The al-Reuters release for this story is an amazing example of media cognitive dissonance: Arafat Makes Call to ‘Terrorize’ Enemy. (Hat tip: Bruce.)

Arafat, whom Israel accuses of supporting militant groups, did not appear to be calling for new attacks on Israel. The passage in the Quran refers to the early Muslims’ wars against pagans and is frequently invoked by Islamic leaders today to encourage strength in times of conflict.

Because after all—Islam is a religion of peace, and Arafish could not possibly have been calling for violence, if he was doing it with a quotation from the Quran. We’ll just ignore that word “terrorize.” He doesn’t mean it! It’s just a word in a dusty old book. And look—he called for peace, too!

Now excuse me while I plug my head back into this nice snug hole I’ve dug in the sand.