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On November 10, 2023, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue.416 of its weekly newsletter, Al-Naba' which featured an editorial titled: "Until They Turn You Away From Your Religion."[1]
The title is extracted from a Quranic verse [2:217] which tells Muslims who were fighting alongside Prophet Muhammad that their opponents "will continue to fight you until they turn you away from your religion, if they are able."
Working within this context, the editorial addressed the ongoing events in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack against Israeli, arguing that the "jews and Christians" have waged a religious war against Muslims:
"The recent events in Palestine have reaffirmed once again that the Jews and Christians' hostility towards Muslims is because of [the latter's] religion and nothing else. This established fact, in both religiously and in reality, and which most people deny, is yet clear to those who Allah has enlightened their insight, and to those assess reality according to His wise sharia. Those who do so would reach the correct perception for reasons of the ongoing ground war and its objectives."
'Israeli Narrative: Kill All Muslims'
To support its argument, the editorial accused Israeli officials of citing a Jewish narrative derived from holy books ordering the Jews to kill all their enemies:
"The Jews assert that their war is 'religious,' and the world saw how the Jewish tyrant, [Benjamin] Netanyahu, cited what he said was a biblical text ordering the children of Israel to kill their enemies, all of them, young and old, men and women and even their animals. [..] We also saw a few days ago how the spokesman of the Jewish army proudly asserted that they are 'sons of Jewesses.'"
It further claimed in Israel, many "Jewish voices" came out supporting Netanyahu's statements giving the green light for the Israeli army to mobilize and take action during the ongoing military operation in Gaza.
Emphasizing that the Israeli military operation in Gaza is grounded in anti-Islam ideology, the editorial also cited reports that suggested many Jews around the world are volunteering to fight alongside the Israeli armed forces.
'Americans Stand With Jews'
The editorial accused Washington of adopting a similar religious narrative, citing U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's visit to Israel, and his statements upon arrival.
"We saw the American Secretary of State abandon his 'diplomacy,' which they are often keen to use to cover their goals with vague language, and declare explicitly that he arrived in Israel as a Jew."
The newsletter encouraged Muslims to oppose U.S. support for Israel. First, the editorial cited older remarks by former U.S. President George W. Bush and claimed that he said the war is a "crusade and will last for a long time."
Similarly, the editorial cited North Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham's support of Israel as evidence of the assertion that the war in Gaza is "a Christian-Jewish war against Islam,” writing:
"A few days ago, Lindsey Graham, one of America's most famous Crusader politicians, declared support for the recent Jewish war in Gaza, saying that 'the battle here is religious and I stand with Israel.'"
'Infidels Are Targeting Islam'
Criticizing Muslims who disagree with the editorial's framing of the war, the editorial claimed that those Muslims are misguided by some clerics and the media outlets that serve the agenda of their tyrant rulers.
In conclusion, the editorial praised the mujahideen, stating that their path of jihad against the Jews and Christians is the only way to preserve Islam. It further argued that Muslims must be aware and alert people who are unaware that "the infidels are targeting them because of their religion, and not for anything else, neither oil wealth nor the locations of strategic countries. These are all goals that come to fruition, after they seduce Muslims to abandon their religion."
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