UstaadKhan Blogs

By Ed West

Why does Europe hate Israel? That’s the question asked in Robin Shepherd’s A State Beyond the Pale, which I’ve reviewed in the Catholic Herald this week. The book came out some months back, but with Helen Thomas’s recent outburst (Shepherd also includes the American Left in the growing league of Israel haters) it’s more timely than ever.

I tend to avoid the subject of Israel-Palestine because there are already a billion people expending measureless energy discussing it on a million internet messageboards and social media outlets, probably costing the world economy trillions of dollars a year in lost production.

It’s also a very complex issue that seems to attract the most ironic and absurd partisans: on the one hand feminist or gay and lesbian organisations that support the violently reactionary Islamists of Gaza against one of the most gay-friendly states on earth; on the other, Christian religious nuts who support the settlement of Jews in the West Bank at the expense of the Christian community there – and not just any Christian community either, but one founded by Jesus Christ himself.

And those on both sides who paint this as a simple clash of civilisations between Jews/Christians and Muslims ignore the fact that Israel’s arch-enemy, Syria, has a large, well-protected and equally anti-Israeli Christian minority (indeed if and when the current dictatorship falls the Christian community may well face the same fate as their brethren in Iraq). The Syrians also have an attitude towards Islamists that makes the Israelis look like Birkenstock-wearing pinkos in comparison – 53 Palestinians (mostly combatants) were killed during the IDF’s attack on Jenin a few years back; anywhere between 25-40,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed when the Syrians stormed the town of Hama to crush an Islamist revolt. How many of the flotilistas have even heard of Hama? None, because no one in Europe cares about 40,000 dead Arabs if it’s Arabs doing the killing – it seems if you can’t blame the Jews, it ain’t news. (more…)

This is not merely an Article; this is a “Report of Investigation” which has been done by the writer of this Article in order to get some valuable causes of action about the antagonism of Israel especially the Jews against the Muslims.

The writer of this Article has performed this job neutrally, not being biased from any concept or theory. Through this Article the writer has invaded in the background of the Jews which is linked with the Muslims by which we may be able to identify the real reason of problems between the people of these two religions.

Israel is a country which has been established to rehabilitate the Jews people who were staying in different places of the world. However, Israel is an independent country which is undeniable but the birth of this country has not been done through peaceful manner. The British led western countries as well as some other powerful countries have established this country dramatically especially to control the Middle East countries by it.

However, one thing is to control by using influence but the world community has been bored looking the killings by Israel especially the killings of the Muslims of Palestine, Lebanon and somewhere of other countries throwing the human rights and international laws in dustbin. However, it is a question that why Israel or the Jews are too much antagonist against the Muslim or against Islam? Actually this is a historical issue which is based on religious sentiment. However, to solve the problem we have to investigate in the background of Jews and Muslim, and then we may get the valuable answer which might be helpful to solve the problems between Jews and Muslim especially.

The country Israel has been established for the Jews people. Now we are to know who are the Jews? The people who are the follower of Prophet Hazrat Moses (Peace be upon him) and holy book “Torah ” are called Jews. It is also to be noted that the Muslims also absolutely believe that Hazrat Moses (Peace be upon him) as their one of the prophets and the Torah is one of their holy books. So, if the Jews and the Muslims both believe Hazrat Moses (Peace be upon him) as their Prophet and Torah as their holy book, so where is the problem? Actually the problem is in other side. 

The Muslims believe in many prophets as the Jews do. When Prophet Hazrat Moses (Peace be upon him) was in this world he said about the last prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to his followers that means to the Jews. That is why the Jews people were very much concerned about the last prophet and they were somewhere ready to obey the last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

During the time of Prophet Hazrat Moses (Peace be upon him), the Jews were very much informed about the different characteristics of last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to identify him. They would also know when the last prophet will come in this world from that time all previous rules and regulations will be canceled and almighty God will give new rules and regulations. Actually there was no problem regarding this matter. (more…)

By disarming the Muslim countries one by one, the neo-conservative US policy serves the Israeli objective of ‘securing’ its expanding borders, which at present is confined to building settlements (land theft) in the occupied territories. When this episode is forgotten, Israel will try to occupy another piece of land using the pretext of security, no doubt the world will be told, Israel was compelled to act in self-defence; thus, creeping towards its ultimate dream of creating Ertez (greater) Israel that runs from the Nile, to the Euphrates. The latest attempts to intimidate nuclear-free Iran by nuclear Israel, reflects that long term Israeli ambition.

Here are the facts:

*       Iran has not attacked any of its neighbours over the last 60 years, unlike belligerent Israel. 

*       Iran is a signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) treaty, and has no nuclear weapons. (more…)

 by Dennis Prager

Hazem Farouq (C), a Muslim Brotherhood parliamentarian who boarded the aid flotilla attacked by Israel

With the exception of the United States, nearly all the world’s nations; newspapers, radio and TV news stations; the United Nations; and the world’s Leftist academics and organizations have condemned Israel over the Gaza flotilla incident. The characterizations of the Jewish state range from a society so evil that it should not be allowed to exist to a villainous nation that is responsible for a) the suffering of millions of innocent Palestinian men, women and children; b) the lack of Mideast peace; therefore c) the Muslim world’s anger at the West; and therefore d) Islamic terrorism itself.

Let’s hope the world is right.

Israel is almost totally isolated. A visitor from another planet would have every reason to report back home that the greatest problem on planet earth was this planet’s Jewish state. Though Israel is the size of the American state of New Jersey and smaller than El Salvador, and though its population is smaller than that of Sweden, Burundi and Bolivia, it is the most censured country in United Nations history.

Let’s hope the world is right.

Though Israel is a thriving liberal democracy for all its citizens, including the one out of five that is Arab (83 percent of whom are Muslim), with an independent judiciary and press; though it signed an agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state; though it returned to Egypt every inch of the Sinai Peninsula, a land mass larger than Israel itself with major oil reserves — the world deems Israel a villain. (more…)

Majed El Shafie

Every three minutes a Christian is being tortured in the Muslim world, and in 2009 more than 165,000 Christians will have been killed because of their faith, most of them in Muslim countries, according to a human rights organization that is visiting Israel starting Sunday.

“Hamas digs up the bodies of Christians from Christian burial sites in the Gaza Strip claiming that they pollute the earth,” said Reverend Majed El Shafie, President of One Free World International (OFWI), who will head a delegation of human rights activists, members of parliament from Canada and religious personalities.

During their visit to Israel the delegation will hold a conference on human rights and persecuted minorities at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. The conference will provide new statistics on the persecution of minorities in Muslim countries.

El Shafie said that between 200-300 million Christians are being persecuted in the world, 80 percent of whom lived in Muslim countries and the rest in communist and other countries.

Members of the delegation will meet with Knesset Speaker Reuven Ri (more…)

A Palestinian boy challenges an Israeli soldier

An uneasy calm is descending over East Jerusalem after thousands of Israeli troops lifted a tight siege lasting two weeks on Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one of Islam’s holiest sanctuaries.

The site witnessed violent disturbances two weeks ago when Israeli paramilitary police stormed the Haram Al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) in an effort to arrest Palestinians who had repulsed an attempt by a group of Jewish fanatics who were trying to arrogate “prayer rights” at the Islamic shrine.

Dozens of Palestinians were injured, some quite seriously.

Following the incident, hundreds of Muslims from Jerusalem and also from Arab towns and villages in Israel decided to maintain a constant presence at the mosque in order to repulse new attempts by Jewish extremists to seize a foothold at Al-Aqsa compound. On many occasions, Israeli police forces threatened to storm the Noble Sanctuary if the sit- in didn’t end. Meanwhile, they maintained a constant presence outside the compound. But on Sunday, the Israeli government decided to lift the siege, effectively allowing participants in the sit-in to leave peacefully.

The deal apparently was part of a behind-the-scenes understanding between Israel and Jordan whereby Israel agreed to reinstitute the status quo ante at the site and to refrain from provoking Muslim sensibilities. According to the Jordanian- Israeli Peace Treaty, Jordan retained the role of custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Jordan had harshly criticised Israel for the “standoff”, and unconfirmed reports indicated that the Jordanian government threatened to expel the Israeli ambassador from Amman if the provocations continued.

Indeed, King Abdullah II warned in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz last week that the irresponsible Israeli behaviour with regard to Al-Aqsa Mosque could spark off a huge conflagration in the region and “destroy everything”. Jordan and other Muslim countries witnessed large anti-Israel protests following Friday congregational prayers.

In addition to Jordan, several Muslim countries also filed protests with Israel, warning the Israeli government that any attempt at a gradual Jewish takeover of Islam’s third holiest site would be viewed as crossing an ultimate red line by Muslims, and would also put an end to any semblance of peacemaking efforts in the region. The protests prompted Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to publicly deny that Israel was harbouring hostile intentions with regard to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“Last week extremist figures tried to undermine Israel’s stability. This is an extremist minority that spread lies about Israel digging under the Temple Mount [Haram Al-Sharif]. This is a lie,” he said.

Another Israeli official, Trade and Labour Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer warned that Israeli Arabs were beginning to “link up” with Hamas against Israel. “A certain alliance is forming between Israeli Arabs, specifically the Islamic Movement, and Hamas,” Ben-Eliezer told Israeli state-run radio, adding that Israel would eventually pay a heavy price if this was permitted to continue. Muslim leaders in Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories scoffed at these statements, calling them “brash lies”.

“Israel is trying to tell the Muslim world that this is a confrontation with Hamas. This is a lie, because Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to the entire Muslim umma (nation) and Israel is trying to demolish the mosque or at least arrogate part of it in order to build a temple for Jews,” said Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement in Israel. (more…)

Turkey’s decision to scrap a military exercise involving Israel has sparked concerns in Israel about threats to its close military and economic ties with a key Muslim nation and a NATO member not always willing to follow the Western line.

The weekend move by Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is the latest reflection of widespread anger — especially in Muslim countries — over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in last winter’s Gaza conflict.

But it also could have broader relevance because of Turkey’s growing regional clout, and strategic position as a nation of more than 70 million that borders Iraq and Iran and is embroiled in a sputtering effort to join the European Union.

“Turkey is trying to reposition itself in the world,” Carina O’Reilly, Europe analyst for London-based Jane’s Country Risk, said Monday. “It’s trying to establish itself as a power in its own right.”

In Turkey, analysts see a complex situation with a government deeply rooted in Islam trying to balance an emerging role as a voice for Muslims with a continuing alliance with the West.

Turkey’s approach to Israel reflects a “double-faced policy” that began when Erdogan scolded the Israeli president over Gaza casualties at an international forum in Switzerland, said Huseyin Bagci, professor of international relations at Middle East Technical University.

“The Turkish government, since the Davos incident, (tried) to become the consciousness of the Middle East,” Bagci said. Behind the scenes, though, ties with Israel are largely “business as usual,” he said.

The furor began Sunday, when Israeli defense officials said Ankara had called off the international stage of the Anatolian Eagle drills, which were to have included the U.S. and NATO, because it opposed Israel’s participation. The U.S. and NATO have not commented on why the exercise was scrapped. (more…)