Christians anxious over Hamas victory
by Abu Mahmud

There is widespread unease but no certainty that situation of Christians
will deteriorate in the Palestinian territories. Church authorities will
seek reconfirmation of the February 15, 2000, Basic Agreement between the
Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organisation that guarantees religious
freedom, upholds established Church rights and protects the Holy Sites.
 

Bethlehem (AsiaNews) - "A disaster, Hamas's victory is a disaster for
Christians," said an agitated K. M., a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem
after poll results from yesterday's elections showed the Islamist party
gaining 77 of the 132 seats in the new Palestinian legislative council.
Even taking a more positive view, little good for Palestinian Christians can
come from Hamas's success. The party favours a theocratic state and is
opposed to secular Arab nationalism which was the best hope Arab Christians
had since the 19th century to be treated as equal citizens under the law in
Arab countries.
"It was pay-back time for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)," K. M.
said, "for their incompetence and corruption. But for us, everything becomes
dangerous."
"Hamas is a fundamentalist movement. Now with an absolute majority they can
adopt any law. They are likely to pass law inspired by the Sharia," he said.
"Some have promised that they are going to impose taxes on Christians [as
dhimmis] the way they used long time ago."
Given the new situation, Palestinian Christians might be spurred to work
with secular parties hoping that their fortunes might rise again in
Palestinian politics when the next elections take place. Christians can also
become more involved in 'civil society' organisations.
Church authorities will have to get in touch with the new Palestinian rulers
to reconfirm the Basic Agreement signed by the Holy See and the PLO on
February 15, 2000.
As Fr David-Maria A. Jaeger, a Franciscan expert on State-Church relations
in the Holy Land, said, historically Hamas was never part of the PLO, which
signed the agreement for and on behalf of the PNA. In principle, this means
that whoever is fully or partially in charge of the PNA must abide by its
terms. Among other things, the agreement guarantees religious freedom,
uphold the Church's established rights and protects the Holy Sites.
But for K.M. "the future remains uncertain. The US and Israel have said they
won't accept Hamas as a partner in future peace talks. However, according to
the principles of democracy Hamas was elected by the will of the people.
After preaching democracy across the Middle East, the Americans can't go
back on their words now."
The results of the Palestinian elections will force many in the West to
reflect on the value of pushing for quick democratisation in the region
without taking into account local social, economic and cultural conditions.
Democracy is much more than open and fair elections. It is wise to remember
that secular liberal democracies were historically realised in societies in
which highly educated, economically well-off middle classes, thirsty of
civil rights, reached a certain critical mass.
This cannot be said of either Palestinian territories or Iraq, or Algeria
(in the early 1990s). And historically liberal democracy never flourished in
countries under foreign belligerent occupation like the Palestinian
territories since 1967.
"The danger for us is real," said K.M. "In Bethlehem we have four members of
parliament: two for Fatah (including a Protestant Christian) and two for
Hamas. One of the elected Hamas MPs is a fundamentalist Muslim sheikh who
from time to time preaches again the Christian presence in Palestine."
"What can Christians do? Perhaps, many will think of emigrating, thus
further emptying the Holy Land" of its Christians, he lamented.
In reality though, some observers point out that there is no certainty that
conditions for Christians are going to deteriorate. Such conditions are the
same for the Muslim majority and are more influenced by the general
situation of the occupied territories than by what the PNA's semi-autonomous
institutions can do.
There is even an outside chance that Hamas's greater internal discipline
might end the 'fauda', the chaos that currently prevails in the territories,
and which Christians in Bethlehem and elsewhere have had to endure.
What the election results do make clear is that a peace treaty between
Israel and Palestine is needed now more than ever, a peace treaty achieved
as part of an international peace conference that would also ensure that the
future Palestinian constitution and the effective management of public
affairs in Palestine are based on proper guarantees for human and civil
rights.