The Islamic Challenge in Europe by Raphael Israeli

Author:Raphael Israeli [Israeli, Raphael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Social Science, Political Science, Regional Studies, General
ISBN: 9781351480574
Google: gKw0DwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 36705323
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2008-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

Austria

As if all Muslim immigrants in Europe had coordinated their conduct in its minutious detail, all follow the same patterns, and no amount of categorization according to countries of origin or the countries of absorption, can help determine any peculiar traits of character and conduct of any particular group among them. The leader of Austria’s Islamic community lashed out at Interior Minister Liese Prokop for suggesting that Muslim immigrants are not integrating themselves into Austrian society. Anas Schakfeh called on Prokop to show more restraint after she told reporters that as many as 45% of Austria’s Muslims are resisting integration, and that their insistence on living separate lives was “a ticking time bomb.” “There are different groups in the population” who would be offended by Prokop’s remarks, Schakfeh told the daily Die Presse. “A politician in such an important function should choose her words more carefully.” Austria, a predominantly Roman Catholic country of 8 million, is home to an estimated 200,000 Turks—Europe’s largest Turkish expatriate community after Germany and France, and another 300,000 from other Islamic origins.53 Austrian Muslims have expressed concerns at a modified immigration law, fearing Muslims would take the brunt of the new restrictions as they make up the majority of immigrants in the south central European country. “Many Muslims still don’t hold Austrian citizenship, which makes them vulnerable to the new bill,” Omar Al-Rawi, the Islamic Religious Authority (IRA)’s official in charge of the integration file, told IslamOnline.net. He said that the amendments, for example, regard humanitarian work and assistance for refugees as illegal and punishable by law. “The amendments stipulate that illegal and unregistered residents could face deportation and subject those who provide them with shelter to prison terms,” added Rawi, who is also a Member of Parliament for the opposition Socialist party. According to estimates, there are some 750,000 immigrants in Austria, representing 10% of the country’s eight-million population. Muslims, estimated at nearly half a million, make up some 6% of the population.54

Austria’s right-wing coalition government on 10 May 2006 tightened its immigration laws, which are already considered among the most restrictive in Europe. A new law approved by the cabinet of conservative chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, extends from six to 10 months the limit on administrative detention before expulsion. It also authorizes forced feeding for asylum seekers who go on hunger strikes and toughens the penalties for those who resort to fake marriages. An initial assessment of cases within 72 hours after their submission and immediate rejection, if necessary, are also imposed by the new bill. The legislation also sets a 20-day maximum for the assessment of an application for political asylum and restricts the movements of the applicants during this period. It further obliges new immigrants to attend a minimum 300-hour German-language course. Rawi warned that the new bill would help increase crime rates in Austria.” “Jobless asylum seekers could resort to robbery to make a living,” he said, thus bringing the Muslim level of threats against prospective host countries who hesitate to

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