Helbawi is, of course, right, although the "clash" is not one, as he interprets it, between "satanic" Jews against "divinely" inspired Muslims. Rather, the Israel-Palestine conflict has confronted mankind with a test, like no other, about universal values to do with fairness, justice, and above all, evidence-based truth about the cause and conduct of both sides.

The Brotherhood's reaction to the Syrian crisis has exposed a very important truth about what the "Islamic project" to which Sheikh Ghannouchi referred is really about. Sheikh Qaradawi galvanised the global Brotherhood's opposition to the 9/11 wars on the apparently inviolate principle that Muslim majority lands had been invaded, and that violence was justified in removing British and American forces. But just listen to him when it comes to Syria where, with a bit of help from the West, the Muslim Brotherhood — now begging for help from the West — aspires to power.

The Brotherhood's self-same spiritual leader has "implored  America . . . to behave like men of honour and intervene in Syria . . . we thank America for the delivery of non-lethal military equipment to Syrian fighters, but this is not enough." Now "direct military aid" is coming. Could it just be that the Brotherhood sees here the chance of inching one more Arab country into the Islamic world order under Sunni Islam?

Anger over foreign policy may be the proximate cause of Woolwich and other atrocities. But for the root cause, we must look elsewhere — though manifestly not to Muslims in general. Look at the faces and listen to the speeches of the vast majority of Muslim leaders in their condemnation of Woolwich. They were heartfelt, devoid of excuses, unlike some post-7/7 responses.