(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi - The message of Islamic awakening, seen in the announcement of the establishment of the Islamic caliphate by Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, embodies the dream of resurrecting the glory days of Islam. It exerts a strong pull on the Palestinian public, which is traditionally attracted to any force declaring a pretense to liberate Palestine. In the new Middle East, increasingly Islamic in character, the winds of jihad are sweeping the masses. This message would appear to be the main driving force behind the recent wave of Palestinian violence, not born of political or economic despair, but rather hopeful of cracking Israeli confidence and realizing the dream of the liberation of Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River with Jerusalem as the capital of the caliphate. These are also the principles expressed by leaders of the Islamic movement within the State of Israel, who identify with the Muslim Brotherhood. The more the Islamic caliphate continues to strengthen, the greater the chances are of the collapse of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the expansion of Palestinian violence towards Israel.
2014-11-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive