Some Palestinians See End of Secular Dream

Washington Post ^ | 1/29/6 | Scott Wilson

[SmithL]

BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- The worshipers overflowed the mosque on Manger Square, covering the rain-slick stones with rows of prayer rugs and parked cars. At the center, surrounded by kneeling men, stood a showy symbol of their triumphant week: a van bristling with the green banners of Hamas.

Here in the cradle of Christianity, the radical Palestinian movement that favors creation of an Islamic state won every parliamentary seat on Wednesday's ballot except those reserved for Christian candidates -- a lopsided victory duplicated in such secular strongholds as Jerusalem and Ramallah on the organization's way to a majority in the next legislature. From his second-story office above the square, Victor Batarseh, Bethlehem's septuagenarian mayor, saw in the prayerful celebration the end of something.

"I have always believed in a secular Palestinian state, so I would have preferred another result," Batarseh, a member of the Marxist-oriented Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said Friday. "We have to accept this, whether we like it or not, because it is the will of the people."

[sageb1]

""I have always believed in a secular Palestinian state, so I would have preferred another result," Batarseh, a member of the Marxist-oriented Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said Friday. "We have to accept this, whether we like it or not, because it is the will of the people."

The Palis are no friend to the U.S., whether violent jihadists or Marxist Islamists.

[sageb1]

And if Marxist Christians, the same applies.

[boycottliberalhollywood.com]

Marxist or no, this guy and his like-minded friends is in a dilemma. Do they go along with the current government, or fight against it? I'm sure they'll find protesting in front of the Hamas HQ to be slightly more risky than waving 'Bush Lied' signs in front of the White House. Maybe Cindy Sheehan can assist 'em, after all, they are Marxists, right? Birds of a feather should flock together! Go Cindy go! Git on over to Gaza and give those poor Marxists a hand!

[ndt]

"violent jihadists or Marxist Islamists"

Man, that's a tough call!

That's like the "would you rather die by burning to death or being eaten alive by wolves" kind of questions.

I think I'll have to go with the Marxist on this one though. When in small countries, they tend to spend more of their time killing their own.

[tkathy]

These blood soaked monsters and their filthy belief system have no right to the cradle of Christianity.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

These blood soaked monsters and their filthy belief system have no right to the cradle of Christianity.



But that is their goal. They want to force the entire world into a state of Sharia. I would rather die.

[MarkL]

But that is their goal. They want to force the entire world into a state of Sharia. I would rather die.

That's their goal as well. That or servitude.

Mark

[LoudRepublicangirl]

That's their goal as well. That or servitude.



Give me liberty or give me death. Good words to live by.