Headlines:
• Spain is Inviting Back Jews Expelled from the Country in the 16th Century. But Don’t Mention the Muslims
• US in Jordan War Games as Conflict Rages Next Door in Syria
• Saudi Crown Prince Calls for Stronger US-GCC Military Ties
• US for Determined Counter-Terrorism Effort by Pakistan
Spain is Inviting Back Jews Expelled from the Country in the 16th Century. But Don’t Mention the Muslims
The year of darkness, of course, was 1492, when the Moorish Kingdom of Granada surrendered to Ferdinand and Isabella. Christian power was restored to the lands in which Muslims and Jews had lived together for hundreds of years and had rescued some of the great works of classical literature – by way of Baghdad – for us to study. Save for those who converted to Christianity or died at the stake – at least 1,000 Jews, perhaps as many as 10,000, among them – the entire Muslim and Jewish communities were thrown out of Spain and Portugal by the early 17th century. They scattered, to Morocco, Algeria, Bosnia, Greece and Turkey. Which is why the glories of Andalusian architecture can still be found in North Africa. The Sephardic (Spanish) Jews spoke Ladino, which was still understood in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war of the 1990s. In just over 100 years, the Christian monarchy of Spain had expelled half a million Muslims and between 200,000 and 300,000 Jews. There are now around 3.5 million Sephardic Jews in the world. Their ancient homes also still exist in Spain. But now Spain and Portugal want to make amends, so we are told. They will give citizenship – full passports – to the descendants of families expelled from their countries. The government regards the expulsions as “a tragedy”, or – in the words of Spain’s justice minister – a “historical error”. It was, of course, an ethnic cleansing, a massive crime against humanity, but don’t let us expect too much from our Spanish and Portuguese friends, as there are, unfortunately, a few problems. For example, Muslims need not apply. Jewish descendants of those expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th and 16th centuries can claim a passport which will allow them to travel freely in 28 EU countries. Many of those expected to apply live in Israel. They are being given a “right of return” – a right which Israel does not, of course, grant to the former Arab inhabitants of Palestine who were driven from their homes after the creation of Israel. Spanish and Portuguese officials preferred not to dwell on such matters – nor to explain why they have chosen to discriminate racially between those who were expelled from their lands 600 years ago. The tragedy of Andalusia lasted for more than a century and there were Muslim rebellions – put down with Christian brutality – which, so comes the double-speak from Spain, may have disqualified the Muslims from Madrid’s generosity. In popular imagination, expulsion in time of war – and this might apply to the Palestinians – somehow doesn’t quite equal the wholesale expulsion of peoples on purely racial grounds. Thus, so this theory goes, the Jewish descendants of 15th century Spain have more rights than their Muslim brothers. A dodgy argument. [Source: The Independent]
As long as Muslims remain without their Khaleefah, nations around the world will spare no effort to deny them their rights. Hence, the only salvation for the Muslims is to work for the re-establishment of the Khilafah State, so that the rights usurped by Spain and Portugal are returned to their rightful owners.
وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَاء وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
“And that day the believers will rejoice at the victory of Allah. Allah makes victorious whom He will, and He is Exalted in Might, Most Merciful”.
(Ar-Rum: 4-5)
US in Jordan War Games as Conflict Rages Next Door in Syria
US ground and air forces held joint exercises with their Jordanian counterparts as the conflict in neighbouring Syria showed no let-up. Among those taking part in this year’s war games are more than 1,000 soldiers and marines that Washington kept stationed in Jordan after last year’s “Eager Lion” manoeuvres. The exercises centred on the sprawling Muwaffaq Salti air base in the eastern desert, which has long been seen as the mostly likely launchpad for any US intervention in Syria, like that which Washington briefly threatened late last year. “The Royal Jordanian and US Air Forces carried out live fire exercises with F-16 and F-18 fighters, and practised aerial manoeuvres,” the official Petra news agency reported. In another part of the air component of the exercise dubbed “Falcon Air Meet”, “Jordanian special forces and US marines deployed onto a building from a Black Hawk helicopter backed by Cobras,” it added. The manoeuvres, which are to last for several weeks and involve thousands of personnel from a total of 24 countries, came as US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel made a lightning visit to Jordan yesterday for talks on the Syrian conflict. Hopes for a resumption of peace talks have dimmed ahead of a controversial June 3 election which is expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to office and which the opposition and much of the international community have dismissed as a “farce.” The Pentagon chief held talks with Jordan’s Crown Prince Faisal and armed forces chief General Mashal al-Zaben, before flying on to Tel Aviv, a Jordanian official said. “This visit will highlight the US commitment to the defence of Jordan, where more than 1,000 US personnel are on the ground working closely with Jordanian defence authorities,” Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said last week. [Source: Zee News]
The Jordanian regime cooperation with America is a gross violation of Islam. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“But help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment.”
(Al Maida: 2)
Saudi Crown Prince Calls for Stronger US-GCC Military Ties
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia called on Wednesday for stronger military cooperation between the US and Gulf nations whose security he said is under threat. Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud made the remarks during the US-GCC Strategic Defence Dialogue in Jeddah where US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and his counterparts from the Gulf met. “We meet today amid persistent threats to the region’s security and stability” that “necessitate coordination in politics and defence strategies of our countries”, said Prince Salman. “The security of our countries and our people are in danger.” The crown prince is also Saudi Arabia’s defence minister. Prince Salman said among the issues of concern were “political crises” in some Arab states, as well as “attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction and meddling of certain states” in the internal affairs of others, in an apparent reference to Iran. He voiced hope that “cooperation continues” with the US, stressing historic and strategic relations between Washington and Gulf states have “contributed to cementing security and stability in the region”. Earlier on Wednesday, in his opening address, Mr Hagel promised GCC countries that negotiations to contain Iran’s nuclear programme will not weaken their security. Mr Hagel said that Washington is hopeful of progress in the new round of nuclear talks with Iran that are under way in Vienna. He said the negotiations “under no circumstances” will trade Gulf security for concessions on Iran’s nuclear programme. Mr Hagel’s comments coincided with a rare diplomatic gesture from his hosts towards Iran when Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Saud Al Faisal, said on Tuesday Riyadh had invited Iran’s foreign minister to visit. [Source: The National].
The Saudi regime continues to betray the Ummah by calling for close ties with the arch enemy of Muslims i.e. America. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءكُم مِّنَ الْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَن تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِي تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَا أَعْلَنتُمْ وَمَن يَفْعَلْهُ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ
“O you who have Iman! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for friends. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am best aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim? And whosoever doeth it among you, he verily hath strayed from the right way.”
(Al-Mumtahina:1)
US for Determined Counter-Terrorism Effort by Pakistan
A statement issued by the US embassy on Tuesday on the visit of US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert said, “Pakistan’s determined effort to root out terrorism and militancy on its own territory is essential for creating a stable environment for promoting economic growth and prosperity.” Greenert, who during his stay in Pakistan met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Asif Sandila and other senior military officials. The embassy said Admiral Greenert’s discussions focused “on a wide range of common security issues”. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns had during his visit to Islamabad last week said: “Countering cross-border militancy and shutting down safe havens is critical not only for Pakistan’s long-term peace and prosperity but also for positive relations between Pakistan and all its neighbours, including Afghanistan.” The back-to-back statements indicate growing US pressure on Pakistan in the midst of drawdown of coalition troops from Afghanistan to act against terror sanctuaries in tribal areas from where militants allegedly launch strikes inside Afghanistan. The Pakistan government has failingly tried to engage the local militants in dialogue in an effort to end violence in the country. Although international community had long accused Pakistan of not doing enough to eliminate terror sanctuaries of foreign militants on its soil, action against militants of all shades remains suspended pending the final outcome of government’s peace initiative launched early this year except for brief strikes for increasing pressure on militants to negotiate. US officials, speaking privately, say that suspension of drone attacks on Pakistan government’s insistence had provided space to militants to regroup. The embassy recalled that since 2002 Pakistan had received more than $16 billion of security assistance and reimbursements. During his meetings, Admiral Greenert reaffirmed the importance of Pak-US security relationship for regional stability and agreed to continue to work together in order to build a stronger partnership and further common objectives. The PM Office said the senior US navy officer discussed matters pertaining to regional and bilateral interests with Prime Minister Sharif. [Source: Dawn News]
The Pakistani regime consistently veers towards America for advice, guidance, security and implementation of America’s evil plans for Pakistan.
لاَّ يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُوْنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللّهِ فِي شَيْءٍ
“Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers, and whoever does that, will never be helped by Allah in any way”
(Ali Imran: 28)