Compare and contrast:

1. Sudan Christians "Fleeing Genocide" Reach Israel:

Dozens of Sudanese Christian refugees, most of them children, have entered Israel after fleeing "a genocide campaign" carried out by forces linked to Sudan's "Islamist regime," the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) said Friday, June 15.

The ICEJ, an evangelical organization supporting the Jewish state with aid and advocacy, said authorities are struggling to accommodate 31 Sudanese Christians, including 17 children and 14 adults, who entered the country late Thursday, June 14, via the Israeli resort town of Eilat with assistance from local Bedouins.

They were expected to staying in Bedouin tents for the weekend.

ICEJ Executive Director Malcolm Hedding told BosNewsLife that authorities asked his group "to assume responsibility over their housing and care for two weeks until they can be accommodated" among several Israeli collective communities known as 'kibbutzim'.

SUDANESE INFLUX

"An increasing number of Sudanese refugees fleeing Darfur and other conflict zones have been entering Israel through Egypt in recent weeks. Due to their United Nations refugee status, Israel is obligated to care for them," he explained.

2. Iraq and Gaza: Facing Al Qaeda:

The remnant Christians of Iraq and Gaza have survived war and civil strife but they may not survive al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is not interested in nationalism: its goal is total religious cleansing and complete Islamisation.

IRAQ: AL QAEDA PURGING BAGHDAD

In Dora, the ancient Christian quarter of Baghdad, churches have been ordered to remove their crosses or be burned. Over recent months most churches have done so but St John the Baptist Chaldean Church and the Church of St George were resistant so militants climbed up and ripped off the crosses themselves. A fatwa has been issued forbidding Christians to wear the cross or make any religious gesture. On the weekend of 18 April, militants issued an ultimatum to the Christian residents of the Mualimien neighbourhood, Dora district: after 24 hours they would have to convert to Islam or die. Six Christian families fled and are being cared for in a church elsewhere. Whilst they were allowed to flee they were not permitted to take any of their belongings.

GAZA: AL QAEDA PURGING GAZA

Security specialists warned years ago that al Qaeda had infiltrated Gaza. Though denied by Arafat there is little doubt about it now. In August 2005 al Qaeda exploited the security vacuum created by the Israeli Defence Force’s disengagement and withdrawal from Gaza, increasing its presence with men and arms. In early March 2007 Islamist Hamas entered into a government of national unity with Fatah and agreed to ‘respect’ international agreements. Al Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri responded by slamming Hamas, accusing it of falling ‘into the swamp of surrender’ by abandoning its ideology and ’selling out’ to Israel and the US for the sake of securing seats in government. Since then, al Qaeda-linked Wahhabist jihadis have dramatically escalated their effort in purging and Islamising Gaza. They have assassinated three Hamas leaders and are targeting everything they deem ‘un-Islamic’.

On the night of 15 April Gaza’s only Christian bookshop was bombed (see RLP 425). On Saturday night 21 April the American International School was bombed. On Sunday 6 May the UN-administered Omariya School in Rafah was attacked in broad daylight by some 70 white-robed Wahhabi militants from a group calling itself ‘Salafiyeen’. They tried to prevent the school’s sports carnival, deeming it ‘un-Islamic’. When security forces challenged them the militants responded with grenades and machine guns, killing one and wounding six. The group had previously warned the school about its ‘un-Islamic’ activities such as teaching boys and girls together and permitting music and dance, as well as the involvement of UNRWA director John Ging, a ‘Christian’ and ‘anti-Islam infidel’.

3. Dichter: Israel will allow aid into Gaza | Jerusalem Post:

Fearful of a looming humanitarian disaster, Israel will allow food and other basic supplies into the Gaza Strip following Hamas's takeover of the coastal area, a senior government minister said Saturday.

"Our consideration is the humanitarian issue. Allowing merchandise through Karni in order to prevent hunger in Gaza is what will guide Israel to allow merchandise," Public Security Minister Avi Dichter told Channel 2.

4. Palestinians Flee to Israel:

According to the international left and the paleo-right, Israel is a fascist apartheid state, a brutal occupier, universally despised by the oppressed Palestinian people.

So where do the oppressed Palestinians look for sanctuary, when the terrorist government they elected begins the inevitable slaughter?

Palestinians run as they try to cross to the Israel side at the Erez Crossing, in the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 16, 2007. Dozens of Palestinians converged on the Erez crossing with Israel on Saturday, trying to leave the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ takeover. At the same time, hundreds of people looted police positions on the Palestinian side of Erez, and at one point Israeli troops fired in the air to keep the crowd at bay. The looters walked off with furniture and scrap metal. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Usually we here at Covenant Zone try to avoid cut and paste blogging without adding any commentary of our own. But sometimes patterns in the avalanche of news stories we peruse seem to be evident enough and just need to be highlighted through a simple juxtaposition of stories. (HT: Michael T.)