Israel's Enemy from Within

By Salam Eid

CBN News

May 23, 2007

CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM - Friday is prayer time in Jerusalem -- and frequently, a day of confrontation and rioting.

Some Muslims use the time to throw stones and call for holy war against the Jews.

Their stated purpose: to defend Jerusalem, and especially the al-Aksa mosque, an Islamic holy site that's been part of modern Israel since the 1967 Six Day War.

Watch John Waage's report and see why Pat Roberton believes this is a dangerous time for Israel.

Radical cleric Raed Salah is behind many of these demonstrations. For him, Jerusalem in the hands of the Jews is the worst thing that could have happened.

Salah said, "Nothing is more catastrophic for us than the occupation of Jerusalem and the al-Aksa mosque since 1967."

Many of the million Arabs living in Israel feel the same way. Salah uses this anger to build support among his fellow Israeli Muslims.

"If your intent, Israel, is to deport us," Salah said, "you need to prepare one million and two hundred caskets because in Allah's will, we will die and we won't leave our land, our houses, and Jerusalem."

Money pours into Salah's movement from Muslim nations like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar. And now activity around the Temple Mount is adding fuel to the fight.

Israeli archeologists are working to save artifacts from the ancient Jewish temple before they are lost in a construction project.

But Salah and his supporters deny any Jewish claim to the site and charge that the real purpose is to cause the collapse of the al-Aksa mosque.

The Islamic leader says that his followers are hated by Jews and Christians because his group is stopping the third Jewish temple from being built.

Kamal Al-Khateb of the Islamic Movement said, "We are attacked by these American biblical extremist groups because we are standing in the way of their prophecy."

Behind the rally's podium is a ship, representing the goal of shipping Jews out of Islamic land -- a goal that cleric Abed Abo Alhega promises will happen, by force, if necessary.

He said, "Islam will enter every house willingly or unwillingly."

Salah urges the crowds wherever he is, to become ticking time bombs, saying they know Israel best and can defeat her from within.

"It won't be long," he said, "before Jerusalem becomes an Islamic capital for an International Islamic caliphate."

Intelligence sources say that Israel must take steps to erode the Islamic Movement's power. If not, they warn, the movement will become a serious internal threat to Israel's security.

Translate Page