Israel Matzav: Dhimmis at the Met

Dhimmis at the Met

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has pulled all its images of Muhammad from the museum out of fear of - what else - 'offending Muslims.'

The museum said the controversial images -- objected to by conservative Muslims who say their religion forbids images of their holy founder -- were "under review."

Critics say the Met has a history of dodging criticism and likely wants to escape the kind of outcry that Danish cartoons of Mohammed caused in 2006.

"This is typical of the Met -- trying to avoid any controversy," said a source with inside knowledge of the museum.

The Met currently has about 60 items from its 60,000-piece Islamic collection on temporary display in a corner of its vast second-floor Great Hall while larger galleries are renovated. But its three ancient renderings of Mohammed are not among them.

"We have a very small space at the moment in which to display the whole sweep of Islamic art," said spokeswoman Egle Zygas. "They didn't fit the theme of the current installation."

But it's not certain Mohammed will go on display when the Met finishes its $50 million renovation in 2011.

I'm as sick of Muslim terror and political correctness as anyone, but who wants to look at the false prophet anyway?

On the other hand, find me some clever cartoons of him and I'm all game....

Israel Matzav: Dhimmis at the Met