By Earl Cox

Not all ideologies are created equal.  In the past few weeks, since the terrorist group, ISIS, (The jihadist terror group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) arose and initiated its murderous rampage across Iraq, the internet is furiously spewing out scene after scene, picture after picture, and headline after headline of the savage fruits of militant Islam.

The barbaric brutality and diabolical demonstrations of extremist Islam are quite sickening to the civilized world.  How much more must the sane inhabitants of the Middle East and North Africa endure?  Our sense of civility and the basic God-given value for human life is being continually raped by the uncivil actions of a ruthless few.  ISIS, who boasts a membership of a mere 10,000 militants, is now the richest and most powerful terrorist group in the world with well over $1.5 billion at their disposal.

As ISIS beheads its way to Baghdad and videos are posted online of “militants herding hundreds of boys and Iraqi soldiers down a highway to an unknown fate,” it is important to understand that they are walking out something much more than a political agenda and military objective.  They are following a fundamental ideology with its firm foundations in the Koran.  Sura Chapter 47 says, “When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads until you have crushed them completely; then bind the prisoners tightly.”

If you can temporarily sanitize your brain from the shameless barrage of jihadist brutality, stop for a moment to think with a little common sense and perspective and try to consider the following question.  In the midst of all the murder, violence, civil war and oppressive malevolence that is raging throughout the Middle East, why is it that Israel is consistently vilified, blamed and made to look like the bad guy while all this unfolds around her?

Just take a look at how Israel responded when three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped (and later found murdered) in the West Bank. Did Israelis take to the streets in violent demonstrations?  No.  Instead over 30,000 showed up for a prayer meeting at Jerusalem’s Western Wall in united supplication for the safe release of the three yeshiva students – Eyal Yifrrach, 19, Gil-as Shaar, 16, and Naftah Frenkel, 16, a dual Israeli-American citizen.  Why did they do that knowing that Hamas was responsible for this crime?  Because Israelis prefer peace to violence and one of the strongest ties binding together Israeli society is their foundational belief that all life matters and has value.

Listen to how Israel’s Prime Minister addressed the citizens of Israel.  He said,

“In our region, states are collapsing and coming apart under the murderous assaults of extremist Islam and the terrorist organizations operating under its auspices.  Only a strong and united stand by the entire nation is preventing – and continuing to prevent – their victory here.”

When he spoke with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen (a.k.a. Mahmoud Abbas), regarding the abduction of the three young Israeli boys walking home to be with their families, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him, “I expect you to assist in returning the abducted youths and in apprehending the kidnappers.  The Hamas kidnappers came from territory under Palestinian Authority control and returned to territory under Palestinian Authority control.  This incident exposes the true face of the terrorism that we are fighting against.”  Upon the terrible discovery that these three boys had been murdered shortly after their abduction, did Israelis take to the streets in protest?  No. Instead they quietly mourned their sorrowful loss.

And now the Palestinians are adding salt to Israel’s wounds.  A Palestinian youth was reportedly recently abducted and murdered and immediately blame was placed at Israel’s doorstep. However preliminary investigative reports are revealing a very different scenario. Seems this Palestinian youth was involved in questionable illegal activities which led to his demise and had nothing whatsoever to do with Israel yet somehow Israel is still depicted by the media as somehow to blame.

My blood boils each time a politician or news reporter paints Israel as the villain yet these same people have the audacity and impudence to minimize the inhumane and uncivilized actions of ISIS, Hamas and all of the other fiendish factions of militant Islam. They twist, turn and even weave false stories designed to cunningly redirect the issues and cry foul while pointing at Israel.

To those who perpetually highlight Israel’s faults and shortcomings and sweep the cruel and animalistic actions of Arab terrorist networks under the rug, I cry “foul.”  What brazen hypocrisy!

In the Christian Bible in Matthew 7:16 -19 it says and I paraphrase, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit – by their fruits you will know them.”  Any breathing human being can see that extremist and militant Islam is a bad tree with bad fruit, and you don’t have to be a licensed fruit inspector to see it.  Just open your eyes before it’s too late and you have to taste the septic fruit yourself.

The stark difference between good and bad fruit was clearly illustrated by Netanyahu when he said, “Terrorists abduct innocent Israeli children while we save the lives of ill Palestinian children in our hospitals.  This is the difference between our humanitarian policy and the murderous terrorism that is attacking us.”

Yes, by their fruits you will know them and every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19).  Israel lives in a very tough neighborhood and, as a sovereign nation, has a duty and an obligation to protect her citizens from those whose mission in life it is to kill, destroy and terrorize. The world must stop holding Israel to a different and a higher standard.  The world must stop demanding that Israel “exercise restraint” or “give up more land in exchange for … peace?”  What the world must do is stand with Israel as she does whatever is necessary to preserve and protect her land and her people.  We must support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and demand that her neighbors do the same.  Israel has a right to live in peace and it is the duty of the civilized world to support Israel as she stands on the front lines in the world’s war on terror.  It will be through the prayers of God’s people that the twisted ideology of radical Islam will not prevail against Israel. There is only one true God and that is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.