Palestinian Preventive Security report about the distribution of “offerings” [portions of meat] by the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society to Hamas supporters instead of to the poor and needy [1998].
Translation
Palestinian National Authority [Handwritten] 521
Palestinian Preventive Security Headquarters
Bethlehem
Date: September 8, 1998
[To:] Brother Lieut.-Col. Abu Bashar [Commander of Preventive Security, Bethlehem], May Allah preserve him
In re: The distribution of offerings by the [ Bethlehem] Orphan Care Society
Hamas activists distributed offerings for the Feast of the Sacrifice which had been in refrigerators . [The offerings] were removed by the [ Bethlehem] Orphan Care Society. They were distributed to Hamas members and supporters in Hundazeh, Al-Saf Street and the Deheishe [refugee] camp. They were [also] distributed to sheikh ‘Abd al-Majid1[Hamas activist] and his supporters, so that the meat did not reach the poor and unfortunate. The imams of the mosques were supported to have given [the meat] to the needy, however that is not what happened.
After an appeal to the Society lodged by the [intelligence] source [of the PPS] who works in [the Ministry of Religious] Endowments relating to the action [of the Society] which was contrary to the rules, a response was received from sheikh Muhammad al-Z’atri [Hamas activist, director of the Ministry of Religious Endowments in Bethlehem] on behalf of the Society. According to his response, the imams of the mosques are infidels and followers [of others, e.g., those whose religious fidelity is in question], and therefore are not entitled to this thing [the meat distributed by the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society].
Lieutenant M. J.
Qata 2
Hamdi Abu Kamal [PPS officer in Bethlehem]
September 8, 1998
[Stamp of PPS, Bethlehem]
1. Sheikh ‘Abd al-Majid Amarneh, high-ranking Hamas member in the Bethlehem region, head of the Hamas-affiliated Deheishe “charitable society.”
Original Document
