The anti-Islam film Fitna by the Dutch right wing parliamentarian Geert Wilders, which came out on the internet last night, could cause world-wide unrest.

The Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in a speech straight afterwards in Dutch and in English that this film does not represent the government's views and that he is apologizing for the hurt it causes. So far the reactions in the Dutch media condemn the film that is making a caricature of Islam and is equating Islam with extremism and terrorism.

The view that is voiced many times by both Muslims and non-Muslims is that this film does not do justice to the millions of Muslims who are just as much afraid of terrorism as non-Muslims, and who should be seen as allies.

One thing the commotion about this film has already done in the Netherlands is to bring people together, because the polarization that Wilders preaches is something that most people here do not want.

See my commentary of two weeks ago: A vicious circle of insults and violence.

See also the DVD The Imam and the Pastor, a new documentary film on Muslim-Christian relations.