Arab Indifference to Cartoon Apology

By Olfa G. Tantawi and Katrine Nielsen

Photo by Jacob Bott 

Reports about an apology published by the Danish newspaper Politiken on Friday for hurting Muslim feelings by reprinting the Muhammed cartoons continued to spread to more media in the Arab world on Wednesday.

Since the publication of the apology around 81 newspapers and news websites mentioned the news quoting the international news agencies.

Almost half of them, around 61 percent, paid attention to the heated Danish debate about Politiken’s decision, which was critiqued by other Danish newspapers as well as by many politicians.

Politiken’s apology was part of a settlement with a coalition of Muslim groups representing the descendants of the prophet (in Arabic ashraf) in several countries one of which is Egypt. Twelve cartoons depicting Muhammed were initially published in 2005, sparking widespread protests by Muslims in various countries in early 2006. Politiken among others republished the most controversial cartoon in 2008 as part of its news coverage of an attempt at the life of cartoonist Kurt Westergaard.

Court Case Sponsored By Former Saudi Minister

This reprint motioned the group of the prophet's descendants, Elaph Ahlo Al-Bait, to demand an apology from all 15 Danish newspapers that reprinted the cartoon and otherwise take the papers to an international court case.

According to Mohamed Aly Ahmed, who is the head of Elaph Ahlo Al-Bait's Cairo-office, the organization is an umbrella for individuals and national groups of descendants of prophet Muhammed. It was founded in 2008 and is funded by the former oil minister of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Zaki El Yamani.

The settlement with Politiken was negotiated in London by Saudi lawyer Faisal Yamani, who is the son of Elaph Ahlo Al-Bait's founder.

The Right To Publish Is Intact

Politiken is the only paper so far to have made a settlement with Elaph Ahlo Al-Bait. According to the agreement, which was published on Politiken's website, the newspaper did not apologize for the re-publishing of the cartoons but instead for the unintended hurt of Muslims’ feelings caused by the reprint. In the apology statement Politiken’s editor in chief Toeger Seidenfaden also reserved the newspaper’s right in the future to publish the Muhammed cartoon and all other cartoons, "regardless of whether there is a risk that they offend someone".

Focus On Danish Criticism

Some of the influential Arab media outlets such as the Lebanese Shiite Al Manar TV website, which is owned and run by Hezbollah, merely mentioned the news in one paragraph. An updated version focused on angry reactions of the media in neighboring Norway and their denunciation of the act. The channel owes its influence and reputation to Hezbollah’s head Hassan Nasrallah who enjoys a wide popularity in the Arab street, yet many in the West see the group as a terrorist group. 

72% of the Arab media coverage pointed out to the fact that the apology was part of a settlement deal with a Saudi law firm. Some websites such as Islamonline put a stress on other settlement terms and phrasing especially the fact that “the newspaper do not regret the publishing of the cartoons, and they preserve the right to re-publish them anytime they want.”  Islamonline also quoted Politiken's editor in chief for saying, “we would have felt regret if we did insult prophet Muhammad but we didn’t.”

In a world where governments are often able to influence the media choices, almost half of the Arab media outlets that published the news, around 48 percent, pointed out to a statement by the Danish prime minister in which he expressed that he definitely will not interfere with the newspaper’s decision. The Tunisian Assabilonline, and the Saudi Al-Basheer websites also highlighted the prime minister’s fear that Politiken‘s decision will have a negative impact on the Danish media’s unity and solidarity in their struggle to defend freedom of expression.

One Palestinian website, El Quds, highlighted these reactions with a headline that said "harsh critiques to a Danish newspaper that apologized for publishing the infamous Muhammed cartoons claiming that the move is a blow to the principles of freedom of expression.”

Call To Close The Cartoon Case

A number of newspapers, mainly the Saudi Al Sharq Al Awsat, the Egyptian al Shorouk al Gadid and Middle East Online news website also highlighted another news about a former Danish editor in chief of Politiken who announced that while working as a journalist back in 1950'es and 1960'es, he was also an Israeli spy in Africa. The Middle East Online made a link between both news with a headline that said “Politiken: spying for Israel then abusing the Prophet Muhammed.”

None of the Arab media coverage contained reactions from the Arab world. So far, the only Muslim reaction to Politiken’s apology came from Denmark. The head of the Danish supreme Islamic council Abd Al Hameed Al Hamedy, in a statement published by Al Quds news agency, welcomed Politiken‘s apology and called on the Muslim world to stop all sorts of economic and political boycott of Denmark and to close the cartoons file once and for all.