"...Therefore It Is Our Holy Duty to Drive the Jews OUT OF JERUSALEM!"

These were the shocking words I heard from a Muslim mujahid, Haroon, who was working in "Jamaat E Islami" headquarters in Washington DC one day. My interview with him about the subject of Muslims and their perception of the land of Israel, was to change my Western perspective on it forever.

By Pamela Rae Schuffert presenting investigative journalism from a Biblical Christian perspective-

                                       Jerusalem
March 29, 2012-

March 30 is the date of LAND DAY in Palestine/Israel.

It is also the date of the GLOBAL MARCH ON JERUSALEM. Tens of thousands of Arabs and Muslims, including displaced Palestinians, are preparing to march on Israel's borders and press on to Jerusalem if possible.

Many are protesting Israeli seizure of Arab/Muslim homes and lands and are demanding their property be returned.

Various news articles are now commenting on the military response and preparations of Israel and the IDF  to this huge march.

            IDF Gearing up for Global March on Jerusalem

Many reporting on this Global March to Jerusalem are critical of the heavy handed approach that Israel and their military are apparently taking in response to this protest, especially in Western news media. And Westerners, long used to protests in North American, are casually thinking, "...yeah, it's just another protest for human rights..."

But is it? Or are there much more serious underlying implications? And is there a solid reason for Israel preparing so extensively for this march? From what I have uncovered through research, there is much more than meets the eye initially, that most journalists aren't telling people.

My eyes were opened during my years of interviewing Muslims, studying Islamic ideology to better understand them, and also researching the ongoing Muslim persecution of Christians worldwide.

In one period of research, I spent one day interviewing Muslims at Jamaat E Islami headquarters inWashington DC. One man, Haroon, was happy to speak with me. We enjoyed polite small talk for a few minutes. But then, I finally decided to ask him what I knew would be a provocative question.

"Tell me, Haroon: to whom does Jerusalem belong? To the MUSLIMS or to the JEWS?"

Fire seemed to flash in his eyes as he looked at me and vehemently replied, "TO THE MUSLIM! Because our Qu'ran teaches us that ISHMAEL IS THE TRUE SON OF IBRAHIM, Jerusalem belongs to THE ARAB MUSLIMS! Therefore it is our holy duty before Allah to DRIVE THE JEWS OUT OF JERUSALEM...and out of Israel and into the sea!"

I silently thought about what Haroon said, and finally gently replied by taking my Bible out and saying,

"But Haroon, this Bible is much older than your Qu'ran. It contains the historical account of Abraham. And the Bible clearly teaches that the true son of Abraham is ISAAC (Yitzak) and that ISHMAEL was the son of Hagar the slave woman to Sarah, Abraham's wife. Ishmael is the father of the Arab people. But Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the forefathers of THE JEWS. Therefore according to the Bible, the Land belongs to the JEWS..." I was not prepared for his response.

Looking sincerely shocked and bewildered, Haroon actually  stuttered at first and then exclaimed, "N-n-no...that cannot be true!"

"But it IS true, Haroon...and this is what our Bible teaches," I said quietly. It was finally time to end the interview and discreetly leave. To this day I have never forgotten his response.

Finally...I began to understand what this perpetual struggle was really all about: a battle between what the Qu'ran teaches one people group (the Muslims), and what the Judeo/Christian Bible teaches another people group (the Jews.)

The Qu'ran and the Bible absolutely present differing religious doctrines, beliefs and worldviews. Therefore Jews and Muslims will never be able to come to agreement or true peace with one another based on each groups' strongly held, yet vastly differing,  religious beliefs.

Many if not all Muslims believe what Haroon shared  with me that day. "..therefore it is our holy duty before Allah to drive the Jews out of Jerusalem and out of Israel and into the sea..."

Now, envision tens of thousands of angry Muslims descending on Israel's borders in this GLOBAL MARCH TO JERUSALEM, all sharing this widely held yet erroneous Islamic belief, and with it the Islamic jihadist mandate to DRIVE THE JEWS OUT AND INTO THE SEA. Can you understand the concern Israel now feels to protect it's borders and it's citizens and Jerusalem at this time? 

Perhaps now you can understand better the need Israel feels to secure their borders and defend themselves. Israel is surrounded by a sea of millions of hostile Muslims who share this common belief with Haroon.

Furthermore I find it ludicrous and ironic that the same Islamic extremists from many Islamic nations who are joining in this march for Palestinian rights, and who are crying out for human rights for Muslims in Israel, are among the very ones denying Christians their basic human rights back in their Islamic nations. Muslims are among the most violent oppressors of Christians and abusers of human rights, including womens' rights,  in the world today. 

                              Church destroyed by Muslims

While accusing Israel of human rights abuses against Palestinians and Muslims, Muslims themselves are frequently committing horrific  atrocities against Christians that include armed attacks, torture and murder, house and church seizure and destruction and burnings, beheadings, discrimination in society, and more.

                       Somali Christian beheaded by Muslims

Many of the Islamic nations sending delegates to protest human rights abuses in the GLOBAL MARCH TO JERUSALEM, are themselves guilty of the very same kinds of offenses against Christians and minorities, including against  Jews in their countries! What extreme hypocrisy!

I shudder to think what would happen to both Jews and Christians alike throughout Israel, if such Islamic extremists sharing Haroon's sentiments, were allowed to overrun Israel's borders and then proceed to attempt to seize Jerusalem for themselves. The cruelty, bloodshed and carnage would be beyond belief, especially coupled with Muslim traditional beliefs regarding revenge and honor killings, plus the fatwas (proclamations) being issued by popular Muslim clerics to "...kill the Jews, kill the Christians, kill ALL infidels..."

We only need remember what one Islamic extremist named Mohamed Merah recently did in Toulouse, France, acting out of tradition Islamic revenge and jihadist mentality.  Not even little Jewish children were spared the killer's merciless cruelties, justified in his mind by Islamic ideologies.

Am I happy about what seems to be abusive behavior by Israeli military towards Palestinians at times? No, of course not. Many observers are not. There is much that disturbs me. I am sad whenever I read about little Palestinian children being killed, caught in the crossfire between two opposing groups. I pray about this all the time.

But it must be remembered that, due to the often violent ideologies of Islamic extremism coupled with a jihadist "Muslim holy war" mentality, Israel finds itself in a very precarious position of attempting to balance the need for maintaining human rights, with the need to protect it's borders and people from the threat of widespread Islamic hatred and their desire to overthrow Israel forever.

"Sha-alu shalom Yerushalayim..." Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. There is far more to this ongoing problem than most people in the West can begin to comprehend, and no easy solution in sight. Pray that there will be no violence or bloodshed during this GLOBAL MARCH TO JERUSALEM on March 30, 2012.

-Pamela Rae Schuffert