I place great importance on integration between the Middle East and Europe — or, in a broader sense, between the Muslim and Western worlds. The biggest obstacle in the way of integration at present is the phenomenon of Islamophobia, which, for the Western world in particular, is as dangerous at least as anti-Semitism.

Islamophobia signifies words and actions that breach the religious freedom, civic liberties and human rights of Muslims and often provoke discrimination, prejudice and hate crimes. This has existed throughout history between Muslims and Christians and between the West and Islam. Islamophobia in the West emerged on a greater scale essentially in the wake of the Iranian revolution, the terrorist attacks in Lebanon and Pakistan, and because of al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Undoubtedly, this was exacerbated in the aftermath of 9/11.

9/11 as turning point

In this context, both Muslims and Westerners have a lot of questions to contemplate. How do the drone attacks affect Pakistanis and Yemenis? How do the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan affect the people who experience the invasions? Likewise, for Americans, the attacks in New York, Washington and most recently in Boston mean that they are under attack. Osama bin Laden was clever. If one were to terrorize the United States, one had to strike the symbol of American economic wealth, the World Trade Center. Just imagine how Turks, Iranians or Arabs would have reacted if foreign assailants had attacked their most strategic, symbolic centers.