Mohammed Al-Hajjar
Like every year, Christians in Gaza feel their isolation most acutely over the festive period.
A nearly decade and a half old Israeli blockade has often left the small community in Gaza bereft during the holidays.
But this year is still different. Not only is the Israeli blockade preventing people from visiting families elsewhere in Palestine or holy sites in Bethlehem or Jerusalem; this time there is also a pandemic keeping movement out of Gaza tightly restricted and necessitating a lockdown at home.
Christmas in Gaza is effectively canceled this year. Churches are closed and celebrations must of necessity be restrained.
The Saudi-led coalition has cleared four fuel ships to dock at Yemen s Red Sea port of Hodeidah, two sources familiar.
Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Atallah Hanna, called the memo “inflammatory,” but said it “will not harm our unity and good relations.”
Hamas said the reaction was exaggerated and that it only wanted to ensure Muslims marked Christian holidays in accordance with Islamic law.
“There was never any intention to offend Christians or limit their ability to celebrate and perform their religious rituals,” said Bassem Naim, a Hamas official.
The ministry, which is tasked with running Gaza’s mosques and looking after Muslim and Christian affairs in the coastal strip, quickly released a statement saying Christians “have the right to hold their religious celebrations and they can’t be offended or be restricted.”.
The ministry, which is tasked with running Gaza s mosques and looking after Muslim and Christian affairs in the coastal strip, quickly released a statement saying Christians have the right to hold their religious celebrations and they can t be offended or be restricted .
The statement added: Just as Muslims are commanded to avoid violations of [Islamic law] on Muslim holidays, it is all the more reason for them to avoid [such violations] during the holidays of others.
It is rare for religious tensions in Gaza to spill over into the public domain.
While around one percent of the population of the Palestinian territories as a whole are Christian, the percentage is small in Gaza, where there are around 1,000 mostly Greek Orthodox Christians among nearly 2 million Muslims.
Leaked Hamas Christmas memo causes Christian dismay in Gaza
Religious Affairs Ministry, which is tasked with running Gaza s mosques and looking after Muslim and Christian affairs, quickly releases statement saying Christians have the right to hold their religious celebrations
Reuters |
Published: 12.23.20 , 18:51
A leaked Hamas memo showing Gaza s ruling Islamist group wanted to curb Christmas celebrations among Gaza s Muslim majority has upset the enclave s tiny Christian community in the run-up to the holiday.
The ministry of religious affairs document, dated Dec. 15, called for activities by the directorate of preaching and spiritual guidance to limit interaction with Christmas .
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(Photo: Reuters)
The leak went public last weekend, upsetting Palestinian Christians.
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