The Israel-Hamas conflict: What you won't hear from CNN

My dear brother in Christ (and fellow DefCon blogger) The Desert Pastor has posted a rather lengthy piece exposing some facts about the "Israeli attack on a Palestinian school"--which was NOT an attack on a school, but rather an attack on Hamas, which was firing at Israleli troops from outside of a school, and using the school to house their ammunition. Here is an excerpt:

As reported in our previous bulletin, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit was attacked on Tuesday, Jan. 6th by mortar fire from or near the perimeter wall of the Fakhura Elementary School run by UNWRA near the Jabalya refugee camp. Photographic evidence of the attack is available. The armed bodies of two well known Hamas operatives were later found in the school. Hamas knew that civilians, including children, were sheltering there. This did not dissuade them from making use of the UN facility, or of the shelter of its perimeter wall. Significant stocks of mortar shells and other explosive devices were stored on site.

Contrary to the information on hand yesterday, only two afore-mentioned attackers were killed when Israeli soldiers responded. Most of the civilian casualties were incurred by secondary explosions of the military stocks held in the school, which led to the collapse of a portion of the building where the civilians were sheltered. Israel expressed regret over the civilian casualties. Israel had warned residents to leave the area because it was a battle zone. Some chose to remain, assuming the UNWRA facility would provide sufficient shelter, which it would have done had not Hamas abused UNWRA’s privileged status. Others remained due to Hamas insistence.

Think Wolf Blitzer will give you that kind of info? Yeah, right.

You can read the whole thing at The Desert Pastor.

Son of Hamas leader becomes a follower of Christ Jesus

Found this over at Biblical Christianity:

Praise God for some great news: the conversion of Mosab Hassan Yousef from Islam to Christ. We should pray for this young man's growth in Christ, for the effectiveness of his testimony, and for his physical safety.

Yes, you read that correctly. Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of one of the leaders of the terrorist organization Hamas. A group that has bombed and killed in the name of the "Religion of Peace." Yet this young man had his eyes opened by the Lord, saw himself for who he was and his religion for what it is. He counted the cost, knew he was risking his physical life and safety--and turned his back on Islam and embraced the Cross. Here is an excerpt from the FOXNews interview DJP linked to:

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: There are two facts that Muslims don't understand ... I'd say about more than 95 percent of Muslims don't understand their own religion. It came with a much stronger language than the language that they speak so they don't understand it ... they rely only on religious people to get their knowledge about this religion.

Second, they don't understand anything about other religions. Christian communities live between Muslims and they're minority and they (would) rather not to go speak out and tell people about Jesus because it's dangerous for them.

So, all their ideas about other religions on earth are from Islamic perspectives. So those two realities, most people don't understand.

If people, if Muslims, start to understand their religion — first of all, their religion — and see how awful stuff is in there, they'll start to figure out, this can't (be) ... because most religious people focus on certain points of Islam. They have many points that they are very embarrassed to talk about.

JONATHAN HUNT: Such as?

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: Such as Muhammad's wives. You will never go to a mosque and hear about anyone talking about Muhammad's wives, which is like more than 50 wives — and nobody knows (this), by the way. If you ask the majority of Muslims, they will not know this fact.

So they're embarrassed to talk about this, but they talk about the glory of Islam, they talk about the victory, the victories that Muhammad made. So, when people just like look at themselves and see they're defeated, they have ignorance, they're not educated, they're not leading the world as they're expected to do. They’re think they want to get back to that victory by doing the same, what Muhammad did, but disregarding (sic) the timing. They forget that this happened 1,400 years ago and it's not going to happen again.

JONATHAN HUNT: Do they want to destroy Christianity?

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: Islam destroyed Christianity from the beginning and Muslims don't recognize that they stabbed Christianity (in) its heart when they said that Jesus wasn't killed on the cross. They think that they honor him in this way.

Basically, any Christians understand that this way, (but Muslims) tell Jesus, okay, we don't care, you didn't die for us. Someone sacrificed his life for you, (but) you tell him, okay, you didn't do it!

This is what Muslims are doing basically. But they don't understand that this is the most important part of Christianity: the cross!

So, they are ignorant, they don't know what they are doing and it explains what an evil idea it is behind this Islam.

This young man understands something that men like Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and others--even many in so-called "churches" today don't understand--IT'S THE CROSS!!!

It's not about a 5-point "P.E.A.C.E." plan. It's not about coffee shops and conversations, and it ain't even about music. IT'S THE CROSS!!! It was the cross of Jesus Christ that brought this man to his Lord. It was the Cross of Christ that led this man out of the darkness of Islam. It was the Cross of Christ that saved this man even while he was headed for Hell. It was, is and always will be--THE CROSS!

JONATHAN HUNT: Does it worry you that in saying these things — and given your background and your words carrying extra weight — there is a danger that you will increase the difficulties, the hatred between Christians and Muslims in the world right now?

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: This could happen if a Christian person will go talk to them about the reality of Islam. They put Christians on the enemy list anyway, before you talk to them about Islam. So if you go to them and tell them, as a Christian, they will be offended immediately and they will hate you and this will definitely increase the vacuum between both religions — but what made someone like me change?

Years ago, years ago, when I was there, God opened my eyes, my mind also, and I became a completely different person. So now, I can do this duty, while you as Christians can help me do it, but maybe you wouldn't be able to. (Muslims) have no excuse now.

[...]

JONATHAN HUNT: Aren't you terrified that somebody is going to try to kill you for saying these things — which would be approved of according to parts of the Koran?

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: They got to kill my ideas first, (and) that's it, they're already out. So how are they going to kill my idea? How are they going to kill the opinions that I have? ... They can kill my body, but they can't kill my soul.

JONATHAN HUNT: You're not afraid?

MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF: As a human, you know, I can be very brave now, I'm not thinking about it at this moment and I feel that God is on my side. But if this will be the challenge, I ask God to give me enough strength.