Posted on 07/31/2008 1:56:30 PM PDT by LibWhacker
“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” - these words are not something you would expect to hear from a Palestinian, let alone someone who grew up in the family that has led the radical and terrorist Islamic ideology of Hamas. But these are the words coming from non other than Masab Yousef - son of one of the leaders of Hamas in the West Bank, Sheikh Hassan Yousef.
Masab Yousef - a Christian convert now living in California - in an interview with Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz talks about the “bottom line” of Hamas and its radical Islamic ideology
A moment before beginning his supper, Masab, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, glances at the friend who has accompanied him to the restaurant where we met. They whisper a few words and then say grace, thanking God and Jesus for putting food on their plates.
It takes a few seconds to digest this sight: The son of a Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian. “I’m now called Joseph,” he says at the outset.
Masab knows that he has little hope of returning to visit the Holy Land in this lifetime.
“I know that I’m endangering my life and am even liable to lose my father, but I hope that he’ll understand this and that God will give him and my family patience and willingness to open their eyes to Jesus and to Christianity. Maybe one day I’ll be able to return to Palestine and to Ramallah with Jesus, in the Kingdom of God.”
Nor does he attempt to hide his affection for Israel, or his abhorrence of everything representing the surroundings in which he grew up: the nation, the religion, the organization.
“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” he says.
“You Jews should be aware: You will never, but never have peace with Hamas. Islam, as the ideology that guides them, will not allow them to achieve a peace agreement with the Jews. They believe that tradition says that the Prophet Mohammed fought against the Jews and that therefore they must continue to fight them to the death.”
Is that the justification for the suicide attacks?
“More than that. An entire society sanctifies death and the suicide terrorists. In Palestinian culture a suicide terrorist becomes a hero, a martyr. Sheikhs tell their students about the ‘heroism of the shaheeds.’“
And yet, in spite of the criticism of the place he left, California can’t make the longings disappear.
“I miss Ramallah,” he says. “People with an open mind. … I mainly miss my mother, my brothers and sisters, but I know that it will be very difficult for me to return to Ramallah soon.”
The full interview will appear in “Haaretz” tomorrow, and we will bring you more from it here on worldivided.com
Praise GOD.
Bravest man on earth....On par with Steven the martyr IMHO.
Argggh, looks like you were posting while I was formatting!
Moderator: Delete this one if you like. No sense having two threads on the same topic.
gnip...
If you wouldn't expect them, it's because you watch too much TV.
There are lots of Christian Palestinians.
Furthermore, Palestinians in general (Christian or not) are not hostile to Israel.
As always, a radical element thrives of media attention and vice versa.
thrives ON media attention...
Praise God a miracle!
I’ll second that! Praise God!
Indeed there are a lot of Christian Palestinians. Worldwide about 30% of Arabs with ancestors in what is now Israel and the occupied territories are Christians. Alas, due to persecution by their Muslim neighbors, the percentage of Christians among the Arabs in the Holy Land is now down to between 1% and 3%.
Nope, sorry. Persecution increases the number of Christians.
In reality, a large percentage of Arab-Americans are Christians, such as from Lebanon. The press doesn’t want you to know that, however. While God be praised that this man came to Christ, the sad fact is, that the libs will now view him as a greater threat to the West than when he was a Muslim.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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“Furthermore, Palestinians in general (Christian or not) are not hostile to Israel.”
Not my experience.
Indeed, while I think this is changing (for the better), Christian Arabs have generally sided with muslims arabs against Israel.
Very brave man, hope he can survive the fatwa..
Would it were so that that ancient dynamic were at work in the Holy Land. The facts on the ground tell a different story: the Christians not just of the Holy Land, but of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, . . . are leaving for America or a white Commonwealth country in droves.
The Fathers of the Church advised fleeing persecution, rather than seeking martyrdom, because in flight those of weak faith might yet be saved, while the trial of martyrdom might prove too hard for some, and that advice is being heeded.
I strongly disagree, whether we're talking about Muslims or Christians.
“Furthermore, Palestinians in general (Christian or not) are not hostile to Israel. As always, a radical element thrives of media attention and vice versa.”
Hamas won big on the platform of unbending hostility against Israel. Regardless of their poor management of Gaza, and increased population suffering, I’d predict that they’d win big again, if election were held today.
The “radical element” may not be 100% of course, but its not a 10-20, its a majority.
Can you ping me when you get the full interview + article?
Thanks!
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