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"Arab-Islamic character" of Palestine is the problem

Reader comment on item: Poll: Israelis Want Victory
in response to reader comment: Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research Poll

Submitted by Prashant, Aug 4, 2017 at 21:57

Dear Dr Pipes,

When will they get it? Your reader PezDispenser reports that according to some survey about 42% of, so called, Palestinian people will end their opposition to the peace agreement if Israel recognized the 'Arab-Islamic character' of the Palestine. The last thing that our world should recognize is the Islamic character of Palestine.

What Muslims do not realize is that the 'Islamic' character of anything is the problem. Islam is not a nation. Islam is a religion. If you characterize anything as 'Islamic' you impose a religion on everyone. Why is it so difficult for these people to understand? Millions of Muslims try very very hard to immigrate to Europe and America. Do they go to Europe and America for the 'Christian character' of these regions? No, they love Europe and America because of the freedom that they offer. Muslims living in Western and other democracies incessantly demand more and more democratic rights. If democracy is no precious, why can't Islam offer the same democratic freedoms to its people and every one else in the lands that it controls? Why do Muslims love theocracies in the regions controlled by them and democracy everywhere else? When will it change? The question 'is Islam compatible with democracy' does not mean whether Muslims can live in a democracy. This question means whether democracy can live in 99% Islamic-majority regions.

And, no, I am not ignoring any facts. I know that Israel has a Jewish character and Vatican has a Christian/Catholic character. But Israel and Vatican are small entities. It will be a great idea if small Islamic enclaves are created around Mecca and Medina. But when huge amounts of lands are controlled by Islamic nations, there is no need to create one more Islamic theocracy in Palestine. In fact, the need of our time is to bring pluralistic constitutional democracy to Islamic theocracies.

And, what about the cultural Islam? Cultural Islam will thrive and prosper if it is separated from political and religious Islam. That is why democracy and the concept of separation of church and state was invented. Doctrinally Islam has no separation between church and state. The Islamic rulers are required to protect and expand Islam. That is the problem. Under Islamic doctrine, every hoodlum who can become powerful enough to be the ruler, can exploit Islam for his/her political purpose. This is what is happening in the Islamic world for decades and centuries.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
YouTube comments as evidence of morale and wishful thinking [269 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserAug 4, 2017 05:14240352
Israel's defeat (I am being devil's advocate) [404 words]PrashantAug 6, 2017 14:37240352
Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research Poll [82 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserAug 1, 2017 14:02240327
2"Arab-Islamic character" of Palestine is the problem [405 words]PrashantAug 4, 2017 21:57240327
Israel victory caucus mentioned in article about post-Abbas possibilities [1 words]PezDispenserJul 30, 2017 10:21240289
Snatching Uncertaintly From the Jaws of Decisiveness [222 words]J PfefferJul 25, 2017 13:50240214
What it is with the year 2024 and Palestinian Islamists? (Another aspect to the recent polls.) [184 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserJul 23, 2017 00:38240158
We all are at risk [661 words]PrashantJul 26, 2017 01:06240158
1"if the Jews thought they had it bad wandering in the desert for 40 years, dealing with Palestinians will cause the Jews to suffer "for another hundred years."" [189 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserJul 19, 2017 02:14240098
1Muslims should deemphasize congregational prayers [398 words]PrashantJul 22, 2017 11:37240098
1Israel Victory Project [375 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Prof. Yair TeneJul 16, 2017 16:47239997
israel Victory Project - continued [565 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Prof. yair TeneJul 19, 2017 08:24239997
Israelis want Victory. Someday there will be total victory over Israel's enemies. [269 words]Anne- USAJul 15, 2017 08:20239986
What does an Israeli victory mean? [128 words]PrashantJul 14, 2017 20:12239982
Two thirds of Israeli Jews want victory [56 words]Vadim AnshelevichJul 14, 2017 19:20239981
1Simple Solutions Are Often the Best [122 words]Ilbert PhillipsJul 12, 2017 11:41239946
1Selective love of cease fires [84 words]JeffJul 14, 2017 11:05239946
Israelis want peace [168 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Charles OrenJul 12, 2017 02:34239942
Admitting defeat [18 words]Richard WittrupJul 11, 2017 18:50239940
1The Future of Israel, Inevitably, One State [222 words]Avram KaliskyJul 11, 2017 17:20239939
Israelis Want Victory [17 words]e leeJul 11, 2017 16:42239938

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