The Islamic Jihad movement has called on the Freedom and Justice Party’s Essam al-Erian to resign from his role as advisor to the president and apologize to the Egyptian people for his statement asking Egyptian Jews to leave Israel and reclaim their properties back at home.

Erian had triggered controversy over his remarks this week when he said this would pave the way for the Palestinians to regain their occupied land.

He also blamed President Nasser for deporting the Jews after the establishment of Israel.

“We shall fight them vigorously if they return, especially the Egyptian-Israeli Jews,” said Mohamed Abou Samra, the leading figure in the Islamic Jihad movement. “Islamic Sharia says they deserve to be killed.”

“Erian is violating religion to be a national hero for the Jews at the expense of the Islamists,” he added. “And the Brotherhood’s denouncement of his remarks was too mild.”

“They will destroy the economy and foment sedition,” he said. “Their return will be over our dead bodies.”

“We will continue fighting the Jews until the liberation of Palestine or Doomsday,” he said.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm