A report issued by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) in September shed light on a new approach in the discourse about jihad. Saudi writer Khaled Al-'Ghanami wrote an op-ed in the al-Watan newspaper and 'Abdallah Al-Naggar wrote one in the Egyptian al-Gomhouriyya that call for suppression of calls to violent jihad. They both recognize the emphasis that violent jihad gets in discussions on Islam is a factor that creates hostility from the West. The constant focus of this aspect of Islam causes what they see as the sole undefeatable issue between the Muslim world and the West.

Raymond Ibrahim, associate director of the Middle East Forum and author of The Al Qaeda Reader, assessed these op-eds as a call to Muslims to quell their talk of offensive jihad for the time being so that they can more easily coexist with the West. Otherwise, the Muslim world will be plagued by constant intervention from the West. The authors aren't advocating that the concept of offensive jihad be abandoned, Ibrahim notes, only that discussions of it should be minimized because it hinders the advancement of the Muslim world. As Ibrahim writes, to do so would violate Islamic law:

"These writers are insightful enough to understand that Islam's imperative for Muslims to wage offensive jihad is the one insurmountable obstacle for peace between Muslims and non-Muslims. Best not to keep reminding the infidel world, then."

Al-'Ghanami and Al-Naggar therefore, aren't seeking more peace and co-existence. Rather, Ibrahim writes, it's a cynical call to bide time until circumstances are more favorable.