Dear friends,

I am so sorry that many of you have been put in a position to have to defend me as a result of the article posted by Walid Shoebat on Pajamas Media. For your sakes, I will explain as best I can, so that you will have an answer for those who ask you.

1. The quotes in the article were taken from an Arabic-language interview on Al Hayat Satellite TV, which I believe to be the biggest and most effective ministry to Muslims in the Middle East. I had appeared the first time in 2008, after it was reported that I had become a follower of Jesus Christ. My appearance was a celebration and encouragement to tens of thousands new believers in Jesus Christ who watch Al Hayat.

2. A year later, following the release of Son of Hamas, many people were shocked to learn that I had worked for Israeli intelligence. They suddenly believed me to be just a greedy Israeli collaborator who betrayed his people and used Christianity as a cover. This was very hurtful for the ministry of Al Hayat and caused many to wonder whether Al Hayat too was what it claimed to be. Believers began to ask if the ministry was actually a recruiter for the Israeli agenda. Al Hayat was accused of being a Zionist organization. The truth is that, while it is not a Zionist organization, it has no problem with those who identify themselves as Zionists or are affiliated with any political party. Al Hayat is about Jesus Christ and nothing else. And they were concerned that the accusations might damage the future of the ministry.

3. Since the release of my book, Hamas has denounced it as a piece of Israeli propaganda and psychological warfare. And the Arab media has told the Arabic-speaking world that my story hides under the cover of religion and promotes collaboration with the Israelis, who they see as the enemy.

4. I am not ashamed of my work with the Israeli Shin Bet, but my purpose has never been to promote Israeli's political agendas. I love Israel as a nation and I love the Israeli people, but I also have problems with state policies. While I was a Shin Bet agent, I often disagreed with what they did and how they did it. It's all in the book for anyone to read. It is very important that everyone understands that I am not political or ideological. I am neither pro-Israel nor pro-Palestinian. I love both. I loved my enemy and risked my life for them, but I do not and cannot hate my own people.

5. When I appeared on Al Hayat TV a week after the release of my book, I had just been disowned by my family. I was hurt, alone, and broken. The only thing on my mind was to protect Al Hayat. My main message to its viewers was that I am not ashamed of my work with Israel, but I am not here to encourage people to work for Israel. I am here to encourage you to recognize your real enemies—hatred, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, greed, lust, and every other spirit that works to divide us and separate us from the love of God. And I made statements to stimulate their thinking and lead them into areas they had never allowed themselves to enter before.

One caller was a new believer in Christ from my hometown of Ramallah. Rashid, the host of the show, asked this young brother an innocent question, which Walid Shoebat translated in his article as: "If you were in Mosab's position and have two choices: either someone from Hamas will be killed, or school children in a bus will be killed, will you report it?" In the Palestinian territories, you cannot just make an anonymous call to 911. If you give information to Israel, even if it saves lives, you are dead. Any Palestinian has the right to kill you.

Palestinian Christians are under no obligation to work or die for Israel. I risked my life in the most dark and dangerous places to save lives. That was my choice. I did it for my own reasons. As Christians, we are all obligated to die for Christ, if necessary, but not for any political regime.

Based on this reality, therefore, I said (again, addressing Walid Shoebat's translation from Arabic): "If I was in your shoes, you should not report it to Israel. If anyone hears me right now and they are in relation to Israeli security, I advise them to work for the interest of their own people—number one—and do not work with the [Israeli] enemy against the interest of our people. They should collaborate with the Palestinian Authority only." By this, the caller understood me to mean, "Then don't report to Israel. I am not here to encourage you to work for your enemies or giving them any information. Report to the Palestinian Authority." If God does not require a Palestinian Christian to do as I did, who am I to put a burden on thousands of brothers and sisters by asking them to risk their lives for a political regime?

6. During a separate interview on Al Arabiya TV, I said that I am playing a big role in the Church in the West to represent my people and build bridges of understanding. Since my people believe that Christians are plotting day and night to destroy the future of Muslims, and since many Western Christians view all Muslims as evil, an important part of my mission is to help people in the West and the Middle East understand and experience one another—not to travel to churches as a sideshow freak, the bad boy who came to Christ. I have never promoted the Palestinian agenda or any other agenda in a church.

7. The Pajamas Media article quotes me as saying: "With regret, our great leaders and mighty heroes and glorious defenders over there did not realize that instead of spending their wealth and monies on silly issues, they needed to enlist in their ranks writers and educated individuals in order to reverse the image of the Palestinian struggle." Anyone who listens to the interview will hear clearly that I was being sarcastic. And anyone who understands Arabic would know that I meant the exact opposite.

8. Again, I was quoted as saying: "It appeared at first that my desire was to seek revenge against Hamas.… How could I do such a thing … revenge [against] my own father? He is one of the leaders of Hamas."

Rashid had asked me if my motivation for working with the Shin Bet was revenge, based on what Hamas did in prison. My answer was no. I worked against the agendas of Hamas, exposed their plans and cells, yes, but revenge was never my motivation. To me, the men and women in Hamas were victims who needed to be stopped, then helped. The Shin Bet knew this. I used to cry when a Hamas leader was assassinated, especially one I knew personally, whose wife and children I knew and loved. I did not even want to kill the most dangerous terrorists, like Ibrahim Hamid, who would not have hesitated to kill me if he had discovered that I was Shin Bet. I had many personal problems with Hamas leaders, and I could easily have hurt them if I was out for revenge, because the Shin Bet was trying to assassinate them. But before I told the Shin Bet where to find a terrorist, I made them agree not to kill him. If Walid had not gone to the United States, he would have been one of them. In fact, I don't see that Walid is any different than they are, if even part of what he claims to have done is true.

9. Arabs process information very differently from Westerners. Their culture, mentality, expressions, and environment are as different as their language. So I talk to them differently—not just in a different language but in all these ways as well. And when it is translated literally, not only outside the context of the entire interview but apart from the understanding of that culture, mentality, expression and environment, it sounds very different. You may have experienced something similar yourself, when you try to understand someone during a telephone conversation. You lose a lot when you cannot see facial expressions and body language, and there is always danger of misunderstandings and even offenses when none are intended.

Walid knew that I was broken, in a weak position, bombarded by calls from brothers and sisters in Christ who accused me out of their lack of understanding. He knew that Al Hayat TV had to defend itself and separate its mission from politics, which would make it appear to be anti-Israel in the eyes of people who do not understand the realities and complexities of life in the Palestinian territories. He knew that anyone could translate the interview from Arabic, but that only an expert on the Middle East could translate the culture and the context. He knew that this would destroy my reputation and that it would be almost impossible for me to defend myself. And he was right.

But Walid Shoebat forgot that God sees everything and knows the heart of the man.

*  *  *  *

FYI, the Walid Shoebat Foundation tried to recruit me to use my story to raise money. I did not respond to this email.

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:50:10 -0400

From: Walid Shoebat Foundation walid@shoebat.com>

Reply-To: Walid Shoebat Foundation walid@shoebat.com>

Subject: Message from the Walid Shoebat Foundation

To: Joseph@whoisbarabbas.com

Hi Joseph:

I have been trying to reach you for several months after seeing you on Fox News.

Congratulations on breaking out from the darkness to the light and embracing the Lord.

I spoke to Pastor Matt who gave me your email address so we could write to you.  Please visit our website www.shoebat.com <http://www.shoebat.com/> if you do not know Walid Shoebat. Like you Walid left Islam in 1993 after he was challenged by his wife to show her the corruptions in the Bible after which he discovered the opposite. Walid is the author of three books and I would be happy to send you a copy of each.

For five years I have worked with Walid and other former terrorists who speak about the threat of Islam to the world. It has always been a challenge but we have succeeded in speaking at many major Universities, on media all over the world as well as churches and dozens of synagogues, educating people about the threat as well as speaking about Israel and its right to have its country safe and secure. Walid has also spoken to many branches of the armed services as well as law enforcement.

I would like to reach out to you about the possibility of using your services to join us on speaking engagements and programs we run on Universities and churches.  We will also compensate you financially as we respect that we all have bills to pay although all of us work for the glory of G-d.

Walid is Christian like you however I am Jewish and director of the Walid Shoebat Foundation carrying out all the professional and business duties while Walid travels and lectures nationwide.

I look forward to speaking to you and exited that people like you have the courage to speak the truth so the world can be a better place. Walid sends his best regards and looks forward to meeting you one day.

The next time we are in Southern California we would love to break bread with you and your Pastor. Please also feel free to call me any time at 720 935 2826.

Shalom and Blessings

Keith Davies

Director of the Walid Shoebat Founation