The Teacher's Bookshop ( ar, مكتبة المعلمين) was a
Christian religious bookshop in the
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
that was in operation between 1998 and 2007. Located in the centre of
Gaza City
Gaza (;''The New Oxford Dictionary of English'' (1998), , p. 761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory in Palestine, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza...". ar, غَزَّة ', ), also referred to as Gaza City, i ...
, it was the territory's sole
Christian goods store, and catered to the needs of the
Gazan Christian minority. In addition to selling books, the store also ran
educational services and an
internet café.
The Gaza Strip, part of the de jure
State of Palestine
Palestine ( ar, فلسطين, Filasṭīn), Legal status of the State of Palestine, officially the State of Palestine ( ar, دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn, label=none), is a state (polity), state located in Western Asia. Officiall ...
, was
militarily occupied by the
State of Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
in 1967 during the
Six-Day War. In 2005, Israel removed its
civilian settlers and
military forces from the territory in a
unilateral disengagement, returning Gaza to Palestinian control. The following year saw the victory of
Hamas—a Palestinian
Islamist militant organization—in the
2006 Palestinian legislative election
Legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006 in order to elect the second Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The result was a victory for Hamas ...
. Hamas' rise to power led to growing chaos and lawlessness in Gaza as the group engaged rival Palestinian faction
Fatah
Fatah ( ar, فتح '), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
in a
battle for control of the territory. During this conflict,
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
militants threatened the life of the bookshop's manager, Rami Ayyad, and the establishment was bombed twice, with the second attack dealing substantial damage to the property.
In October 2007, amidst the
Fatah–Hamas conflict, Ayyad was kidnapped and subjected to
torture before being murdered by unknown assailants.
Hamas condemned the attack and pledged to protect the remaining Christian minority in Gaza. However, in the wake of Ayyad's murder, the bookstore ceased all operations.
History
The bookshop was established in 1998 by the
Palestinian Bible Society
Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
, an arm of the
Gaza Baptist Church
The Gaza Baptist Church was a Baptist church in Gaza City, Gaza, in the State of Palestine. The church was destroyed during Israeli bombings in 2008, and the church's pastor has subsequently fled the Gaza Strip.Baptist pressGaza Baptist Church ...
, which functions as the sole
Protestant church in the
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
as the majority of
Gazan Christians adhere to
Greek Orthodoxy. At the time of the bookshop's establishment, there were approximately 3,000 Christians living in Gaza, comprising a tiny minority amidst more than 1.5 million
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
residents.
[ Relations between the Palestinian Muslim and Christian communities have generally been cordial throughout history.][
The shop was managed by Rami Ayyad, a devout ]Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and community leader who was widely known for his charitable activities.["After murder, Gaza’s Christians keep low profile"]
NBC News, 2007-12-23. In addition to selling Bibles and other Christian publications, the bookstore also offered computer classes and ran an internet café.["'I know how to make you a Muslim'"]
''Haaretz
''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner f ...
'', 2007-11-01.
Intimidation and attacks by Islamists
In an unprecedented outcome, the 2006 Palestinian legislative election
Legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006 in order to elect the second Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The result was a victory for Hamas ...
was won by Hamas, an Islamist militant organization. The security situation in the Gaza Strip soon deteriorated amidst armed conflict between Hamas militants and forces loyal to the previous Fatah
Fatah ( ar, فتح '), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
administration.[
On the night of 3 February 2006, two small ]pipe bombs
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device which uses a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively huge explo ...
exploded and destroyed the bookshop's doors. Soon afterwards, employees received a threatening note demanding that the shop close permanently. In the aftermath of the attack, many Gazans held rallies and gathered to show support for the shop remaining open. The store reopened five weeks later; Palestinian authorities were unable to determine the perpetrators of the attack.[
On 15 April 2007, the store was bombed a second time. The bombing took place as part of a string of attacks that targeted internet cafés and music stores on the same day. No overt threats had been made against the store since the first bombing that was carried out 14 months earlier.]["Palestinian Bible Society building bombed in latest Gaza incident"]
, Associated Baptist Press, 2007-04-20. Prior to the bombing, masked gunmen abducted and beat the shop's security guard, demanding the keys to the shop.
''The Christian Post'', 2007-04-17.[
As no group claimed responsibility for the attacks, the perpetrators remain unidentified. Palestinian media speculated that a group of Islamists,][ who were targeting internet cafés for their access to ]pornography
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, as well as other businesses deemed to have a corrupting and un-Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
influence, may have carried out the bombings.[ Later events suggest that the ]Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
bookshop may have been targeted out of suspicion that its staff were engaging in evangelism
In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are i ...
and proselytism.[
]
2007 murder of shop manager
Following the second bombing of the institution, the shop's manager, Rami Ayyad, began receiving death threats. On 6 October 2007, as Ayyad was locking up the bookshop at around 4:30 p.m., he was abducted by unidentified assailants. His body was discovered the following day.["Christian Bookstore Manager Martyred in Gaza City"]
''Christianity Today'', 2007-10-08.[ According to witnesses and security officials, Ayyad had been driven a few blocks away from the store by his abductors and subsequently beaten with ]clubs
Club may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Club'' (magazine)
* Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character
* Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards
* Club music
* "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea''
Brands and enterprises
...
and rifle butts by three gunmen who accused him of trying to spread Christianity in the Muslim-majority territory, following which he was shot dead.["Christian Bookstore Owner Was Tortured Before His Death"]
''The New York Sun'', 2007-10-11.
Hamas condemned the killing as a "murderous crime", adding that "Muslim and Christian relations are very strong and will not be affected by such crimes committed by criminal elements."["Palestinian Christian activist killed in Gaza"]
, ''Kuwait Times'', 2007-10-08. Hamas officials made visits to Christian community sites in Gaza, and its spokesman promised to bring those responsible to justice. No group claimed responsibility for the murder of Ayyad.[ ] Sheik Abu Saqer, the leader of Jihadia Salafiya, an Islamist group suspected of perpetrating the April bookshop bombing, denied any involvement in Ayyad's killing, but accused Gaza's Christian community of "proselytizing and trying to convert Muslims with funding from American Evangelicals."[ Saqer demanded that Hamas "work to impose an Islamic rule or it will lose the authority it has and the will of the people."][
As the first religiously-motivated killing of a Palestinian Christian in memory,]["Gaza's Christian bookseller killed"]
''The Independent'', 2007-10-08. Ayyad's murder sent shock waves throughout Gaza's Christian community.[ The bookshop was closed, and Ayyad's widow and 3 children relocated to the West Bank.]["Tested by fire; Gaza’s sturdy but small Christian population confronts Islamic militancy and the Israeli blockade,"]
Mindy Belz, May 8, 2010, World Magazine. In the years since Ayyad's death, the growing internal Islamization of Gaza
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occur ...
, coupled with a vigorous Israeli blockade[ and rising chaos and lawlessness, has placed increasing pressure on Gaza's Christians.][ The Christian community of Gaza there has dwindled from a population of 3,000][ to just over 1,000 people.][
]
See also
* Palestinian Christians
Palestinian Christians ( ar, مَسِيحِيُّون فِلَسْطِينِيُّون, Masīḥiyyūn Filasṭīniyyūn) are Christian citizens of the State of Palestine. In the wider definition of Palestinian Christians, including the Palestin ...
*Gaza Baptist Church
The Gaza Baptist Church was a Baptist church in Gaza City, Gaza, in the State of Palestine. The church was destroyed during Israeli bombings in 2008, and the church's pastor has subsequently fled the Gaza Strip.Baptist pressGaza Baptist Church ...
* Islamization of Gaza
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occur ...
* Persecution of Christians
* Fatah–Hamas conflict
* Christian–Muslim relations
References
External links
Rami Ayyad memorial website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teacher's Bookshop, The
Christianity in the State of Palestine
Bookstores in the State of Palestine
Buildings and structures in Gaza City
1998 establishments in the Palestinian territories
2007 disestablishments in the Palestinian territories
Anti-Christian sentiment in Asia
Christian bookstores