U.S. Says It Also Finds Cartoons of Muhammad Offensive

Hamas leaders, showing how their role has changed since their election success last week, quickly and publicly reacted to calm fears of Gaza's small Christian population, only 3,000 people. On Thursday a top Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, visited the only Catholic church in Gaza to condemn any th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe New York times
Main Authors JOEL BRINKLEY and IAN FISHER, Joel Brinkley reported from Washington for this article, and Ian Fisher from Gaza. Julie Bosman contributed reporting from New York
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, N.Y New York Times Company 04.02.2006
EditionLate Edition (East Coast)
Subjects
Cartoons
Demonstrations & protests
Freedom of the press
Muhammad (prophet)
Muslims
Middle East
United States
Europe
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3
US
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Summary:Hamas leaders, showing how their role has changed since their election success last week, quickly and publicly reacted to calm fears of Gaza's small Christian population, only 3,000 people. On Thursday a top Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, visited the only Catholic church in Gaza to condemn any threats against Christians. ''He said he is protecting us not because he is Hamas,'' said the Rev. Manuel Musallam of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, who said he has long and friendly relations with Hamas. ''But he is protecting Christians and our institutions as the state of Palestine and as a government.'' Hamas also seemed to be making possible moves toward Israel: In an article published Friday in a Palestinian newspaper, Khaled Mashal, the top Hamas political leader, who lives in Syria, said that while Hamas would never recognize Israel's right to exist, it was prepared to discuss a long-term truce.
ISSN:0362-4331