Islamic militants claiming to be representatives of terror group ISIS in Jerusalem have threatened to “cleanse” Israel of all Christians and “non-believers” unless they leave the country. The extremists are accusing Christians of encouraging Muslims to abandon their religion.
“Those who work with the Zionists also encourage Muslims to leave their religion and become more secular and open, and they spread evil,” Arabic-language leaflets warns, according to The Jerusalem Post. “They take these Muslims away from us. … We know where they are, but we need help to find them all — all those Christian collaborators.”
The note goes on to state that “ISIS soldiers will work to kill these people so this country is clean of them and… will clean this country and the Muslim Quarter from these Christians during this holy Ramadan.”
It added that the group’s operatives will begin their search in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Beit Hanina, Shuafat, the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
“Because the Christians violated the Pact of Omar [made when Muslims conquered Jerusalem], we will do this,” the note concluded. “So we tell our Christians and the nonbelievers: Go away now or you will be killed when the Id [al Fitr festival ending Ramadan] is near.
And you will be slaughtered like the sheep. One month is enough for them to go away.”
The leaflets were signed “The Islamic State – Emirate of Bayt al-Maqdis [the Holy City, i.e., Jerusalem].”
While no Christian Arabs who received the note agreed to be interviewed, one Israeli man with numerous Arab friends said the vitriol has rattled some within the community.
“They’re fearful for their lives and don’t want to go to the police because they feel that the police won’t be responsive,” the man said, requesting anonymity.
“What’s most problematic is that in this case individuals aren’t being targeted but an entire group, which is pretty darn serious,” he continued.
