Government 'must navigate troubled waters'

Manama, Muscat & Doha: Palestinians living in Bahrain on Wednesday said that while they feared a bleaker future for Palestine after the decision by the Western and European countries to cut off direct financial aid, they hoped that Hamas would be able to navigate skilfully through the region's troubled waters.

"I was happy that Hamas won the people's vote of confidence because it means a lot in the fight against stifling corruption and nepotism," said Abu Mohammad, a retired teacher who has been in Bahrain since the 1960s.

"There are obviously many powerful people both in Palestine and abroad who are working on the downfall of the movement. Hamas leaders should not fall into the easy trap of making fiery speeches to hide the reality that is now biting the people. They should ensure they do not alienate the friends they have and seek to soften the onslaught on their ambitions," said the former social studies teacher.

Ahmad Yahya, a travel agent with an international airline, said Palestinians were being punished for exercising one of the highest forms of democracy in the Arab world.

"The signal we received was that it was all right to move ahead with democracy and free choices. Now, we discover that our people are being mercilessly punished for their choice. This is unfair and seriously undermines our trust in the powers that have repeatedly told us that rewards were awaiting all those who believed in democracy," said Yahya.

"Cutting off aid to Palestine for democratically electing Hamas, clearly embodies the double standards and imbalance of power in the world order," Abdul Aziz Younis Abu Hamar, an Egyptian sports marketing consultant working in Oman, told Gulf News.

Lebanese Dr Ebrahim Najjar, who works with the private Dhofar University, has a different view.

He agrees with Abdul Aziz that Palestinians had the right to choose their government but also believes that those who have cut aid have their own rights too.

He argues, "it would be fair to say that the US and EU decision to cut aid is justified from their point of view." He said: "If you prefer war, you will have your aid cut."

Many Palestinian Christians will leave their homeland, according to Akram Nassar, a Palestinian engineer from Bethlehem, who said the current economic crisis in his area of origin has led many Christians to leave Bethlehem.

"There is an exodus of the Christian community with the total indifference and silence of the church."

Abdullah Rebhi, a journalist from Ramallah, said regardless of the US decision to withhold aid, what is unacceptable is the US pressure on other countries to follow suit.