Professor in Muslim comments furore lashes out on website

 VISITING Jewish professor has lashed out at Australian Jewish leaders for their "shameful submission to Muslim thugs", saying his comments were less harsh than some by the Prime Minister and federal Treasurer.

Hebrew University professor Raphael Israeli, dropped from a proposed lecture tour after comments last week, said political correctness did not allow his remarks to be said, though, privately, all supported them.

He said Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello had said harsher things after "Muslim riots", but "someone elected to seize upon this opportunity now and sweep Australia into a storm in a teacup".

Professor Israeli, who will teach his six-week Islamic history course at the University of NSW, posted his version of the stoush on a website.

On the Dhimmi Watch section of www.jihadwatch.org, he wrote: "The dhimmi-like Jewish leadership cancelled all activities, in a shameful submission to the Muslim thugs and under the false claims of a 'multicultural society' in Australia, which they know is not true."

Dhimmis are Christians and Jews who lived as second-class citizens under Muslim rule, paying a special tax.

On Friday, The Age reported Professor Israeli's warning that when Muslims reached a critical mass in non-Muslim countries the risk of violence rose greatly.

This was a general rule, so it applied also to Australia, he said, but he denied urging Australia to limit Muslim immigration.

The Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Committee cancelled proposed lectures by Professor Israeli around Australia, and other Jewish groups distanced themselves.

On the website, the professor said he was struck by "the provinciality of the place, where a minor item of gossip … becomes a national issue".