Mixed Response from Christians as Hamas Takes Over Parliament

|TOP|Christians have been mixed in their response to the arrival of Hamas, as the new Palestinian parliament was sworn in at a ceremony presided over by Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas.

The radical Islamist movement will dominate the Assembly, which it joins for the first time, with 74 of the 132 seats in parliament against Fatah’s 45.

"It's a great day in the history of the Palestinian people given that we are constitutionally inaugurating our second Legislative Council, this Council that was elected by our people in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem in free and honest elections," Abbas declared.

Many are concerned over the movement may try to phase in Shariah law, with some Hamas councillors already proposing the introduction of a special tax known as Jizya for non-Muslims. Some also fear the complete ban of alcohol or that all women may soon have to wear the veil.

|QUOTE|Greek Orthodox Christian and resident of the West Bank city of Ramallah, Basim Khouri, is unsure.

"Maybe it will happen but maybe it will not," he told the BBC, in reference to the question whether Hamas will ban alcohol. "We don't know anything; we can't get inside their heads."

He agrees, however, that there should be social freedom: "If somebody wants to have a beer then they should be allowed to, just as if someone wants to go the mosque and pray."

Christians in the minority community in Bethlehem, however, have expressed greater concern.

“There are many Christians who are afraid,” Shatha, a student at the Roman Catholic Bethlehem University, said in a report by Ecumenical News International. “Since Hamas is new to the government, I doubt they will be able to implement Islamic law. But it’s possible they might in the future.”

The arrival of Hamas will do nothing to slow down the emigration rate of an estimated 2000 Christians out of 40,000 from Bethlehem each year.

"A lot of Christians don't wear the cross anymore, especially the men, because they don't want to stand out and they don't want any trouble," one Christian woman said in the ENI report.

One shopkeeper in Bethlehem, who declined to be named, remains optimistic for Christians in Bethlehem at least.

He said: “Hamas is smart and knows that Bethlehem is in the world's spotlight. Don't worry, I'll always be allowed to sell alcohol and they will never make our women wear the veil.”