Palestinians and Moslems Need to Make It Clear that They Do Not Support Hamas Hatred of Israel

Catholic League President Bill Donohue criticized President Barack Obama for his statement commemorating the end of the Moslem Ramadan observance, saying Obama doesn't "stand with people of all faiths." Obama's brief statement was issued earlier this week to send best wishes to Moslems during the Eid al-Fitr celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. In it Obama said that the observance reminds him and his wife Michelle "of the many achievements and contributions of Moslem Americans to building the very fabric of our nation and strengthening the core of our democracy." Obama said he and his wife "stand with people of all faiths, here at home and around the world, to protect and advance their rights to prosper, and we welcome their commitment to giving back to their communities. While Eid marks the completion of Ramadan, it also celebrates the common values that unite us in our humanity and reinforces the obligations that people of all faiths have to each other, especially those impacted by poverty, conflict, and disease," President Obama said. Donohue wrote on the Catholic League's website that Obama does not stand with all faiths while protecting human rights, underlining that fact that "As you speak, Christians are being beheaded all over the Middle East because they are Christians, and those carrying out this mass murder are doing so in the name of Islam. Yet you continue to say and do absolutely nothing about these unspeakable crimes. Do Christian lives mean so little to you?" Donohue asked, saying that when he types in the phrase "President Obama Speaks Out," or "Speaks Against," into Internet search engines, subjects such as "Trayvon Martin," "Kanye West," "Fox News," and "bullying" come up. But, Donohue said, "I can search in vain to find you condemning the genocidal slaughter of Christians by Moslems. Moslem terrorists are killing Jews in Israel and their representatives have pledged to wipe Jews off the face of the earth. Yet your administration spends most of its time lecturing Israelis to be patient. About what? Being bombed because they are Jews? Do Jewish lives mean so little to you?" Donohue added that nobody wants the President to insult Moslem Americans from the White House, "but you had an opportunity to at least call on them to speak out about what their people are doing in the Middle East, and you blew it. Instead, you decided to patronize them for all their contributions to human rights." ~~~~~ We might be tempted to say that this serious criticism came from a Christian religious leader and thus may be exaggerated. Before jumping to such a conclusion, read what Mary Matalin, a veteran Republican political analyst has to say about President Obama's attitude toward Christians and Jews. Matalin spoke on Newsmax TV last week, saying that the Obama administration is guilty of "heartbreaking" anti-Semitism in its treatment of Israel. "The Israelis are the only last [chance] of stability, freedom and hope for that entire region. [It] is otherwise imploding....[Israel is] like the safest community in the United States…. [It] maintains that value system and those morals, the respect and dignity of each individual human. That's what the Israelis do.' But Matalin said she fears that recent criticisms of Israel for its defense against the military actions of Hamas shows a distinct anti-Israel bias : "The anti-Semitism -- and I kind of loathe to call it that but I don't know what to call it -- that is having our government mimic the attitude of the UN is heartbreaking and it's stutteringly frightening, it really is,'' Matalin said. ~~~~~ And, if you think Donohue and Matalin are exaggerating about Obama's bias or the difference between Israel's Jewish religion and culture compared to that of extremist jihadist terrorists who say they are purifying the Moslem faith, check these statistics. The United States annual report on religious freedom released last Monday said that more members of religious communities around the world were forced to flee their homes last year than at any time in recent memory, "In almost every corner of the globe, millions of Christians, Moslems, Hindus and others representing a range of faiths were forced from their homes on account of their religious beliefs," according to the report, which said that in much of the Middle East, the Christian presence is becoming "a shadow of its former self." Hundreds of thousands of minority Christians have fled Syria after three years of civil war. "In the city of Homs the number of Christians dwindled to as few as 1,000 from approximately 160,000 prior to the conflict," according to the report. In the Central African Republic, lawlessness and sectarian violence between Christians and Moslems had reportedly resulted in 700 deaths in December alone and the displacement of more than a million people in 2013. In Pakistan, eighty Christians were killed in a church bombing. In China, seven Christians were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for recording and copying sermons. The report also noted China's prosecution of relatives of people who had set themselves on fire in religious protests. In Egypt, churches and Christian-owned homes and businesses were raided and looted. "Islamist-led mobs carried out acts of violence, intimidation, compelled expulsions, and punishment against Christians," the report said. At least 42 churches, schools, orphanages, and other Christian-affiliated organizations were attacked. "The violence resulted in the looting and destruction of at least 37 churches and the deaths of at least six Christians who were targeted because of their religious identity," according to the report. Attacks on religion were not confined to the developing world, the report said with anti-Semitism throughout Europe was in evidence in Internet forums and in soccer stadiums, "leading many individuals who are Jewish to conceal their religious identity." The US report focuses on 2013, but attacks against Christians and other religious groups continues in 2014. The BBC reported this month that Islamist militants have threatened Iraqi Christians with death by "the sword" unless they accept Islam or pay a protection fee. And in Sudan, a Christian woman was sentenced to death for not recanting her faith. She has since been allowed to leave the country and last week had an audience with Pope Francis. The report also noted instances in which people of different faiths had worked together to protect each other. An increase in mosque attacks in Britain had led an orthodox Jewish neighborhood watch team to help Moslem leaders protect mosques, the report said. Other such interfaith solidarity included Moslems helping to protect Christians by forming human chains around churches in Pakistan and similar actions by Moslems in Egypt. ~~~~~ Dear readers, no world leader has the right to compare jihadist terrorists to normal Moslems. But, every world leader has the obligation to call to the attention of Moslems everywhere their silence, and therefore seeming acquiescence, in the face of those same terrorists who are using the name of their religion as a rallying cry to call "the faithful" to attack, rob, displace and kill Christians and Jews. It is not acceptable to call for the destruction of Israel and all Jews, as Hamas does. If Gaza Moslems are being terrorized themselves by Hamas, they need to find a way to deliver that message to the outside world. Their silence and repeated statements of support for Hamas puts them in harm's way as a community that supports terrorism and hates Israel. Speak up, Gaza. And speak up, West Bank. It is perfectly possible to be a Palestinian and a Moslem without encouraging terrorists. It is not possible to be part of a jihadist islamist group that hates Israel and Jews and expect to be respected by the non-Moslem world. Both Christians and Jews would like to be your friends, but not while you support Hamas and jihadists and teach your children to hate us.