Israel Matzav

Chutzpa, Gaza style

If this isn't chutzpa (nerve), I don't know what is.

Muslim religious leaders in the Gaza Strip have warned Pope Benedict XVI that he must 'accept Islam' if he wants to live in 'peace.' I kid you not. The warning comes in the wake of Christian anger over the torching of several churches in Judea, Samaria and Gaza by Islamic terrorists 'protesting' the Pope's characterization of Islam last week. Seven churches in Judea and Samaria have been attacked in the last three days, with two of them being attacked last night, one in Tulkarm.

Here's more on today's 'warning' from the Jerusalem Post:

At a press conference in Gaza City, a number of Muslim clerics said the pope's statements were "the result of his hatred for Islam and not the result of ignorance."

One of them, Dr. Imad Hamto, called on the pope to "repent and ask for forgiveness." He added: "We want to use the words of the Prophet Muhammad and tell the pope: 'Aslim Taslam'" Aslim Taslam is a phrase that was taken from the letters sent by the Prophet Muhammad to the chiefs of tribes in his times in which he reportedly urged them to convert to Islam to spare their lives.

Some Muslim scholars, however, have endorsed a more moderate interpretation of the term, arguing that its real meaning was that those who surrendered to the will of God would find peace.

Hamto and his colleagues accused Christians of "resorting to the power of the sword in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine."

They also called on the pope to direct his words to the Jews who, they claimed, were "spreading corruption and destruction."

It sounds like "Aslim Taslam' is another phrase like Jihad, which can allegedly have multiple meanings for the Muslims' convenience, but we all know it really means violence and bloodshed.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:10 PM