Page 46 - Signs of the End

10 THE SIGNS OF THE END

control the West Bank? What will they do if some terrorists
attack a Jewish settlement, and then retreat to the neighboring
Arab village? Will Arab police pursue Arab terrorists? If not,
will the Jewish settlement attack the Arab village? If the
terrorists are apprehended what courts will try them?

It all seems like an administrative nightmare.

The Impact of the Koran

An important aspect of the whole question of relations
between the Israelis and Arabs revolves around religion, specifi­
cally the interpretation of the Bible and the Koran. Most of our
readers are far more familiar with what the Bible has to say
about the Land of Israel than what the Koran states. One of the
speakers we had for our tour group in Jerusalem was a military
officer from the Israeli Army who specializes in public relations.
He often addresses English-speaking and Christian groups, and
frequently travels to America on speaking tours.

One would think that this military expert would concentrate
on the strategic aspects of the Israeli-Arab conflicts, and he
certainly did explain much about these matters. But, to our
surprise, he had a copy of the Koran at the podium. (By the
way, for those who want to study this further, he recommended
the edition published by Penguin Classics.) He said that a very
real issue is what the Koran commands its Moslem followers to
do with regard to peace efforts.

For instance, on page 206 of the above-referenced edition, the
Koran instructs Moslem believers to "Make war on infidels who
live around you." Furthermore, page 86 promises, "We will bum
those who reject our revelations." These statements are typical
of the inimical attitude the Koran has toward non-Moslems,
including adherents of Judaism and Christianity.

Among Moslems, of course, there are those who take these
commands very seriously, to the point of fanaticism, devoting
their lives to such efforts as terrorism against Israel and all of
Israel's supporters. But there are also those who interpret these
hostile statements in a broader way, saying there is room for
genuine peaceful relations with their neighbors. Finally, we are
told, there are those Moslems who take a more hypocritical