Nick Gray

Rev. Nick Gray is director of the Christian Zionist group Christian Middle East Watch.

'Essentialising Muslims'

Twitter exchange about Nick Gray's article on Gaza (click to enlarge)

During Israel's Operation Pillar of Cloud in November 2012, Gray wrote an article entitled 'Why there are no bomb shelters in Gaza'. In it he wrote firstly about the innocent Israelis suffering under rocketfire from Palestinian militants in Gaza. Then, he wrote 'But what of Gaza?' However, instead of proceeding to discuss the political realities of the situation Gaza he went on to discuss comments made about Islam by US Army medic Nidal Malik Hasan two years before he killed 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas. Hasan reportedly stated: 'We love death more than you love life!' Gray continued in a manner that ultimately seems to imply that the lack of bomb shelters in Gaza is connected in some way to the religion of Islam and the supposed death-wish of Palestinians in Gaza because they are Muslims. He wrote:

This attitude does not resonate with the Western mind-set but with certain extreme elements of the Muslim community, it has echoed down the ages from a seventh century Islamic commander who threatened enemies with "an army of men that love death as you love life."

The Muslim holy book, the Quran, mentions the rewards of martyrs: "And do not consider those who have been killed in the way of God as dead; they are alive with their Lord, well provided-for." There, the “benefits” of martyrdom are glorified.

Islam outlines the six bounties that include forgiveness “with the first drop of his blood that is spilt,” seeing his place in Paradise, being saved from the “great horror” on the day of judgment, having a crown of dignity placed on his head, 72 women of Paradise, and being allowed to intercede for 70 family members who would otherwise have gone to hell.

No wonder so many Palestinian Arabs are pathetic cannon fodder in the hands of Muslim jihadists who make the evil suicide bomber and shaheed (martyr) system work. From Hamas's perspective, shaheeds are a force for Palestinian Arab empowerment. As one terrorist explained: "The Israelis have guns, we have the human bomb. We love death, they love life."

According to Rabbi Ya'akov Moshe Harlap, Jews believe that God is to be served in this world, while Muslims believe that Allah is to be served "by leaping over this world and dying for his name."

Perhaps that goes some way towards explaining why there are no bomb shelters in Gaza.

The article was published on the right wing website The Commentator and a link was tweeted by the site's executive editor Raheem Kassam. It received a negative response even from figures who might be considered neoconservative political allies of Kassam's. Shiraz Maher of the International Center for the Study of Radicalisation said the article was 'essentialising Muslims' and called it 'ridiculous'. Aymenn J Al-Tamimi of the Middle East Forum said 'the fact that you put this piece up illustrates how you flirt with anti-Muslim bigotry'.