Twenty-Four Hours of Peace

Today is Palm Sunday, celebrated by Christians around the world as the beginning of Holy Week. Islamic terrorists in Egypt observed the day by bombing two Christian churches, killing at least 44 people. Videos of the bombings have emerged. The Palm Sunday service at a church in Tanta, a northern town, was being televised. This is what appeared on Egyptian television:

Photos and videos of the bloody aftermath have been published.

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Another Muslim bomber tried to get access to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria. He was stopped by security, and blew himself up at the entrance, killing a number of people, including three police officers:

The Islamic State has claimed credit for both attacks. President al-Sisi has declared a three-month of state of emergency. But violence against Christians has been common for a long time. It is not clear how many among Egypt’s Muslim majority feel any urgency about ending the persecution of Christians, or are even opposed to their murder.

In Sweden, the terrorist who used a stolen truck to murder four and injure many more in the name of Allah has been identified. He is Rakhmat Akilov. As was reported previously, he is an Uzbek national. He was denied asylum last June for reasons that I haven’t seen reported, likely because he was known to be a terrorist sympathizer. Akilov was ordered deported, but didn’t leave Sweden. Reportedly, “[t]he man had managed to avoid authorities, having given them the wrong address.” Apparently that is all it takes in Sweden, and most likely here in the U.S. as well.

Meanwhile, this story from Lebanon got little attention:

Residents fled the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon on Sunday as clashes between security forces and radical Islamists intensified for the third day.

Ambulances rushed the wounded to hospitals near the Ein el-Hilweh camp in the port city of Sidon, and Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that four people were killed since the fighting began Friday.

Fighters armed with assault rifles and truck-mounted rocket-propelled grenades traded fire inside.

Where do you suppose “refugees” get the money for trucks with mounted RPGs? Of course, this particular refugee camp has been around for a long time:

The U.N. says some 55,000 people live in Ein el-Hilweh. It was established in 1948, to host Palestinians displaced by Israeli forces during the establishment of Israel.

So if you were born in the year the camp was established, you are now 69 years old. Your grandchildren are “refugees,” too. The lot of the refugee in Lebanon is tough:

Palestinians in Lebanon are prohibited from working in professional jobs and have few legal protections in Lebanon. They are prohibited from owning property as well.

So Lebanon actually is an apartheid state. Funny, I haven’t seen any anti-Lebanon demonstrations on American college campuses. Why do you suppose that is?

One more thing:

Lebanese authorities have paused construction of a concrete barrier around the camp.

A wall! Here it is:

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It’s funny how some walls are controversial, and others aren’t.

I surmise two things: 1) The world has a serious problem. 2) Little is being done about it.

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