This is the latest from the best journalist in Israel... Following a symposium Arlene Kushner reports for anyone who want to know about the situation of the Christians of the M.E.. You will surely be ahead of many myths propagated by those who have an ax to grind. November 11, 2012 "Christians in the Middle East" I want to begin by switching gears today, to consider an important, and much neglected issue. Last Thursday night, a symposium -- co-sponsored by B'nai Brith World Center, the Menachem Begin Center and the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Jerusalem -- was held on "The Present and Future of Christians in the Middle East." That Christians in Muslim and Arab countries in this region have it very difficult was hardly news to me. But this symposium provided a broader context and some significant information. ~~~~~~~~~~ Raymond Ibrahim, author and ME specialist with the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the ME Forum, is an American born to Christian Copts from Egypt. Credit: twitter He provided an historical context for the situation: What we are seeing today is a 1,400-year long manifestation of a Muslim doctrine of conquest of Christians. This is not an historical aberration or a modern phenomenon. It is what has been happening over the centuries. And this has been a conquest by the sword. There is a Koranic doctrine of hostility to non-Muslims. Across the region, there was a Christian presence before the advent of Islam, and now it is said that "The entire Islamic world is one occupied territory." This conquest began in the Arabian peninsula and spread to Egypt, Syria and elsewhere. Fifteen hundred years ago 90% of Egypt was under Copt control. With this conquest has come a pattern of destruction of churches, degradation, persecution and forced conversions. Today there is a serious humanitarian crisis. In different continents, in different cultures, there is persecution of Christians. The common denominator is Islam. In Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, Egypt, etc. In recent months, tens of thousands of Christians have been shoved out of Mali. The Islamist opposition in Syria attacks Christians. In Egypt, the Copts are suffering with the rise of the Brotherhood. ~~~~~~~~~~ Says Ibrahim: The situation of the Christians makes the Palestinian issue a non-issue. Christians in the US do not sufficiently address this suffering. But leaders within liberal denominations are eager to promote the Palestinian issue. The same can be said about the media. ~~~~~~~~~~ Juliana Taimoorazy is an Assyrian Christian. The Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans) are indigenous to the region -- descended from the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians. A Semitic people, not Arab and not Kurdish, they converted to Christianity in the First Century of the Common Era and still utilize Aramaic. Credit: Voiceofthecopts Taimoorazy fled Iran, where she had been born, at age 15 and ultimately made her way to the US, where she has lived for over 20 years. There she founded the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, which lends badly needed assistance to the beleaguered Assyrian Christians living in Iraq. The information she provided was chilling: From 1914-18, three out of four Assyrian Christians were murdered: As the Turks slaughtered Armenians so did they kill the Assyrians, some 750,000 in total. From 2004 until the present there have been 80 church bombings, as well as numerous kidnappings. In the south of Iraqi there is ethnic cleansing. In the north, persecution by Kurds. There were over one million Christians in Iraq, but the number is down to 450,000 because the rest have fled as refugees, to Syria, Jordan and elsewhere. Some 45% of all Iraqi refugees are Christian. There are those who believe the solution is for all to leave, but there is reluctance because they have ancient roots in the land. Priests are not only murdered, their bodies are cut into pieces and scattered around their churches. ~~~~~~~~~~ Even more chilling were the still photos and video clips she showed. The portrayals of massacres of Christians were starkly reminiscent of Jewish suffering during pogroms over the centuries, and I knew I had to write about this. It is forbidden to remain silent. In particular, I encourage Christians reading this to learn more about suffering fellow Christians, and how you can help them. http://www.iraqichristianrelief.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~ Taimoorazy said the Obama administration has been contacted about this situation, but there is no response. ~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Moti Kedar, who teaches Arabic at Bar Ilan University and is an expert on Arab populations, provided further insight into the situation of Christians in the Middle East. [See the attached file] Credit: cjnews The Copts, he told us, were the original Egyptians. "Copt" is a Greek version of the word "Egypt." It was the Christians who brought ideas of nationalism to the Middle East after exposure to this ideology in Europe. Their hope was that everyone would be equal, united as patriots of a nation. But their notion of converting Islamism to nationalism never worked. Muslims focus on the Umm, the Muslim nation -- intended to unite Muslims. Muslims are historically hostile to Jews and Christians. According to their beliefs, Islam came to replace Judaism and Christianity, not to live side by side with these faiths. It is for this reason that they have a common practice of building mosques over churches -- or turning churches into mosques. ~~~~~~~~~~ Even though Muslims have a long history of persecution of Christians, the situation has been worse in recent times. First there is a factor of frustration. They knew that Islam was supposed to replace Christianity because their Koran has told them so. But the US, a much despised Christian nation, has been successful. Not only successful -- via modern technology, the despised American culture has invaded their lands. As a result of this, they vent their frustration upon those Christians living within their lands. Then there is the increased radicalization of Islam. The Copts did not have it good under Mubarak. It's worse with the Brotherhood. Lastly, there is the situation of the Jews. Not only have they not disappeared, they have had the temerity to establish their own nation, where their people are protected from Muslim persecution. A source of enormous frustration. But as the Muslims don't have Jewish populations -- whom they can attack -- within their lands any longer, they turn with increased ferocity upon the Christians who still live amongst them. Jews and Christians, then, are united in recent history, in facing Islamic animosity, and need to make common cause. ~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued
continued from previous A few diverse political observations: Dr. Kedar provides a knowledgeable description of Islamic frustration. His understanding, his insight, is what is missing from most political analyses: The Muslims were supposed to replace the Jews. That's what their religious teachings tell them. How then can they be expected to accept with equanimity the success of the Jewish state? Israel is an irritant to them, in the best of circumstances. How can they be expected to approach with genuine good will ideas of living side by side with Israel? The answer is that this cannot realistically be expected of them -- and especially is this the case because moderation is decreasing and there is a growing radicalization of Muslims, including the Muslims of Fatah (the PA/PLO). And yet, this expectation is what the deluded and clueless leaders of the Western world continue to promote and foster. ~~~~~~~~~~ Juliana Taimoorazy said this at the end of her presentation: "The America I knew 20 years ago is not the America of today. Americans are very politically correct and wants to welcome everyone who comes." But there are those who are coming, she explained, who are working to bring Sharia (Islamic) law. "I am very afraid for America." ~~~~~~~~~~ I, too, am very afraid for America. And it's not just because the Muslims are coming, as they've come to Europe. It's for another reason as well. As I have struggled in the last few days in an attempt to understand what has happened with the last election, I have been advised time and again that America is not what she was because there is now a more diverse ethnic population. But this did not seem to me sufficient explanation. The United States is proudly a nation of immigrants. So, it's different immigrants. So what? And suddenly I knew "so what?" I think back to the situation of the early years of the twentieth century, when the land was flooded with immigrants: Jewish, Italian, Greek and more. America in those days was referred to as a melting pot. The goal of immigrants was to become American, to absorb American values. That is what is lost in today's politically correct America, where everything is considered as good as everything else and it is not considered appropriate to attempt to inculcate American values in newcomers. "Old fashioned" values -- such as self-reliance and defense of liberty at all costs and dedication to the constitution -- are being diluted. And along with it, notions of American exceptionalism, which for many decades made America the leader of the free world. No more. Now America leads from behind and the world is poorer for it. John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural speech, said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." That was 52 years ago. Would his words reverberate throughout the land today, inspiring people? A rhetorical question: The election just past was about entitlements -- about what America would be doing for its citizens. Add to this an America terribly divided -- by ethnic group and economic class and more -- because there is less sense of common peoplehood and all pulling together. I grieve. ~~~~~~~~~~ © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted. See my website at www.arlenefromisrael.info Contact Arlene at akushner18@gmail.com This material is transmitted by Arlene only to persons who have requested it or agreed to receive it. If you are on the list and wish to be removed, contact Arlene and include your name in the text of the message.
I got it you really do not care... Now if Israel was killing Christians like the Arabs do... Everyone would be joining picking stones to throw at the Jews... There is an Arab saying in my country ""when a sheep falls many come with shapened knifes""... Have a wonderful day.
Arlene Kushner writes a day later... November 12, 2012 "What We Are Facing Now" Before I begin to talk about what we are facing, I want to provide one quote. In going over my notes regarding the situation of Christians in Muslim lands, I found a quote from Raymond Ibrahim that it is too good not to reproduce here: "Israel is the dhimmi that got away." Dhimmi, defined by Sharia law, is a second class citizen (Jewish, Christian or other monotheist) living in a Muslim society. What is more, says Ibrahim, Israel is now in a position of authority over some Muslims, and that is intolerable. Remember, Muslim Arab pride is very important. Food for thought. ~~~~~~~~~~ I am sorry that my crystal ball seems a big fogged up today. Perhaps it's because of the wonderful rain we've been having here in Jerusalem -- a great blessing. But at any rate, my capacity to forecast is weak and what I want to do here, in the main, is issue a report: The barrage of weapons coming from Gaza has been severe. By late yesterday over 100 rockets had fallen in a 24 hour period, and dozens more were launched this morning. There have been hits -- in Sderot and on a home in Netivot. This last was a more powerful Grad rocket, and although several people were hospitalized for shock, thank Heaven, there no injuries. Credit: Israel Hayom ~~~~~~~~~~ A series of rockets was launched yesterday at just about the time for children to be dismissed from school (some, but not all schools had cancelled), and that no kids were hit was truly a miracle. ~~~~~~~~~~ So, the question is, what happens next. The residents of the south have had it. As have many members of the government and the Knesset. Homefront Defense Minister Avi Dichter, for example, is quoted as saying: "There is no precedent in history of destroying terror by air power alone. It hasn't happened and it won't happen. Thus it is necessary to reformat Gaza altogether." "Reformatting" Gaza sounds good. And Education Minister Gideon Saar said that Israel "was in the last stages of preparing for a very wide military offensive in Gaza." While Tzachi Hanegbi, former chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said today that "Israel's deterrence against terror from Gaza, including Hamas and others there, no longer exists, and now we find ourselves in a countdown toward a large and aggressive ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Air power has run its course. They have obviously forgotten the lessons they learned from Operation Cast Lead." What Hanegbi suggested is that this action should not resemble Cast Lead but, instead, Operation Defensive Shield,during which the IDF moved into large Palestinian Arab cities in Judea and Samaria in 2002 in order to root out terrorist forces.. ~~~~~~~~~~ So, maybe this time... Another indication that something might be happening is that PM Netanyahu is calling for meetings with foreign ambassadors, reportedly to diplomatically pave the way for an understanding of our need to attack. I hesitate to predict an attack, however, for at least a couple of reasons. First, why so much talk? Why are they not shutting their mouths and letting our military actions speak? Is this talk nothing more than empty saber rattling? And then, Barak made a statement about the strong action we will take "if it is necessary." IF?? It IS necessary. Is he looking for an out? As I write, the number of rockets being launched is fewer, and there's talk of the possibility of an Egyptian-negotiated cease fire. This would be deplorable. One woman resident in the south was quoted as saying, "This is the worst it's been in months." And that's the point. If there is such a ceasefire then, at the will of the Islamic terrorists, there will be another barrage in another few weeks or months. And our civilians continue to be at their mercy. I fear -- I always fear this -- that it will take, G-d forbid, the death of some of those civilians to motivate what should be undertaken immediately. Deterrence power is the key here. This means we instill sufficient fear of Israel and how we will respond into these jihadists so that they hesitate to launch against us. I don't know if it should be a full operation into Gaza, or bombing of the headquarters of Hamas and other groups so that leaders become afraid or the taking of certain cities. That is for the military people to decide. What I do know is that it is time -- past time -- for a powerful action that hurts them badly. I mention again here, as I have in the past, that I have no doubt that Hezbollah is watching. They will mark well how we respond in Gaza and may temper their actions against us accordingly. This is all part of deterrence. ~~~~~~~~~~ Frankly, I am hard put to understand why it should be necessary (if this is what is about to happen) for our prime minister to explain to foreign diplomats our need to attack before we do so. They have eyes and ears. And living in Israel they are privy to Israeli news (even if international news doesn't carry the story). They know what the Gaza terrorists are doing, and they know that their own nations would tolerate no such thing. What's to explain? And why give the terrorists a heads-up on our intentions? It is our place to act as we need to, with pride, as a sovereign nation. We should begin our operation without prior fanfare, in my opinion, and then the prime minister can call a press conference saying, "Here is the evidence of rockets launched against our civilians without provocation. The world can thus see for itself the necessity of what we have now undertaken. Israel will not allow its citizens to remain at risk." Period. No permission sought and no apologies. ~~~~~~~~~~ What I must also report here is how tense matters are at our northern border with Syria. Yesterday morning, after a 120mm mortar shell landed in the Israeli Golan, for the first time since the Yom Kippur war in 1973, Israel fired directly into Syria. A Tammuz missile was launched, not for purposes of direct hit, but rather to indicate, with utilization of that very sophisticated missile, that Israel was serious in demanding that the civil war not begin to move across the border. Now today, another shell struck Israeli territory, and this time retaliation was with tanks stationed near the border. This was more than a warning: two D-3 mortar launchers belonging to the Syrian army were hit directly. [See the attached file] Credit: Avihu Shapira/YNet Israel has no intention of becoming involved in the Syrian civil war, and that attitude has been conveyed to the UN and in other venues. One would think that Assad has his hands full enough at present, and will absorb the Israeli message and attempt to pull back fighting from so close to the Israel Golan. But Assad is desperate, and desperate tyrants do crazy things some times. There is no predicting here, either. I do not believe, however, that we can allow this to deter us from what we must do with regard to Gaza. Our military is well prepared for a variety of scenarios, including the possibility of contending on more than one front. ~~~~~~~~~~ © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted. See my website at www.arlenefromisrael.info Contact Arlene at akushner18@gmail.com This material is transmitted by Arlene only to persons who have requested it or agreed to receive it. If you are on the list and wish to be removed, contact Arlene and include your name in the text of the message.
The above has been confirmed by a recognized writer R. Ibrahim... I am posting this as a last resort. Egypt's Government and Media Conspire against Christian Copts ~by Raymond Ibrahim Gatestone Institute November 2, 2012 http://www.meforum.org/3376/egypt-christian-copts From top to bottom, from the Muslim Brotherhood president to the Muslim Brotherhood-monitored media, the lies concerning Egypt's Christian minority—whether presidential lies that claim they are cared for, or whether media lies demonizing them—continue unabated. Some recent examples follow: After two Christian boys were earlier arrested for allegedly blaspheming a Quran and were subsequently released, the Egyptian media, following the claims of the Muslim Brotherhood, credited President Morsi with their release: Ikhwan Web, the Brotherhood's official English website, and the website of its political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, both ran with a report titled "Morsi Orders Release of Christian Boys Held for Desecrating Holy Quran in Egypt, the opening sentence of which reads: "Two Egyptian Coptic boys are freed from juvenile detention, at President Morsi's instructions…" This magnanimous narrative was widely disseminated in the media, including in the West. Yet, according to the lawyer of the two Christian boys, Guirgus Bebaway, "the claim that Morsi interfered to have the two children released is simply false …. President Morsi had nothing to do with the Release of Nabil Nady Rizk, 10 years old, and Mina Nagui Farag, 9 years old," the two boys who "were taken to a different place until the situation calms down in their village," where wild riots and protests had ensued. Likewise, Morsi's visit to Sinai—where, among other signs of jihadi infiltration, Christians were recently attacked and displaced—was trumpeted by the Western media as proof of his commitment to protect the Copts. For example, in a report titled "Egypt's president visits Sinai to 'reassure' Copts," AFP wrote "Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi visited the Sinai peninsula on Friday to meet with and reassure Coptic families who fled from the town of Rafah after receiving death threats, his Facebook page said" (emphasis added). Yet, according to the Coptic bishop of Sinai, although he and many Coptic representatives were eager to meet with Morsi, they were never allowed an opportunity, but rather were kept in the lobby with Sinai's Bedouins and others, where they all got to hear the president declare some platitudes concerning the equality of all Egyptians from afar—platitudes that seemed so generic that Bishop Qazmaan remarked "we cannot determine the sincerity of his words." Finally, because Egypt's Copts were recently denied justice concerning last year's Maspero Massacre—when the Egyptian military slaughtered Christians protesting over the constant attacks on their churches, including by running them over with armored vehicles, only to be exonerated in court—they congregated again around Maspero both to protest and mark the anniversary of the incident. And, just as the Egyptian media had demonized the protesting Christians during the original Maspero Massacre—falsely claiming that Copts were attacking and killing Egypt's soldiers, which even the Western media ran with—the media again turned victim into persecutor in its coverage of the anniversary. For example, a TV anchorman for El Qahira station, while covering the anniversary march, asked "why rehash all this?' and, in the non-sequitur of the year, claimed that whenever Copts demonstrate and call for their rights, "only one nation, one people" profits: Israel. Thus, once again, Egypt's Christian minority, who seek only equality, were portrayed as "traitors," more interested in empowering foreign powers than in helping build Egypt. He even broadcast non-violent scenes from last year's massacre—not the ones of soldiers shooting at and running over Christians—asking, "What's the big deal"? The sister of one of the slain Copts from the massacre, Mina Daniel, further confirmed all this, saying that the media "continues to be corrupt"; that she was invited to be interviewed by one station, which proceeded to edit and delete her words; and, in short, "nothing has changed … the same thing that happened last year during the massacre, when the media claimed Copts were attacking the military is happening today… this is a catastrophe, and we continue to suffer from the same story." Indeed, despite all the media propaganda, whether straight from Egypt's president or from Egypt's mainstream media, it is business as usual for Copts: they are portrayed as disloyal troublemakers, who, nonetheless, are cared for by the government—when the truth is the exact opposite. Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
