Norwegian Muslims vow to protect Oslo synagogue
Muslims in Norway want to show that religion doesn't have to be a barrier to peace.
In the wake of last weekend鈥檚 deadly attack at a Denmark synagogue, a group of Norwegian Muslims are planning an anti-violence demonstration to be held Saturday聽鈥撀爐he Jewish sabbath 鈥撀燼t a synagogue in Oslo.
The idea is to 鈥渆xtinguish the prejudices people have against Jews and against Muslims鈥� by forming a human 鈥減eace ring鈥� around the temple, Hajrad Arshad, one of the event鈥檚 organizers, told Norway鈥檚 state broadcaster NRK . 聽
鈥淲e think that after the terrorist attacks in Copenhagen, it is the perfect time for us Muslims to distance ourselves from the harassment of Jews that is happening,鈥� Ms. Arshad said.
Indeed, anti-Semitism appears to be on the rise in France and other parts of Europe. The shootings in Copenhagen, believed to be the work of a lone gunman, resulted in two dead, including a Jewish security guard at the synagogue. Jews were also among the victims of the Islamist gunmen involved in the similar attacks in Paris a month earlier.
Recent reports also show that a Jewish man walking around Paris in traditional dress by passersby, and youths in one French suburb took it upon themselves to .
At the same time, a growing number of Jews are leaving the European Union for Israel, according to the Israeli Ministry for Immigrant Absorption.
Leaders in the region have tried to soothe the tension. French prime minister Manuel Valls has told his Jewish citizens, 鈥淔rance is wounded with you and France does not want you to leave.鈥�
Following the attacks in Copenhagen, that Denmark鈥檚 prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, acknowledged: 鈥淲e have tried the ugly taste of fear and powerlessness which terror hopes to create.鈥�
But, she added, 鈥淸w]e will defend our democracy and we will defend Denmark at any time.鈥�
There have been rays of hope. of the attack on the Paris kosher supermarket in January: Employee Lassana Bathily saved hostages by letting them hide in the store freezer when the gunman came in. In Denmark, tens of thousands took to the streets the Monday after the shootings, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" in what was both a commemoration of the victims and a show of solidarity with the country's Muslim minority, .
And in a somewhat unexpected turn 鈥� the leader of Oslo鈥檚 Jewish community at first said that he would support the event only if at least 30 Muslims promised to attend 鈥� nearly 800 people have said they will attend the planned 鈥減eace ring鈥� in Norway, .
鈥淚slam is about protecting our brothers and sisters, regardless of which religion they belong to,鈥� the page reads. 鈥淚slam is about rising above hate and never sinking to the same level as the haters.鈥�
鈥淚slam,鈥� it continues, 鈥渋s about defending each other."
