Extremists are threatening to blow up the Palestinian Bible Society in the Gaza Strip if the people who work there do not close up shop and abandon their ministry by the end of February, a Christian source told Cybercast News Service. The threat appears to be the work of Islamic extremists who are determined to drive Christians out of the area. Arab Christians are taking the threat very seriously, said a Palestinian Bible Society information officer who asked not to be named. There are only about 1,500 Christians living among an estimated 1.2 million Palestinian Muslims in the Gaza Strip.The Palestinian Bible society has been in operation there since 1999.
Eleven local Palestinians staff the center, which includes a Christian bookstore that sells Bibles. Scriptures are displayed on large billboards, and at the front of the store is a sign that says: "God's Word is Life for All." Above the shop are computer rooms, multi-purpose halls and a library that is open to the entire community.
The trouble started three weeks ago, the source said, when a pipe bomb exploded around 11:00 one night outside the Bible Society, which is located in Gaza's city center. There were no injuries. Two weeks later, an unknown group left threatening pamphlets at the front door of the Bible Society warning that the building would be blown up if the premises were not vacated by February 28.The pamphlets threatened the landlord for dealing with "infidels."
According to the request of Palestinian Authority security officials, when the situation worsened several days ago, forcing the Bible Society staff locked the doors while they continued working inside. But then came a threatening phone call, warning them that locking the doors wasn't enough - that they should take the threat seriously or risk harm to themselves and their children. "We are waiting for a miracle," said the Palestinian Bible Society information officer. "The Bible Society is committed to the continuation of its ministry and service to the Palestinian people, and God will see us through this crisis."
The article does mentioned an unnamed source from Hamas who has offered to protect the Christians, but suggests that Hamas hand’s are currently tied as Hamas has yet to “officially” take control of the Palestinian Authority…Ahem, well Hamas has been in charge of the Gaza Strip municipality for some time……
Actually this reminds me of an editorial cartoon that ran in the National Post a few years ago that I cut out and put on my fridge. The first box showed Arafat issuing instructions to the Palestinian Authority to arrest all the terrorists. The second showed Arafat’s men all turning their guns on each other.
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