The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has called upon President Barack Obama and world leaders, national and religious, to condemn the wave of Muslim Brotherhood-led anti-Christian murders and other violence in Egypt which, in recent days, has seen hundreds of Christians murdered and maimed and wounded; and over 40 churches burned down, destroyed and vandalized. Reports state that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party has posted a memo on its Facebook page, giving sanction to the burning of churches. Ousted President Mohamed Morsi was the MB’s was elected president in 2011 running as the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood memo posted shows a clear call to incitement against Egypt’s Coptic Christian population, which is approximately 10% of the Egyptian population, giving its blessing to the burning of churches. Bishop Thomas, a Coptic Orthodox bishop in Assiut, Egypt, said, “It never happened before in history that such a big number of churches were attacked on one day … We normally used to have attacks once a month or so.” The Brotherhood memo states that “The Pope of the Church (Coptic Pope Tawadros II) took part in the ouster of the first elected Islamist president. The Pope of the Church charges Islamic Sharia with underdevelopment [and] stagnation … for the Church to adopt a war against Islam and Muslims is the worst crime. For every action is a reaction” (John Rossomando, ‘Muslim Brotherhood Memo Encourages Burning Churches in Egypt,’ Algemeiner Journal, August 20, 2013).
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “We are observing with horror the way this horrifying and murderous Muslim Brotherhood assault on Egyptian Christians has been proceeding for several days with hardly any international reaction. The ZOA strongly condemns these attacks on innocent Christians across Egypt by the radical Muslim Brotherhood mobs.
“Christians have been killed in the streets by Muslim Brotherhood mobs, over 40 churches have been incinerated or otherwise destroyed; the Muslim Brotherhood has openly sanctioned these criminal and murderous assaults and the reaction – a deafening silence.
“Where is the public condemnation of the Muslim Brotherhood by President Obama? Where is the public condemnation of other national leaders? Where is the condemnation by Christian leaders? Where is the condemnation by Jewish leaders? Where is the condemnation by other religious leaders? And where is the condemnation by Muslim leaders?
“Can it be that, having supported the ascendancy of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt two years ago – a terrible mistake the ZOA warned against at the time – President Obama is loath to implicitly concede that he made a terrible mistake if he publicly condemns the Muslim Brotherhood now?
“There can be no just or valid reason for ignoring this blatant and murderous assault on Christians, solely because they are Christians, in Egypt.
“President Obama and world leaders, national and religious, should immediately and powerfully condemn these outrageous and monstrous assaults without delay.”