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Bethlehem, West Bank (CNSNews.com) -- Christians in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, are concerned that their city may slowly become an Islamic stronghold following recent municipal elections in which radical Islamic groups took a number of seats.

For the first time ever, Bethlehem's municipal council now includes members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations. With seven seats between them, Muslims have a near majority in the 15-seat council.

Candidates from Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party and the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine share the remaining eight seats allotted to the Christians.

Christians are upset because the newly elected members will want to give a more Muslim religious tone to the municipality, said one Christian Arab with ties to Bethlehem.

People voted for Hamas because it is "being perceived as more pure, more clean," said the Christian from Jerusalem, who asked not to be named. "[People] are angry over the corruption [in the P.A.]."

Bethlehem, a once-thriving, predominantly Christian town with a booming tourist trade and easy access to jobs in neighboring Jerusalem, now has high unemployment, cut off as it is by more than four years of violent uprising and now by Israel's security barrier.

During what should have been the busiest time of the day, there were few people on the streets. Even though the sun was shining, many shops were shuttered.

Such circumstances provide fertile ground for Hamas, which draws the needy into the fold by providing social, educational and other services.

One Christian leader in Bethlehem said he was "very concerned" about the radical Islamic win in the municipal council.

"It will affect [the community] in the future," said the man, who asked not to be named. "Slowly, slowly they will take over [and] have Palestine as an Islamic state."

Hamas is working very aggressively on gaining control, he said. "That's dangerous."

Thirty years ago no one in the city had ever heard of Hamas; now more than 30 percent of the city is Hamas and it's growing every year. They have the money. They help people open shops and build apartments, he said.

"They have the means to draw people close to them," he said, and once the people begin to attach themselves to Hamas, then they fall under its influence.

"The Christians are sleeping. I blame the West for that. They are encouraging these groups in an indirect way," he said.

About 150,000 Palestinians live in the greatere Bethlehem area, which includes the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala as well as a number of outlying villages. Only about 25,000 of those Palestinians are Christian - less than 20 percent of the residents of the municipality.

In 1967, when Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan in the Six-Day war, more than 60 percent of the area was Christian.

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