This past Monday, I was able to attend a lecture at Brandeis University by noted scholar Bat Ye'or, author of the book Islam and Dhimmitude, as well as several other works on the relationship of the Islamic World to non-Muslims. She also runs the website Dhimmitude.org, where much of her work can be read online.

I cannot recommend strongly enough that you read this post in its entirety. I absolutely do not say that out of any ego for the importance nor certainly for the flair (what little there is) of my own writing. These are, after all, simply lecture notes put to prose. No, but the concepts touched on in Ye'or's work are absolutely essential to forming an understanding of what's going on today between Europe, America, the Middle East and the War on Terror. There was a lot of good stuff transmitted that night at Brandeis, and I have tried to convey a number of the key concepts which, in the end, can only be touched upon even in a fairly lengthy blog-post like this one. Many blog readers will find much familiar ground here, but in the chance that you find something new, or get a reminder of something that was slipping, or have some new connection made, I strongly recommend reading on. I do apologize if the piece is boring at times, but I have been anxious to get the information down before too much of my memory fades, so I'll have to save a more engaging version for another time.

For me, the lecture served as a follow-up to the previous day's viewing of the film, "The Silent Exodus," a report of which can be read here. It's an important film and an important subject, so when you have a chance, give the entry a glance if you haven't already.

This lecture was sponsored by the Middle East Forum At Brandeis and held in the atrium of the Brandeis student center, and as such, it was a large room, and quite loud, with students coming and going and chatting and eating. Ye'or is a small woman who is obviously ill at-ease with English, and every bit of the PA system was needed. Turnout was good at around 80 individuals, although only small percentage of the attendees appeared to be students. Please remember that what follows is my report on what I got from the talk. Any errors of fact or concept should first be assumed to be mine, not Ye'or's.

Bat Ye'or is a pseudonym. It translates to "Daughter of the Nile," which recalls that Ye'or herself was born in Egypt and part of the mass exodus of the Jews from all parts of the Arab world in the 40's and 50's. She began by discussing the Muslim-World's relations with non-Muslims, beginning, naturally enough, with a discussion about Jihad. (See my previous report on a talk given by Jihad Watch's Robert Spencer for some further discussion on this subject.)

According to Islam, the political world is divided into "Houses," The first being Dar al Islam, or "House of Islam," - the Muslim nations and the second being Dar al Harb, or "House of War" - the non-Muslim nations. In effect, this second is a sort of "free fire zone" (my words) for Muslims. In between, there is often a condition known as Dar al Suhl, or "House of Truce," a status which may be achieved by a non-Muslim nation that enters into a Hudna (truce) with Dar al Islam.

The truce only lasts for 4 months, although it may be renewed for up to ten years according to Islamic Law, however in practice it was often extended for a longer period if Islam was not yet strong enough to defeat the non-believers. In return for being considered Dar al Suhl, a nation had to agree to certain conditions. Among these was to allow "Dawa," or proselytizing, as well as the construction of Mosques in their territory, which, of course, would provide for their weakening when the Hudna passed. They also were expected to provide mercenary soldiers to fight on behalf of Dar al Islam, and this was in fact done in ancient times. Now, this is a traditional view, but it is certainly not subscribed to by all modern Muslims.

There is Jihad occurring in far-reaching areas of the world today - in Sudan, the Philippines, Israel, Chechnya, Indonesia...even frequently against moderate Muslims whom the militants brand as "polytheists" and cast into Dar al Harb. Ye'or's current study is directed toward militant Islam, and she is also looking into how previously Christian nations eventually became Muslim.

In our world today, it is appropriate to think of Europe as Dar al Suhl, while the United States is Dar al Harb. That helps to explain our different stands on Iraq, for instance.

How did we get to that point? That is what we will now examine.

Following the Yom Kippur War and the oil embargoes in 1973, when the United States for the first time took to supplying Israel in earnest militarily, France and Germany joined in an attempt to "balance" the power of the United States. Balances of power are long-time traditional European means of avoiding conflict, and French opposition to America has also long been a natural state for French foreign policy.

The then European Community (EC), now the EU, established what was and is known as the "Euro-Arab Dialogue". This relationship had three immediate goals: First, to secure oil. Second, to serve as a counter-weight to America and third, as a renewed way of gaining influence over Europe's own former Arab colonies.

The Arabs accepted this conditionally, and this condition was based on two pillars - that the EC break with the USA and that it follow Arab League policy on Israel. As an example, you can take a look at this report on the 1998 Euro-Arab Dialogue held in Damascus. Here's a highlight (or lowlight, as it were):

Since the 1970's, Europe has followed this compact. The have refused to accept Jerusalem as Israel's capitol, they have accepted the PLO and Yasser Arafat, and they have followed the Arab League line with regard to Israel.

Europe has, also as a result, refused to accept any responsibility for the terror threat. Instead, due to their orientation alongside the Arab League, they blame America and Israel. This is obviously an easier and safer path to take, and this attitude is best embodied by recent statements of Spain's Zapatero and the EU's Romano Prodi ("Terrorism is infinitely more powerful than a year ago").

Also since that time in the early 70's, there has been large-scale immigration into Europe from the Arab World, that, along with strong support for the Arabs among European Parliamentarians, and amongst the European press, the links between Europe and the Arab World have grown ever-stronger, until what we have today in Europe is an entirely new culture - an Arab/European culture.

As a consequence, America is still not afraid to stand against terror, but Europe simply can...not...do...it. It has lost control of both its territory and its politics.

That ended the lecture portion of the talk. The rest of this entry is drawn from the question and answer session, so that's why it may seem to jump around a bit. Questions were collected on paper and passed to Ye'or through the moderator out of apparent concern for disturbances, although it didn't seem like that kind of crowd it wasn't a bad idea considering today's climate (As it turned out, there were no real problems.).

-She was asked about Bulgaria but stated she wasn't really knowledgeable about it, although she did say as far as she knew there were no problems amongst the Muslims there.

-Al Qaeda targeted Spain to isolate Europe from the United States - one of the Islamists' essential goals - and because Europe is an easy target. So why don't the Spanish people rise up in opposition to this threat? Why don't they rebel against this? Because since the 1970's there has been a strong anti-American feeling growing all over Europe due to the previously discussed Euro-Arab alliance. This was all part of both the building of the counter-weight to America and as a way of protecting themselves (Europe). Now it's too late to go back. Their response to threat is not to fight, but to buckle and try harder to serve Dar al Islam. Take note: That is characteristic Dhimmi behavior - to give service to Dar al Islam.

-What are Dhimmi protected from? Well, being killed for one. Also, Kufir (non-believers) are also allowed to be enslaved.

-What does Ye'or think of the rise of the Right in France? She believes it is a reaction to the lax policies of the Left - partly to immigration and partly to non-assimilation. The trouble is that it tends to become xenophobic since not all Muslims are Islamist and unwilling to assimilate.

-On opposition feelings in the USA and Europe, it is pointed out that about 50% (a rough number for argument's sake) of the American public is opposed to the War in Iraq. What percentage of Europeans are willing to express their opposition to this Islamization?

Ye'or feels that people in Europe have welcomed this Islamization because they are more interested in opposing Christianity. Europe is actively rejecting its roots [Aside: Given the negative way many in Europe view their history, this is not at all surprising.] This is in stark contrast to the United States and President Bush where they are proud of their Judeo-Christian background. Instead, Europe has begun to center itself around "Palestinian everything." As though 'Palestinianism" were becoming a new European religion. [Aside by the moderator: Note that most of the 9/11 hijackers spent time and were radicalized while they were in Europe.]

-Asked Jihad as internal struggle, she points out that the Islamic World was built by aggressive Jihad. If it were not, if it were only an internal struggle, Islam would have stayed in Arabia. Sources for Jihad as an aggressive act are too numerous to mention and their effects can be seen easily throughout history.

-She does not believe the romance between Europe and Arabia would end even if the oil were to dry up, since the goal of France and Germany is also to counter-balance America. There are also population issues, with a quickly growing Muslim population. Further, Islamic culture is developing, one might even say it has seized the European Universities and the Press, both of which have become bastions of this transformation.

There is also a theological factor. There is a movement afoot to join Islam with Christianity and sever it from Judaism. This also explains some of Europe's re-surgent antisemitism.

-If George Bush were more skilled diplomatically, would it matter? Stated differently, is there a chance for a positive future with diplomatic means alone?

There is a chance. America still has many friends in Europe. The trouble is, due to the ideological forces that control the press, it is very difficult for this point of view to be published. There is strong shame amongst some people in Europe for their nations' Dhimmi-like behavior (As exemplified by Prodi's recent trip to Alexandria - classic Dhimmitude - see above.) where he promised all sorts of services to Dar al Islam, so there are allies to be had, but they are difficult to reach and rally.

Bat Ye'or strongly recommends studying the history of Jihad. It is very important. This is sage advice.

Look at the example of Turkey. At one time it was the very bastion of Christendom.

"It implicates us all."

(Tomorrow I will scan in the notes from which I prepared this entry. My next long post will be a similar report on the lecture I attended last night by Bernard Lewis on the roots and resurgence of antisemitism.)

Update: Here are all my notes in raw form: Page1 Page2