Wednesday, February 20, 2008

GAZA CHRISTIANS LIVE IN FEAR

Palestinian Christians Live in Constant Fear - Father Raymond J. De Souza
Unidentified gunmen blew up the YMCA library in Gaza on Friday. While no one was hurt, two guards were temporarily kidnapped while the offices were looted, a vehicle stolen, and all 8,000 books destroyed. Sources in Gaza said the attack was in response to the reprinting of the Muhammad cartoons in Danish newspapers last week.

There are only some 3,500 Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox, in Gaza. Over the past two years, al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have claimed responsibility for attacks against Christian figures and institutions with the stated goal of driving Christians out of Gaza. Christians in Gaza and the West Bank try to live quietly, never knowing whether a newspaper in Denmark or a papal speech in Germany or nothing in particular might be the pretext for violence coming to their doors. (National Post-Canada)

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