Posted on 10/11/2007 5:12:16 AM PDT by SJackson
Last Saturday, Palestinian Christian Rami Ayyad was abducted and murdered. His body was found the next day. Six months ago, a bomb destroyed Ayyad’s Christian bookstore, the Holy Bible Society in Gaza City.
No group claimed responsibility for the murder of Ayyad, but the bombing of his bookstore was consistent with the pattern of bombings carried out by a jihadist group calling itself “The Righteous Swords of Islam.”
Ayyad’s death comes at a time when the position of Christians in the Palestinian Authority is more precarious than ever. Dr. Justus Weiner of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs said in July that “for a number of years now, this minority community [of Christians] has been in dire need of assistance. Palestinian Christians are unable to practice their religion in freedom and in peace. Most in danger are Arab Christians. And most in danger among Arab Christians are those who have converted from Islam. They are often left defenseless against cruelty from Muslim fundamentalists.”
This cruelty is often hallowed by the sanction of Islamic law. Sheikh Abu Saqer of the jihadist group Jihadia Salafiya announced last June: “I expect our Christian neighbors to understand the new Hamas rule means real changes. They must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza.” This would mean that, in accord with ancient provisions of Islamic Sharia law, Christians could practice their religion, but only if they did so inconspicuously: “Jihadia Salafiya and other Islamic movements will ensure Christian schools and institutions show publicly what they are teaching to be sure they are not carrying out missionary activity. No more alcohol on the streets. All women, including non-Muslims, need to understand they must be covered at all times while in public.” Hamas even intends to reinstitute the jizya, the special tax mandated by the Qur’an (9:29) for Jews and Christians, but from which Muslims are exempt from paying.
Christians are accordingly streaming out of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas – including some of the holiest sites in Christendom. Christians comprised 85 percent of the population of Bethlehem in 1948; by 2006 their numbers had dwindled to twelve percent, and a large mosque has been built on one side of Manger Square, right across from the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Muslim thugs beat a Christian cab driver in Bethlehem, George Rabie, just for displaying a crucifix in his cab. Rabie noted: “Every day, I experience discrimination….Many extremists from the villages are coming into Bethlehem.” Sometimes this discrimination turns lethal: several years ago, Muslims shot dead two Christian women for not wearing the Islamic veil. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades took responsibility and explained: “We wanted to clean the Palestinian house of prostitutes.” Samir Qumsiyeh, owner of a private Christian television station, observed last January: “The situation is very dangerous. I believe that 15 years from now there will be no Christians left in Bethlehem. Then you will need a torch to find a Christian here. This is a very sad situation.” A Bethlehem hotelier, Joseph Canawati, said simply: “There is no hope for the future of the Christian community. We don’t think things are going to get better. For us, it is finished.”
Yet while all this has gone on the world has turned a blind eye. The UN has issued no resolutions calling upon the Palestinians to stop mistreating their Christian minority. Human rights organizations have likewise been silent. And in the West, where Islamic advocacy groups and student groups profess to reject and abhor “extremism,” the oppression of Palestinian Christians has likewise not registered on the radar screen. The Council on American Islamic Relations has said nothing about it. Neither has the Muslim Public Affairs Council. And on campuses around the country, Leftist and Muslim groups are denouncing organizers of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week events, instead of joining with them to stand against the oppression of Christians (as well as women, gays, and others) in all too many Muslim countries today.
Why is that? If these groups really oppose jihadist activity and Sharia oppression, why won’t they stand against them? These groups have been directing their efforts toward discrediting Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week by casting aspersions upon David Horowitz and others. Some have stooped even to fabricating posters in order to portray the organizers of the Week as bigoted and hateful. The losers in all this are the Palestinian Christians and other victims of jihadist oppression. The only ones who are speaking up for them are being vilified and smeared by those who claim to be the sentinels of tolerance and justice.
Yet if Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week is ultimately shouted down on campuses all over the country, among the winners will be those who are making life so miserable for Christians in the Palestinian Authority and all over the Islamic world. And no one will be left to speak for them at all.
as a Jew, i am flabbergasted at the lack of concern for the freedom of religion/security of Arab Christians in the PA territories in the last 5 to 10 years. what will become of them ? what will become of the Christian holy sites in the territories, not protected by the Israelis? there seems to be a disturbing silence on the part of The Church, the evangelicals who travel regularly to the Holy Land, etc. Puzzling...
Today, in Jordan, people could get a fine for drinking WATER in public. Ramadam and EID is about to wind down, and business will go back to normal. To my friends in the WEST. Be real careful that you don’t lump EVERYONE with a veil into a group of frenzied radicals who want to provoke havoc. I honestly never remembered reading about the 9/11 attack in Jordan, on Nov. 9th, 3 hotels bombed, and innocent MUSLIMS died. For the WEST to judge the EAST for remote and isolated instances like this tragedy we just witnessed, is similar for those in the EAST to judge you the WEST for the Christians in Waco with the Branch Davidians, or the Jim Jones massacre of Christian pastor/leader of 900+ innocent people in Guyana. It really is sad, but please don’t think everyone HERE is a terrorist, and I’ll spread the word while I travel in the Middle East, that not everyone in the WEST wants to get rid of people just for worshipping at a mosque.
How terrible!
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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“They” come to the USA and demand rights that their country does not give to visitors to their country.
Do unto them here as they do unto us there.
The Branch Davidians and Jim Jones were about as Christian as the Klan. Any Muslim who does not believe in death or slavery of infidels is about as Muslim as the Pope.
Hooray Robert Spencer! more here...
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/018414.php#comments
Thanks to Robert, Hugh, Marisol and all of the outstanding posters at jihadwatch.
Though it would be hard for a rational, decent person to disagree with your overall point, this particular argument is rather weak. Count the number of years that passed between the two examples you cite, and the years since Waco. On the other hand, one can hardly take a breath without hearing about a new example of Muslim intolerance and/or terrorism. Further, only the irrational will claim that the Bible endorses the behavior of the "Christian" leaders involved in the two incidents, whereas the Koran distinctly supports the activities of its more radical adherents.
The problem is that the PEACEFUL MUSLIMS have NOT DONE ENOUGH to condemm the terrorism done by their radical elements. This includes when there is attacks on the worship places of other faiths. All we have to do is remember what had happened a couple of years back when there was that take over of the Church of the Nativity by radical Palistinian Muslims and the desecration left behind. Because there is no effort to turn the radicals in, no speaking out as a community to condemm the violence, then do not be suprised that there will be a just angry backlash from those those in the WEST who have had ENOUGH of what is going on in the EAST, even at those who go to the mosque to worship. It is called falling down on the job.
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