Response
Reader comment on item: Polls, Palestinians and the Path to Peace

Submitted by Michael P (Egypt), Feb 18, 2003 at 15:12

I live in the Middle East... For over 40 years I have believed the Word of God to be just that; the Word of God. ..To my understanding, the issues of conflict have always centered around 'eretz' Israel; and specifically the city - Jerusalem- the city of our God.

Jerusalem has no river by which commerce can be conducted. Jerusalem was not located on the ancient commerical highways linking Asia Minor with Egypt and Africa. Jerusalem is not a seaport where goods and services are exchanged. Jerusalem is simply a city that God loves; He has chosen it for his people and has always been a magnet for goodness as well as for hatred.
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The issue that drives the Muslims to hatred is the presence of a people in their very midst governed by a god other than Allah. Years earlier they had taken care of one ostensibly Christian nation [Lebanon] and forced it under Islamic rule, but there remains one people. One people who in many ways have rejected their own god, but continue to be blessed by God because of God's promises to their forefather Abraham.

The issue is not political, nor social, nor economic, nor racial - the issue is spiritual and, consequently, the non-spiritual media will not be able to arrive at sensible answers to this Jewish-Muslim conflict.

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