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On September 28, 2023, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 410 of Al-Naba', the group's weekly newsletter.[1] The issue's feature article railed against normalization with Israel.
Titled "Brothers of the Normalizers," the editorial opened by disparaging nationalist and Islamist movements which condemn normalization with Israel but fail to condemn the people who do so – the "normalizers." Indeed, it noted, such movements "insist on continuing to 'normalize relations' with [the normalizers], considering them 'brothers'."
However, this approach results from a distortion of the creed of al-wala' wa al-bara' (loyalty and disavowal), the editorial argued, which requires Muslims to disavow not only Zionists, but all Jews, Christians, and even Muslims who normalize relations with Israel, without distinction.
Among the latter group, the editorial included the Emiratis, Saudis, Turks, and Qataris, as well as the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda; it dismissed any distinction between so-called "hilal normalization" and "haram normalization."
"Illustrating the inconsistency," the editorial wrote, "You find many people criticizing Emirati and Saudi 'normalization' while withholding from criticizing Turkish and Qatari 'normalization' even though this is more dangerous and malign." To point, the article highlighted a lack of criticism over a recent meeting between Turkish President Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which the two "tyrants" appeared like-minded, it noted.
The article further asserted that normalizing relations with Christians is just as bad as normalizing relations with Jews, Christianity and Judaism being two "antagonistic religions." Citing Quranic verses, it noted Muslims' "obligation to oppose all the unbelievers."
In view of this, the editorial lambasted the Afghan Taliban for "normalizing relations with Crusader America" to gain "international legitimacy," as well as for "normalizing relations with America's opponents such as China, Russia, and Iran, all of which are enemies of Islam whose crimes against Muslims continue to this very moment."
As for Al-Qaeda, the editorial criticized the group for "condemning democracy, but not condemning democrats," and for "condemning parliaments, but not condemning parliamentarians." In this way, "the creed [of al-wala' wa al-bara'] remains just a theory," it lamented.
Targeting The Normalizers Is A "Step Toward Liberating Jerusalem, Mecca, And Andalusia"
The editorial concluded by stating that, in order to rectify this situation, jihadis must target the governments that normalize relations with the Jews and the Americans. Targeting "the normalizers," it wrote, is a "step on the right path towards liberating Jerusalem, Mecca, and Andalusia." Moreover, killing the normalizers is equivalent to killing the Jews and Christians themselves, and is therefore an option for those who are unable to do the latter.
[1] Telegram, September 28, 2023.
