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Palestinian Authority textbook finally declares that jihad does indeed mean war'
A new edition of a Palestinian Authority textbook, a book by the Ministry of Education titled "Islamic Culture," for 11th graders, shows a return to incitement for jihad, or holy war, and "martyrdom".

The textbook says one of the state's tasks is "to prepare the nation for jihad and to defend the country from its enemies," according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI.

The book indicates physical aggression, after friendly persuasion is tried, is a legitimate means to spread Islam.

"Islam is Allah's religion for all human beings," the text says. "It should be proclaimed and invite [people] to join it wisely and through appropriate preaching and friendly discussions. However, such methods may encounter resistance and the preachers may be prevented from accomplishing their duty … then, jihad and the use of physical force against the enemies become inevitable … ."

The text explains jihad "is an Islamic term that equates to the term war in other nations.

"The difference is that jihad has noble goals and lofty aims, and is carried out only for the sake of Allah and for His glory," the book says. "[By contrast] wars by other nations are mainly waged because of wickedness, aggression, love of domination, expanding influence, looting properties, murder and the fulfillment of ambitions and desires, such as the war that the Western countries waged to exploit Islamic countries for imperialistic purposes, to control their Muslim citizens and to rob their resources and richness … ."

The book examines the history of Islam back to the time of its founder, Muhammad, and shows how after the prophet's migration to Medina and establishment of an Islamic society, there "was no escaping the fight against aggression and the polytheists."

After that, the book says, "the duty of jihad was imposed on all Muslims."

"The Islamic nation today is in urgent need [of reviving] the spirit of jihad in its sons, [by using] all types of jihad and to concentrate all its resources on strengthening Allah's religion and to force his enemies [to surrender]," says the text.

The book also encourages the love of "shahada," or "martyrdom," which often is used to describe the act of dying in a suicide bomb attack.

In another section is outlines the punishment for abandoning Islam, or converting to another faith, which is death.

"The logical reason for executing a person who abandons Islam is the following: There is nothing in Islam that comes in contrast to human nature. Whoever joins Islam after recognizing its truth and after tasting its sweetness and then abandons it is in fact rebelling against truth and logic. Like any other regime, Islam has to protect itself therefore this punishment [execution] awaits the person who abandons it, because he is spreading doubt about Islam … ."

The text also addresses Christian missionary activities, stating, "Missionaries are one of the Western institutions used for intellectual invasion of the Muslim world."

"They tried to get the Muslims out of Islam by weakening the faith in their hearts and accepting the Western way of life," the book says. "Outwardly they call for adopting the faith of Jesus, but in reality they try to facilitate the Western intellectual invasion of the Islamic countries … ."

The ultimate aim, the book says, is "to replace Islamic ideology and to pave the way for the occupation of Islamic countries and strengthening imperialism in them … ."

Islam. The ultimate sham.