Hamas slams PA for removing religion from ID cards
Hamas is saying that the Palestinian Authority's decision to abolish religion from national ID cards is a prelude to accommodating Jewish settlers in a future Palestinian state.
On Feb. 2, and without any warning, the Palestinian Authority (PA) decided to stop including religious affiliation on national ID cards, so that there will no longer be any differentiation between Muslims and Christians on the IDs.
Hassan Alawi, the undersecretary of the PA Ministry of Interior, stressed that the decision, which he described as “extraordinary,” came upon the instruction of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. According to Alawi, since religion is mentioned on a citizen’s birth certificate — as per the Basic Law, which provides for non-discrimination between Palestinians on the basis of sex, race or religion — there is no need to repeat it on the ID.
Divergent positions
Palestinians were surprised by the decision, especially its timing. The decision spurred varied reactions among Palestinians. Some supported the decision, others rejected it, and many were surprised. Several activists, writers, journalists and political forces participated in the debate via social networking sites, especially since the decision was made without any prior notice by the PA.
