10/4/2004 2:18:53 PM

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

The recent decision by the Presbyterian Church(USA) to financially divest from Israel and the all-but-certain intention of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America to do the same are enthusiastically supported by a prominent Middle East Christian:

Palestinian religious leaders have welcomed efforts by two US-based Christian groups to exert economic pressure on Israel in response to its policies against the Palestinians.

"We salute these two churches for taking these courageous steps to help the oppressed Palestinian people," said archimandrite Ata Allah Hanna, spokesman of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

He told Aljazeera.net the churches' decisions were not made hastily or haphazardly.

"They dispatched their representatives to Palestine who saw the enormity of Israeli repression and persecution. It is imperative to point out that no real Christian can accept, condone or ignore the colossal crimes Israel is committing in this holy land."

In case you've forgotten who Hanna is, he had this to say during a 2002 lecture in Abu-Dhabi:

In a lecture given at the Arab League think tank The Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-Up in Abu-Dhabi last month, Hanna said: "The fundamental principle endorsed by all the Palestinian political factions is to continue the intifada against the Israeli atrocities. Therefore, the Church fully supports the resistance for the sake of liberation from Israel. As you know, the political factions in Palestine agree on the continuation of the intifada, which includes different ways of struggle. Some freedom fighters adopt martyrdom or suicide bombings, while others opt for other measures. ... Don't expect us to keep [a] distance and watch. We are in the struggle whether it is martyrdom or any other means.

Hanna claims he never said anything of the kind:

As soon as these statements were reported, Hanna denied them: "When I spoke of resistance, I was referring to nonviolent resistance, which is a legitimate right. I never mentioned martyrdom operations, but spoke of resistance. I sent letters of clarification to the [newspapers]."

A denial that the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem apparently didn't believe and with good reason:

Several days later, Irineios I replaced Hanna. In a statement, the patriarch accused Hanna of supporting Palestinian terror because of the latter's refusal to sign a document condemning the operations. Irineios I appointed Father Ophichius as spokesman and announced that any statement Hanna might make from now on would be his own and not the Church's.

Not that Hanna cared what his superior had done.  Higher law and all that:

Hanna spoke out against his dismissal, telling the London daily Al-Zaman: "The decision to fire [me] is illegal, illegitimate, and baseless. ... I will not comply with the decision and I will carry out my daily duties as spokesman for the community without considering [this] decision."

How does that taste, PCUSA and ECUSA?  A "Christian" who supports suicide bombings backs your divestment plans.  You both may need Bill Clinton himself to help you spin your way out of that one.