Making 'peace,' 'Palestinian' style
On Sunday, I reported that Hamas and Fatah were going to kiss and make up, an event that ought to be of concern to the western world. On Monday, it turns out that in preparation for the rapprochement, Fatah plans to 'fire' dozens of Imams in Judea and Samaria for being pro-Hamas.Jamal Bawatneh, the PA Minister for Religious Affairs, said his ministry was planning "many changes" that would affect a large number of imams in the West Bank.Four Imams have been arrested by Fatah in recent weeks, one of whom was 'brutally tortured.'
The minister accused the imams of exploiting the mosque podiums to promote their "private agendas" in violation of ministry regulations.
"Some of the imams and mosque tutors have misused the freedom granted to them," Bawatneh charged. "They thought that the ministry was not aware of their actions."
He said that as far as he was concerned, those who "want to become celebrities and engage in election propaganda should go to the radio and TV stations and not to the mosques. We won't allow them to spread their lies and fabrications in the mosques."
The latest move is seen by Palestinians in the context of the PA leadership's efforts to combat pro-Hamas supporters in the West Bank.
A source in the ministry said the imams who were targeted had expressed sympathy for Hamas during the recent war in the Gaza Strip. Some of them even dared to use Friday prayers to criticize PA President Mahmoud Abbas and other Arab heads of state for failing to take a tougher stance against Israel, the source added.
The PA security forces have in recent weeks arrested several West Bank imams on charges of "incitement" during the war and membership in an illegal organization, i.e. Hamas.
The more things change....
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:16 AM
1 Comments:
If that's how they are brothers to each other, how do people expect them to be brothers towards the Jews?
Heh
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