Hamas ban Palestinian folktale book

By Martin Patience
BBC News, Ramallah

The book contains mild sexual references, according to its author

The Hamas-run Palestinian education ministry has ordered that an anthology of folktales be removed from state schools, sparking accusations of Islamic crackdown.

Some Palestinians fear that the government, which came to power last March, is trying to enforce its Islamic agenda on the occupied Palestinian territories.

The 400-page book, Speak, Bird, Speak Again, was compiled by Sharif Kanaana, a professor of anthropology and folklore at the West Bank's Bir Zeit University, and by Ibrahim Muhawi, a teacher of Arabic literature and the theory of translation.

Dr Kanaana told the BBC news website that he worried that banning the book could be the start of a new trend.

"I think that everyone is concerned that this could happen again," he says. "It's a question of principle: Is this going to start happening to other books?"

'Fanatic'

About 1,500 copies of the book were taken off the shelves from 150 school libraries in the West Bank and Gaza in the last few days after some of the language was deemed inappropriate.

Most commentators have assumed references to genitalia in the book had been the problem, but a senior official at the ministry denied this.

It's a question of principle, is this going to start happening to other books? Dr Sharif Kanaana

"The book is written in slang Arabic and is simply not appropriate for teaching," says Tharwat Zeid.

He says that two years ago the then Fatah-led education ministry removed a book from schools which contained a passage referring to boyfriends and girlfriends.

But Dr Kanaana says that people were being too "fanatic about these things and too stiff on the issues"

He said the book, which contains 45 Palestinian folktales and analysis, was part of the fabric of Palestinian society.

"I've heard these stories all my life," he says. "And while some of the language can be a bit vulgar it's an important record."

Radical Agenda

Ever since Hamas came to power, some Palestinians have been concerned that the Islamic movement would enforce a strictly Islamic interpretation on the society.

However most people say there has been little discernable change.

Analysts say Hamas has been too busy dealing with the international community's economic embargo, imposed because of Hamas's refusal to recognise Israel, to impose an Islamic agenda such as banning alcohol sales.

The ministry deemed the language "appropriate for schools"

But there are now fears that the book ban could be the beginning of a more radical programme.

"I think it is a dangerous decision that shows us the hidden face of Hamas," says Hani Masri, the director of the Palestine Media, Research and Studies Centre in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

"Hamas have always wanted Palestinian society to be more Islamic and the ban shows this."

Mr Kanaana says he is not interested in politics or religion. He is only interested in getting his book back on the shelves.

"I don't want my book to be used by Palestinian groups to attack each other," he says.

"But I do think it was a mistake to ban the book as it contains nothing harmful or offensive."