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| Worshipping safely: Christians in Nablus in the West Bank attended service Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church. Ilene R. Prusher |
In Nablus, improved security promises a safer Christmas
For many among the small and ancient community of Christians in the West Bank, a new security plan offers more safety than they have experienced in years.
By Ilene R. Prusher | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitorfrom the December 24, 2007 edition
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Nablus, West Bank - It's been a long time since anyone strung up Christmas lights in Nablus, especially beyond the confines of their own living room.
But this Christmas, for the first time in years, Christians here decked out their churches and community buildings in bright holiday lights. They are even sending sidewalk Santa Clauses out in the evenings, to ring the bells and give out chocolates to passersby.
Nablus's ancient Christian community has been dwindling for decades – from about 3,000 in the 1960s to a mere 700 now – and those who remain had all but gone underground in recent years, in the face of increasing violence and ascendant fundamentalists.
But this is changing with the new security campaign by forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The initiative included the deployment last month of several hundred officers to Nablus to crack down on militias.
The improved security means that this season, Christians here are feeling safer than they have been in years.
The recent dark years – the intifada violence, halting of the Israel-Palestinian peace process, followed by the landslide election of the Islamist Hamas – have made life difficult for the community here. Four churches were firebombed 16 months ago following comments made by the pope about the Prophet Mohammed.
But since the new security campaign with its no-tolerance approach to lawlessness, gunmen – whether affiliated with Hamas or rival militants in the PLO-affiliated al-Aqsa Brigades – are no longer allowed to roam the streets masked and armed. Many have been arrested.
Ubiquitous billboards advertising equipment and clothing from a paramilitary outfitter have been replaced with ads for Snickers and Sprite.
"We want to show that we exist, that we're here and we can show ourselves again," says Fadwa Khoury, a lifelong Nablus resident who came to attend Sunday morning services at the Greek Orthodox church, representing about half of the city's Christians. The others are Roman Catholic or Anglican.
"We became weak during the intifada. There was no government, and the street was ruled by rascals. There were guns everywhere and fear overrode our life, so we hid," says the mother of four, who, with her uncovered hair and face, stands out from the average woman in Nablus .
During the second intifada, which broke out in September 2000, it was considered inappropriate to hold celebrations that might be construed as lavish. Christians hunkered down even further when Hamas was elected by a large majority two years ago amid fears that the party would try to Islamicize Palestinian society.
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