Bitterly ironic, this, since if the opponents of this particular “terrorist state” prevail, Bishop Nasir’s coreligionists in the new Palestinian state will find themselves subject to far harsher oppression, courtesy Sharia laws of dhimmitude, than they suffer under the Israeli government. Farfetched? No: in May 1999, Sheikh Yussef Salameh, the Palestinian Authority”s undersecretary for religious endowment, said that Palestinian Christians should become dhimmis under Muslim rule. Others have echoed this idea.
From WND, with thanks to EPG:
The Bishop of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan called Israel a “terrorist state” and denied a request to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish nation.
Earlier this month, a Rev. Boiz, who reportedly said he was a pastor from Pakistan’s Presbyterian Church, led a demonstration in Karachi, Pakistan, demanding the church recognize Israel. But the church this week distanced itself from the protest.
“We the Christians of Pakistan and especially the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan categorically condemn this demand,” said the Rev. T. Nasir, bishop of Pakistan’s Presbyterian Church. “We believe that [the] present state of Israel is a ‘terrorist state’ and Pakistan should not recognize it.”
Nasir said Boiz in not a pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan and “his presence and comments might not be counted as views of the Presbyterian Church.”
“I wish to make it clear that my statement is based on principles and I am not trying to please the Muslim majority of Pakistan. What we see every day is enough to condemn this demand,” said Nasir.
“We have seen more than enough blood and deaths of unfortunate and forgotten Palestinians at the hands of Ariel Sharon, and as such we do not support this demand. We will go to visit the holy places only after the Palestinians get their right to establish their own homeland and start living in peace. Nothing less will be accepted by us.”