 Palestinian terrorist makes 'connection' with Jesus Christ.
As the innocent suffer in the Middle East, Tass Saada's story proves that love can triumph over hatred.
You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.
The Bible Isaiah 26 verse 3 (Good News Translation)
As the innocent suffer in the Middle East, Tass Saada’s story proves that love can triumph over hatred. The division of the former British mandate of Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel in the years after World War II have been at the heart of Middle Eastern conflicts for the past half century. Tass Saada is a former Palestinian Fatah terrorist turned Christian peace envoy. His is a story of the triumph of love over hatred, reconciliation over persistent division. Born in the Gaza Strip in 1951, Tass grew up a Palestinian refugee in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He learnt to hate Israel for its attitude to the Palestinian people. At the age of 17, Tass ran away from home to become a PLO sniper and chauffeur to his hero Yasser Arafat. In Tass’ autobiography ‘Once An Arafat Man’, he graphically describes the depth to which his hatred took him. He was a trained killer. His nickname was as brutal as his life – Jazzar, ‘butcher.’ Reconciliation with his family was his escape route from the violence. He returned to Qatar and then moved to the US to complete his academic education. America for Tass was indeed a land of opportunity. He went to college, married Karen and started a family, found work and prospered. But anger still ruled his life. The turning point came when Tass was confronted by his valued Christian friend and mentor. ‘…So the thing is this, Tass. If you want to have the peace I have, you must love a Jew.’ ‘I froze in my tracks,’ writes Tass. ‘Charlie knew me very well. He knew about my past with Fatah. He knew I hated Jews with a passion.’ He then asked me what I knew about Jesus Christ. ‘He was a prophet,' Tass said.
‘Actually, he’s more than a prophet,’ Charlie said. ‘He is God’s son. He’s the only God.’ To Tass this was blasphemy.
Tass couldn’t wait to end the conversation but out of respect for his friend, he stayed to listen when Charlie got out a Bible. ‘I must not touch that book!’ Tass said. ‘It’s God’s Word!’ ‘The truth was,’ admits Tass, ‘I couldn’t figure out the words coming out of my mouth.’ Charlie began to read. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ (From John’s Gospel) ‘The instant he said, “Word”, I began to shake.’ This reminded Tass of his holy book. ‘Hearing the Bible say essentially the same thing, that Jesus was the Word of God, struck deep to the core of my being.’ Before he knew it, Tass was on his knees. A light came into his field of vision and he heard “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ‘I didn’t know that these words were a repetition of what Jesus said during the Last Supper. As far as I was concerned, they were a message from Jesus to me. ‘I knew this God loved me. “Oh, Jesus, come into my life! Forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour!” A sense of peace and joy rushed into my heart.’ Charlie led Tass in a prayer of salvation – “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sin. I ask you to forgive me and wash away my sin by your precious blood. I can’t save myself. I can’t take away my sin, but you can. You are the Saviour of the world – the only Saviour – and I want you to be my Saviour. I ask you to forgive me and come into my life. Change me and give me a new heart. I will forever love you and follow you. Now I thank you for hearing my prayer and saving my soul. I know you have because you promised you would. Now I am yours, and you are mine. I will serve you the rest of my life”. That wasn’t the end of his story. God had many things to teach Tass and his family, not least the love he put into Tass’ heart of the Jewish people. Tass and Karen set up a ministry amongst children and young people in Gaza. Last year they were forced to relocate to Jericho. Today Tass heads up an organisation dedicated to reconcile Arabs and Jews – Hope for Ishmael. *Taken from Once An Arafat Man by Tass Saada. Copyright © 2008 by Tass Saada.
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