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The Significance of the Israel Peace Deal
(Telegraph-UK) Ed Husain - Muslim radicals claim Islam is the only true religion and therefore must dominate the world. Their narrative has turned the modern Middle East into a dangerous place for Christians. Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, homes to some of the oldest Christian churches, have all seen a near exodus. In Iraq, Christian communities have dwindled from 1.5 million in 2003 to just 250,000 today. A century ago, Turkey's Christian population was 20%; the figure is now 0.2%. The Abraham Accord challenges religious separatism by reminding Christians, Jews and Muslims of Abraham - first of the Hebrew patriarchs, praised by Jesus, and honored by the Quran as the "father of nations." Abraham is a prophet in the Muslim narrative. The prophet Mohamed, a descendant of Abraham, honored Jews and Christians as believers in the one God of Abraham. This common heritage moves the rug from under the feet of the extremists and the Iranian government. For too long, Muslims have been fed the falsehood that Jews are outsiders and occupiers. The Quran confirms the Jews' claim to Jerusalem, recognizing Joseph, son of Isaac, and the twelve tribes of Israel, while claiming Abraham's other son, Ishmael, as the ancient father of the Arabs. This deeper history and theology will be key to making the Jewish state acceptable to the world's 1.8 billion Muslims.