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Politics : The Truth About Islam -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Triffin who wrote (2625)	10/26/2006 8:44:55 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 20106

Muslims want national holiday Aftenposten ^ \| Oct 24, 2006 \| Nina Berglund aftenposten.no Muslim politicians in Norway are lobbying for establishment of a new national holiday to celebrate the end of a month of fasting. They think the holiday should be recognized along the same lines as Christmas. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a feast, like that covering this table in Oslo. PHOTO: KNUT SNARE "The best would be to get Eid-al-Fitr (most commonly called "id" in Norway) on the calendar as a public free day for everyone," Yousef Gilani, a city politician in Drammen, told newspaper VG. Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Fast of Ramadan, was celebrated on October 24 this year. It's an occasion of family feasts and celebration for thousands of Norway's immigrants and descendants of immigrants, the majority of whom are from Pakistan. Muslim families and groups were celebrating their religious holiday around the country on Monday night, rather like Christmas Eve for the Christian community, but all had to work or go to school as usual the next day. The Fast of Ramadan, meanwhile, began on September 23 and lasted for an entire month. Muslims observe it by fasting during the daylight hours and eating only in the evening before visiting friends and family. It is a time of worship and contemplation, Muslims say, a time to strengthen family and community ties. Gilani believes that at least the Muslim community should get the day off when "id" is marked. The actual day changes from year to year, depending on the Muslim calendar. In some organizations, they already do. The state ombudsman for issues dealing with equality and discrimination gives Muslim employees the day off if they request it. "All groups will benefit when Muslims are free on their important holidays," said ombud Beate Gangås. "It's a win-win situation. Some religious groups can work during the Christmas holidays, for example, and get another day off in return." She thinks all employers should be open to such a system. At present, nine of Norway's 12 national holidays are linked to Christian traditions.

To: Triffin who wrote (2625)	10/26/2006 8:54:58 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 20106

Is violence Palestinian "disease"?-Hamas official 17 Oct 2006 12:04:58 GMT Source: Reuters alertnet.org Background Israeli-Palestinian conflict More By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A senior figure in Hamas, the Islamist group that heads the Palestinian government, published an article on Tuesday condemning internal violence and questioning whether it had become a "Palestinian disease". Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas who also acts as the spokesman for the Hamas-led government, said he was disturbed by growing factionalism in the Palestinian territories, including recent deadly clashes between rival political movements. "Has violence become a culture implanted in our bodies and our flesh?" he asked in the sharply worded article, published in the widely read Palestinian newspaper al-Ayyam. "We have surrendered to it until it has become the master and is obeyed everywhere -- in the house, the neighbourhood, the family, the clan, the faction and the university." It was the second time in recent months that Hamad, who is based in Gaza, had written an opinion piece in al-Ayyam critical of Palestinian in-fighting. In August, he criticised Palestinian militant groups fighting Israel, saying they were not doing the cause of Palestinian independence any good by launching attacks at moments when it appeared progress was being made. In the article published on Tuesday, Hamad said the presence of armed men on almost every street, and their attendance at every rally, whether political or not, had created an atmosphere of guns and violence that damaged prospects for calm. It also meant that television pictures of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broadcast around the world too often showed armed men and images of violence, casting the Palestinian struggle in a poor light, he suggested. "(Violence) has taken away the language of brotherhood and replaced it with arms ... It has stolen our unity and divided us into two camps, or three, or ten," he wrote. "Shouldn't we be ashamed of this ugly behaviour which scandalises us before our people and before the world?" Hamad's article follows a period of intense in-fighting, with some of the worst Palestinian-on-Palestinian violence since the formation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994. Earlier this month, at least 15 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in clashes between armed members of Hamas and gunmen from the rival Fatah movement. Long-time observers of the Middle East have raised the possibility of civil war. Hamad wrote that 175 Palestinians had been killed by "Palestinian gunfire" since the beginning of the year. Weeks of talks to try to form a unity government, and perhaps put an end to the violence, have so far failed. "Are we all responsible? Yes. Do we all participate in this great sin? Yes," wrote Hamad. "All of us have the desire not to see arms in the streets except with policemen. "We want to disown this disease, this cancer, which has damaged our brains and paralysed our hearts. "Have mercy on your people. Let us walk in peace, sit in peace, have a dialogue in peace and sleep in calm."