsterdam has said he is welcome there.

Ban from the outset
Could the VU University not have foreseen the potential furore and simply banned the debate in the first place – just as the University of Amsterdam and the London School of Economics have done in the past? “No,” says Schep, “if we banned all debates which could potentially stir up a public outcry, then we couldn’t call ourselves a university anymore.”

(jn/hs)