The plight of those who insult Islam - and the very existence of Israel is clearly considered an insult - reveals much about the difficulty Israel faces in trying to find a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
In 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa or death sentence against Salman Rushdie - once a Muslim but now an atheist - for having the audacity to write what he believes to be the truth about his former religion and its oppressive culture. Fittingly it was Khomeini, not Rushdie, who died in 1989.
As recently as 2005 Khomeini's successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reaffirmed the death sentence claiming only the issuer may rescind it.
How convenient.
Many Muslims, perhaps even most, reject the fatwa and Rushdie is still alive but Iran's Revolutionary Guards have declared that the death sentence on him is still valid and, despite their having promised to take no action against Rushdie - a promise made to reestablish diplomatic relations with Britain, he still receives a "sort of Valentine's card" from Iran each year on February 14th letting him know the country has not forgotten the vow to kill him.
The Islamists still have all the justification they need to carry out their heinous mission.
Salman Rushdie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa or death sentence against Salman Rushdie - once a Muslim but now an atheist - for having the audacity to write what he believes to be the truth about his former religion and its oppressive culture. Fittingly it was Khomeini, not Rushdie, who died in 1989.
As recently as 2005 Khomeini's successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reaffirmed the death sentence claiming only the issuer may rescind it.
How convenient.
Many Muslims, perhaps even most, reject the fatwa and Rushdie is still alive but Iran's Revolutionary Guards have declared that the death sentence on him is still valid and, despite their having promised to take no action against Rushdie - a promise made to reestablish diplomatic relations with Britain, he still receives a "sort of Valentine's card" from Iran each year on February 14th letting him know the country has not forgotten the vow to kill him.
The Islamists still have all the justification they need to carry out their heinous mission.
Salman Rushdie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia