Islamists offer little Christmas cheer for Christians in the Palestinian territories
The suffering of the Palestinians is a constant refrain in most of the Western media these days except, that is, when their suffering cannot be blamed on the Israelis. At this time of celebration and festivity for Christians around the world, therefore, you can be sure that the picture presented of the plight of the Palestinian Christians by the BBC and company will not be quite the same as the one presented in an illuminating and timely piece of writing in the Wall Street Journal today by editorial page writer Daniel Schwammenthal.
“In 2007, one year after the Hamas takeover, the owner of Gaza’s only Christian bookstore was abducted and murdered. Christian shops and schools have been firebombed,” he tells us.
From Gaza to the little town of Bethlehem, the Palestinian Christians are not merely being repressed by the aggressive intolerance of Islamic radicals, they are fast disappearing as a feature of Palestinian life.
Quoting Samir Qumsieh, the founder of a Christian TV station whose home has also been firebombed, the author tells us:
“Always a minority religion among the predominantly Muslim Palestinians, Christians are, Mr. Qumsieh says, “melting away,” even in Bethlehem. While they represented about 80% of the city’s population 60 years ago, their numbers are now down to about 20%, a result not just of Muslims’ higher birth rates but also widespread Christian emigration. “Our future as a Christian community here is gloomy,” Mr. Qumsieh says.
That is one Christmas message you’re unlikely to hear much about.
To read the article in full, click here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704304504574610022765965390.html
December 25th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
You’re absolutely right Robin.
What’s more, when interviewed by the MSM on their situation, Christians living in the Palestine territory know full well that if they identify the intimidation that the militant Islamist groups cause them, which are the dominant forces there, they will increase the retaliation against them.
Naturally too, nothing about this goodwill gesture by Israel will make the MSM either. http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=46771
Wishing you a happy holiday and excellent New Year
December 26th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Thanks for the pointer to this disturbing article. Possibly those in charge of Christian Aid, which is calling for the recognition of Hamas, as detailed in your previous post, might read Daniel Schwammenthal and reconsider their ridiculous position; but probably not.
December 27th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
OT: The Guardian’s bald-faced lies
As far as Israel goes, as we all know, truth no longer has any meaning for the Guardian. In an article stuffed full of untruths and naked prejudice, here’s the Guardian’s big lie for today.
First off, here’s the truth:
PM praises IDF, Shin Bet for Nablus raid
‘Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday praised a joint IDF-Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operation, in which three Fatah men behind the fatal attack were killed.
“I want to praise the Shin Bet and the IDF on the speedy operation against the cell which murdered Rabbi Meir Chai,” he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. “Our policy against terrorism is clear. We will continue to respond aggressively - against any attack on Israeli citizens and against any firing of rockets or missiles at Israeli territory.”
The West Bank raid took place on Saturday, less than 48 hours after Chai was gunned down near his home in northern Samaria.’
http://tinyurl.com/ye3k27r
Now the Guardian’s lie:
Gaza ceasefire in jeopardy as six Palestinians are shot
‘More serious in its implications, however, was the shooting dead of three members of Fatah’s armed wing – the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades – in a raid on the northern West Bank city of Nablus, apparently in retaliation for the shooting of an Israeli driving near the settlement at Shavei Shomron.’
http://tinyurl.com/yf8fxel
Ah, “retaliation”! Israeli troops weren’t attempting to arrest murderers, but merely “retaliating”.
So, who is this Rachel Shabi, the author of this squalid piece? I’m sure you’ll not be surprised to learn that she is a “post-Zionist”. More on Shabi and her bitter disdain for Israel here:
http://tinyurl.com/y8jlh44
December 27th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I don’t know whether this is apposite but having read the piece below in the Sunday Telegraph, I thought that I would add it to your blog above.
The Gazans in this story from the Telegraph are purported to be a ‘peaceful people … with a fondness for Puccini…’ The whole piece is nauseating. What is worse, however, is the new ‘reportage.’ Basically let’s write anything at all that will paint Israel in the worst light possible.
During Operation Cast Lead nine-year-old Ibrahim was ‘fatally wounded,dying in his father’s arms as he tried to rescue him… While her [Wafa Awaja's] husband limped away to find help, Israeli soldiers used Ibrahim’s corpse, which was lying in the road, for target practice.’
So Israeli soldiers have so much time and are so depraved that they use childrens’ corpses for taget practice. Right.
‘It is allegations such as these’ writes Adrian Blomfield in Beit Lahia, Gaza, ‘while almost impossible to verify, that have badly damaged Israel’s international reputation.’
So even though these allegations are ‘almost impossible to verify’, it’s perfectly admissable to quote them in an article for a mainstream newspaper.
Just the general drip feed of anti-Israel sentiment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/6891201/Gazans-still-angry-one-year-on-from-Israeli-offensive.html
January 4th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Wonderful that although it’s almost impossible to verify, Bloomfield will give the story tellers the benefit of the doubt.