“Kill [Jews] Wherever You Find Them”

Jews have suffered from hatred and persecution from many nations all over the world for millennia. From the ancient Persian court official Haman who tried to exterminate all Jews in the Persian Empire, as recorded in the book of Esther, to the Holocaust of the Third Reich, evil people have worked to annihilate the Jewish people—the tribe of Israel that brought forth the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Sadly, this abhorrence of the Jews continues today, and many of their enemies not only want control of Jerusalem and modern-day Israel, but also want to erase the Jews from existence.

Just weeks ago, Islamic State (ISIS) spokesman Abu Huthaifa al-Ansari gave a half-hour speech entitled “And kill them wherever you find them.” In the hate-filled speech al-Ansari urged terrorist cells, according to the National Post, to “strike Israeli and Jewish targets across the United States and Europe, including synagogues, Jewish gatherings and Israeli diplomatic missions” (January 5, 2024). He declared, “The fight with Jews is a religious war, not a social or national battle,” and “It is not a (war) centered around lands or borders.” Al-Ansari also directed ISIS supporters, “Barge into their homes and kill them using different methods, including gunfire, bombs, grenades and knives” and instructed them, “Don’t differentiate between a civilian or a soldier, as they both should be targeted.” This call for violence differs little from other historical crusades to exterminate the Jewish people—and ISIS is not the only group shouting such genocidal rhetoric today.

Why has so much hatred been directed at the Jews over the centuries, even to the point of desiring their annihilation as a people? The Bible and history provide informative answers. To discover the answers, watch “Antisemitism Is Rising.”