
Support for Hizballah’s jihad, even in Oz
So chanted Muslim protesters in Australia. Haven’t they gotten the memo, that this is a problem of disputed land ownership, that can be solved with a two-state solution involving territorial concessions by Israel? Why is it that Muslims always seem to be the last people to pick up on points that, if you miss them in the West, can get you charged with “Islamophobia”?
“Australian Muslims condemn Gaza conflict,” from AAP, January 2 (thanks to JE):
Australian Muslims have gathered in Sydney to condemn Israeli bombing raids in the Gaza Strip, urging the federal government to take a strong stance against the conflict.
Many of the city’s major mosques closed their doors for Friday prayers, with worshippers gathering in a Lakemba park in the city’s south-west to pray for victims of the Israeli air strikes on the Hamas-controlled territory.
As a poignant reminder of the lives lost, a coffin was brought to the front of the crowd, followed by eight Muslim leaders including Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali….
That is, the infamous “catmeat sheikh.”
More than 400 Palestinians have died in six days of air strikes, which Israel began on Saturday in response to rocket fire from Hamas.
Israel killed a top Hamas commander on Thursday in the biggest blow yet to the Islamist’s leadership as dozens more air strikes on Gaza took the death toll to at least 420.
As the service in Parry Park opened with Arabic hymns, crowd numbers swelled to more than 2,000 men, women and children.
Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad gave a sermon, urging the Australian government and other western nations to publicly oppose the conflict.
“We request for them to stand against the crimes that are happening and the genocide that is happening in Palestine, and to punish those criminals of war,” Dr Mohammad told the crowd through a translator.
Note yet again the overheated and misapplied rhetoric of “genocide.”
The fighting in Gaza was not supported by the Muslim world, he said.
“The true followers of Moses know exactly that what’s happening by the government of Israel today is something that is against what the Koran has taught,” Dr Mohammad said.
In the Qur’an, the true followers of Moses accept Muhammad as a prophet.
“We as Muslims believe that (Allah) has created people differently in different races, different colours, different beliefs and different tongues.”
Around the corners of the park, placards protesting against the conflict were propped against the fence.
One read “Tanks, missiles, bombs can never break our Islamic bond”, while another said “Palestine is Muslim land, Muslims will never surrender one handspan.”
Former Guantanamo Bay inmate Mamdouh Habib was in the crowd, handing out protest leaflets.
At the end of the formal service many speakers, including a small boy, addressed the crowd.
“Please protect the children of Palestine … please protect the children like me,” he said.
Very common emotionalistic and manipulative appeal — and why is it common? Because it works. No one, in the heat of the moment, stops to think about the Israeli children who have to live under the ever-present prospect of a rocket attack from Gaza.