Palestinian Unity — For Muslims Only?
A highway sign in Saudi Arabia keeps Christians out
Father Raymond J. De Souza raises an excellent point about the Mecca accord that the media missed entirely. He points out in the National Post:
. . . Palestinian Christians have new cause to worry about their religious liberty.
The feuding Palestinian parties met in the holy city of Mecca (Makkah), hosted by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah. Mecca is an odd choice for a summit site, because non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medinah. There are checkpoints on the highways into the holy cities, at which non-Muslim motorists who may have missed the “Muslims Only” signs are advised not to go any further.
Media reports were remarkably silent on the question of holding the Palestinian summit in a city where Palestinian Christians — a small minority, but historically active in Palestinian leadership — are barred by law. Perhaps a waiver was given to allow non-Muslims to temporarily enter, perhaps not. Perhaps the Christians were hustled through the airport on diplomatic passports; perhaps they were whisked through in disguise. Perhaps they converted before the summit; or perhaps they were just left at home. In two weeks of heavy media coverage, I have not seen the issue addressed.
Perhaps it is now simply accepted that the Palestinian question is to be understood as an exclusively Islamic question. In the last year, I have written twice in these pages about the Islamification of Palestinian politics, as the cause has been transformed from a nationalist project to a religious one. The Mecca summit would seem to confirm that this is now quasiofficial policy.
It’s worth reading the entire article. (Hat tip: Daily Alert)
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