Posted on 02/05/2006 3:23:30 PM PST by Alouette
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AFP) - The shrinking Christian population of Bethlehem is struggling to conceal its fears for the future after the victory for Islamists of Hamas in the Palestinian general election.
The blue skies of a perfect Sunday morning in the birthplace of Jesus Christ failed to lift the gloom among the congregation attending mass at the Church of the Nativity in the centre of the West Bank's "little town" which now has many representatives from the radical Islamist group in parliament as Christians.
Franciscan father Amjad Sabbara was putting on a brave face as he greeted the congregation at the doors of the church which was the scene of an infamous 38-day Israeli army siege in April 2002.
"It's the result of the democratic process. There is nothing to worry about. We're waiting to see their projects," he told AFP.
"We have relations with Hamas: They tell us that they are going to respect all the religions.
"In Bethlehem, we are a good number, half of the population. We have a special status: the Christ is born here. I'm sure they are going to respect that."
Shortly after their election, some newly-elected Hamas deputies evoked the idea of introducing some aspect of Sharia law, including a general edict for women to wear a veil and for a separation of boys and girls at school.
Although the movement's leadership rapidly distanced themselves from the idea, some Christians -- who now account for only around three percent of the Palestinian population -- still fear that is the ultimate goal of the Islamists.
One woman, who gave her name as Rula, was less worried about being forced to wear a veil but was nevertheless depressed about the prospects for the future.
"They will oblige maybe the Muslim women, but not us," she said.
"What worries me more is that they are far away from what the Israeli people think. Fatah (the former ruling party) was closer.
"I don't think they can reach a peace agreement with Israel. And life for us is going to be more difficult. But we get used to it."
The leaders of the 12 different Christian churches represented in the holy land issued a joint statement last Wednesday, saying they were ready to cooperate with a Palestinian government headed by Hamas.
"We pray for all those who will govern in this difficult period, and we extend our cooperation to them for the public good and the national Palestinian aspirations together with the cause of justice and peace," the church leaders said in a statement.
Since their election victory, Hamas' leaders have been bending over backwards to asssure Christians that they have no reason to be fearful.
But the likes of Walid Andonia, wearing a cross as as he sunned himself near the church with a bunch of friends, was far from convinced.
"Sure, now Hamas says nice things, but five years from now, I don't know. They're not saying everything they want to do," said the stone mason.
"A lot of Bethlehem Christians are leaving and going abroad. They are selling their houses and their land to Muslim and leaving.
"I would go in a minute if I could. We're like in a cage, here. We hate our life, even if we love our country.
"Those who say they are not afraid of Hamas are lying to you. Give visas to America or Europe, and you'll see how fast Bethlehem Christians are going to leave."
"I tell you, my Muslim friends are as worried as I am. They drink more alcohol than us. They don't want their women to wear the veil... But they will have to."
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas's traditional stronghold, shops have long stopped selling alcohol while the United Nations social club, the last outlet to serve wine and spirits, was trashed on New Year's Eve.
That kind of influence has yet to be felt in Bethlehem where a range of whiskies were on sale at the Jacaman supermarket.
"For the time being, they didn't say a word about alcohol. Believe me, they have bigger things to worry about. They are in big politics, now, which should keep them busy for a while," said the store owner George Jacaman.
Israeli Arabs attend a demonstration against cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad, published in several European newspapers, in the northern Israeli-Arab town of Nazareth February 4, 2006. Dozens of Palestinian youths tried to storm the office of the European Union in Gaza on Saturday in protest over European newspapers that printed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, witnesses and police said. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
father Amjad Sabbara was putting on a brave face as he greeted the congregation at the doors of the church which was the scene of an infamous 38-day Israeli army siege in April 2002."It's the result of the democratic process. There is nothing to worry about. We're waiting to see their projects," he told AFP.
"We have relations with Hamas: They tell us that they are going to respect all the religions.
"In Bethlehem, we are a good number, half of the population. We have a special status: the Christ is born here. I'm sure they are going to respect that."
I'm sure they will Father, best of luck. But you know better than to spout that respect all the religions garbage.
I read recently that some Chaldaean chr*stian activist in Detroit is working for the moslems. Biblical Fundamentalism doesn't exist among the chr*stians of the Middle East.
*snort!*
Sure. Sure they will.
"Give visas to America or Europe, and you'll see how fast Bethlehem Christians are going to leave."
Unfortunately, this guy has the right idea. A lot of others have taken that path of refuge. Pretty soon they will turn the Church of the nativity into a mosque - or a latrine, as they did when they took hostages there a few years ago.
What's the percentage of Christians down to now? Still in the double digit or did rape and murder get it down to single digits?
My son has a friend whose dad is a Palestinian "Christian". He was happy about 9/11, and he hates Israel.
The guy is obnoxious. Since 9/11, my husband won't go around the guy.
The guys son is a nice kid who my son met at a private Christian school.
Must be something in the water. /sarc off
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"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."—FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."—FReeper Noachian
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"—Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
The Nature Of Bruce ~
To be a Christian, you're supposed to act like one. Celebrating the mass murder of innocents is un-Christian!
"Arab Christian" - that's a contradiction. Remember Dr. George Habash, founder of the PFLP? One of the worst terrorists until Zarqawi. A "Christian", he was.
Oh - don't forget the First Crusade. Regrettably, the Crusaders carried out a fearful massacre of non-Christians when they captured Jerusalem in 1099. But there just weren't enough Teutonic Knights around for the job; they outsourced much of the killing to local Arab Christians, who were only too glad to oblige.
This story is a huge distortion in that it fails to mention this critical fact -- Bethlehem's Mayor is a Christian who ran on the Hamas ticket.
..................
"The collaborative municipal effort captures the unusual position that mayor Victor Batarseh finds himself in these days. Elected in May, he is the top public official in one of the holiest cities in the Christian religion. Yet he runs Bethlehem through a coalition dominated by Hamas, a group blacklisted by the U.S. and Europe as a terrorist organization.
"It's time we open our hearts and minds to Hamas," says the 71-year-old mayor.
'snip'
Mr. Batarseh ran into problems with the U.S. shortly after taking office when he invited a group of foreign diplomats to come to Bethlehem to meet the new city government. His goal, he says, was to reassure them that Bethlehem would retain its Christian character, and to seek financial help with infrastructure projects. A $3 million solid-waste project was at the top of his list.
The U.S. turned down his invitation. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem says it has no official contact with Mr. Batarseh, citing his political affiliations. Says Mr. Batarseh: "Soon every Palestinian city will have members of Hamas in their government, so I guess the U.S. will boycott all of us."
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB113530381960630149.html
In Bethlehem it is down to 20%. It used to be 80%..
Unfortunately, Israel seems to feel that it has to shore up its Fundamentalist Protestant support by covering up the rabid anti-Semitism of indigenous Middle East chr*stians. Thus the rash of recent stories about how moslems are forcing chr*stians out of chr*stianity's birthplace. Yet those same Middle Eastern chr*stians have always blamed all their problems on Israel and have supported the PLO up to wazoo.
Israel is missing a golden opportunity to educate Fundamentalist Protestants on the vast gulf that separates them from historical chr*stianity. The sad fact is that the philo-Semitism of Fundamentalists/Evangelicals/Pentecostals exists nowhere else in "chr*stendom" and has absolutely no roots in the chr*stian past whatsoever. Ironically, the anti-Semitic chr*stians who recently declared that "Zionist chr*stianity isn't chr*stianity at all" have it right.
Instead of confirming the fantasy world in which American-style "Bible chr*stians" live Israel should take advantage of this situation to show them just how alienated from true historical chr*stianity they really are and attempt to bring them into the Jewish/Noachide orbit. Instead they issue press releases creating the false impression that the chr*stians of Bethlehem are no different than Hal Lindsay and promote chr*stian theme parks in Galilee. Oh well. At least Fundamentalists who actually visit Israel and see what real chr*stianity is like might have their eyes opened (if the Israelis don't shield them from it, which they probably will).
Thanks for the post and ping.
Few thoughts. No other faiths are ever respected in this environment, so why should anyone expect special consideration. As for the women, they may not be "obliged" to dress modestly or wear veils, but if they don't and are mistaken for a "willful" muslim woman, they will stone first, as questions later.
Ain't that the truth!
Well if not for Lord Allenby, a British Christian Zionist born in the 1860's, there might not be a a country Israel.
In Judaism I don't believe you can separate Zionism from observance. So while you talk of "philo-Semitism" I look towards Israel. There have always been Christian Zionists but not in the same numbers as today.
http://christianactionforisrael.org/judeochr/radio.html
"Instead they issue press releases creating the false impression that the chr*stians of Bethlehem are no different than Hal Lindsay and promote chr*stian theme parks in Galilee."
I have not really seen this. Israel was outspoken about the exGreek Patriarch's collaboration with Arafat, and about the hostage taking in the Church of the Nativity. It is the Christian world, particulalrly the Greek Orthodox and Catholic Churches, and of course all the Liberation Churches, outside Israel that act as if there is a brotherhood with the Christian Palestinian Arabs who are basically Palestinian sympathizers with more ties to Muslims than with their churches.
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