Christians in the West Bank express safety, not
religious persecution, is the cause of their concern.
Following are voices of those speaking out in the Holy
Land.
World Health Organization on Gaza: "The denial and delay of permits released by the
Israeli authorities for patients who have to leave Gaza for health reasons
increased during 2007 causing further problems in addition to the usual
access difficulties that have been affecting the Palestinian population
particularly during the last eight years."
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem:
"The history that human beings make here with blood and hatred or
with dialogue and collaboration is made ... under the watchful eyes of
God, the master of history, who gave this land a particular
sanctity. In a land belonging to God, only the ways of God will lead
to a resolution of the conflict."
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem on Islamic
extremism: "These religious tendencies will end up by imposing
themselves if the policies within the Arab countries do not succeed in
creating more just and secure societies, and if Islam does not succeed in
renewing itself from within so as to respond to the religious need of the
believers and to prevent the extremists from transforming religion into
fanaticism and a source of violence. But it should also be said that
relations between Muslims and Christians have not yet reached their
perfect equilibrium. This is a matter of a long and slow path that must be
perfected every day."
Private security firms
are taking over Israeli checkpoints from the soldiers. "Room
3" is where Palestinians are striped searched and made to wait for
hours. More
Melkite (in communion with Rome) Archbishop Elias
Chacour of Galilee said Palestinians were the "very first people to
hear the Good News of Jesus. It was my forefathers who first heard
Him and were fascinated with what He had to say." Christians in
the Holy Land are, “seriously threatened with extinction," said
Archbishop Chacour.
Father Giovanni Laconi, Vice Provincial of the Salesian
Province of the Middle East, is protesting Israel's building of a wall in
Beit Jala which will confiscate land owned by the Salesians:
Salesian Community, victim of a one-sided decision by
Israeli authorities, firmly takes a stand against the policy of
unilateral separation, reaffirms its complete extraneousness to the
planning of the track of the wall and, at the same time, appeals to all
competent authorities to engage for the reestablishment of international
law. (The international law Father Laconi referred to is the July
2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice which called
the wall "contrary to international law.")
The entire track of the wall, including the section
involving the property of Cremisan, has been set in complete autonomy by
Israeli authorities.
The heads of the Salesian community, who have always been open to
dialogue with the local Palestinians to whom they have often provided
several services of social utility, wish to renew their deepest
solidarity to the village of Al-Walajeh and to the whole Palestinian
population still enduring the hardships of occupation. (The wall would
separate the Salesians from the Palestinian village of Al-Walajeh and
separate the village of Al-Walajeh from Jerusalem.)
At the same time they express their heartfelt hope that every wall among
peoples may fall for a future of peace.
Pope Benedict XVI's hope for the peace conference
scheduled for November, 2007, in Washington between the Palestinians and
Israelis: "...each of the parties involved will do all in
their power to meet the expectations of the populations bowed by crises
that has lasted for over 60 years now and which continues to sow the seeds
of death and destruction."
The Vatican and Israel have resumed negotiations in
September, 2007, begun in 1993 including the tax status of the Catholic
Church in Israel and Catholic Church property confiscated by Israel.
The statement released after the four-hour meeting said negotiators
"carried forward their work in an atmosphere of cordiality.
Pope Benedict XVI warned against governments' overdoing
national security to fight terrorism: "...the scourge of terrorism
demands a profound reflection on the ethical limits restricting the use of
modern methods of guaranteeing internal security."
Pope Benedict XVI on the Middle East: "I appeal to
the hearts of those who have specific responsibilities that they may
accept the vital duty of guaranteeing peace for everyone, without
distinction, free from the mortal illness of religious, cultural,
historical or geographical discrimination."
The Caritas Jerusalem Gaza Medical Centre has closed
because the violence in Gaza is too dangerous for hospital personnel to
leave home.
Spanish Father Ángel García's Messengers of Peace
Association delivered toys to orphanages, hospitals, and schools in
refugee camps in the Middle East. "Children are the most
innocent victims of any war or conflict and they are the ones who suffer
most and are most forgotten. Our campaign aimed at offering them a toy to
help them for a moment forget the drama of the conflict and many personal
tragedies," said Father García who returned to Spain with two
5-year-old children in need of specialized medical care accompanied by
their mothers.
U. S. Bishop William S. Skylstad is concerned that
Palestinian farmers are losing access to their water supply because of the
encroachment of Israeli settlements. Bishop Skylstad has a special
interest in farming since growing up on an apple farm in the State of
Washington.
Pope Benedict XVI on the violence in Gaza: “Once
again, in the name of God, I urge an end to this tragic violence while I
express my solidarity with and closeness to the tried Palestinian and
Israeli populations whom I assure have a place in my prayers. I appeal to
all of the Palestinian Authorities, to their sense of responsibility, so
that through dialogue and with determination they may return to the
arduous journey of mutual understanding; and in doing so, neutralize those
who promote violence. I invite the Israeli government to moderation, and I
exhort the international community to multiply its efforts to relaunch
peace negotiations. May the Lord inspire and support those who work for
peace!”
U. S. Bishops called on the U. S. administration
"to pursue a robust diplomatic effort" to make a two-state
solution in The Holy Land a top priority.
Caritas to Israel: “The Palestinians in Gaza must not
become a forgotten people cut off from the outside world. Whatever
the political or military situation in Gaza, innocent Palestinian
civilians must not pay the cost. It is against international
humanitarian law to prevent people from receiving humanitarian aid.
Caritas wants to see a humanitarian corridor to Gaza so that medical and
food supplies can reach the needy.”
Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, emeritus, Archdiocese
of Washington, and other religious leaders met with United States
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice "...to reiterate our strong
commitment to a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
the urgent need for United States leadership to restart and successfully
conclude negotiations for a lasting and just peace between Israel and the
Palestinian people."
Pope Benedict XVI: "I appeal to Israeli and
Palestinian leaders that, with the generous help of the international
community, they may seek responsibly for that negotiated end to the
conflict which alone can ensure the peace to which their people
aspire."
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem: "If
the U. S. wants Israel to survive, to be recognized, then it should
take measures to surround Israel with friends. The current U. S. policy is
surrounding Israel with enemies. That's not the way to protect your
friend."
Catholics in Aboud, West Bank, protested Israel's
proposed wall through their village because the wall will separate them
from 1,200 acres of their farmland. Father Firas Aridah of Our Lady
Mother of Sorrows Parish said Israel has already confiscated 375 acres of
Aboud land. Murad Fawadleh, a 25-year-old Catholic, said, "This
is our land and they don't have any right to just take it. I want the
whole world to listen and to know that we are here. We are the Catholic
Church here. There are few Christians here, and if they take our land what
should we do? We live from our olives, and if they take them, how can we
live?" said Mr. Fawadleh. Retired Cardinal Theodore
McCarrick of the Archdiocese of Washington has asked United States
President George W. Bush to intervene to save the Catholic town of Aboud,
West Bank, from being confiscated by Israel. President Bush told
Cardinal McCarrick that he wasn't aware of the issue and promised to look
into it. Aboud has an aquifir in an arid land.
Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
and President of Bethlehem University: "My jurisdiction is Palestine,
Israel and Jordan, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility toward people
in all of those countries. Permits. They need a permit to get into and out
of Bethlehem, to go to work, to go to Jerusalem to pray, to go to the
airport or the hospital or to Bethlehem University. Our priests cannot make a
spiritual retreat because they cannot get around the country."
Thirteen Holy Land church leaders in a combined
message:
"Concerned at the present situation in the Palestinian Territories,
we feel we must voice our anxiety for all our people -- Christian and
Muslim alike -- at the deteriorating relations between Fatah and Hamas
leaders and the armed forces. Bloodshed and violence will not bring peace;
it will only further destroy family life and further endanger the economy
of our land. The time has come for an all-out effort to unite our people
and so concentrate on working for independence together with the
opportunity for all people of this Holy Land -- Christian, Muslim and Jew
-- to know security and peace. It is vital to bring a real sense of unity
in government; to unite the security forces; remove arms from our streets
and encourage the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to return to the
negotiating table."
-- Patriarch Theolophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
-- Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarchate
-- Patriarch Torkom II, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate -- Father
Pier Battista Pizzaballa, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land
-- Anba Abraham, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
-- Archbishop Swerios Malki Mourad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate -- Abune
Matthias, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate
-- Archbishop Paul Nabil Sayyah, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate
-- Bishop Riah Abu Al-Assal, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle
East
-- Bishop Mounib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the
Holy Land
-- Bishop Pierre Malki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate
-- Bishop George Bakar, Greek Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate
-- Father Raphael Minassian, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate
Women's soccer is just beginning in Palestine. One of
the brightest stars is a 12-year-old girl in a Bethlehem area Catholic
school. Because Israel restricts travel in Palestine, practice is
difficult. The team could only get together two days before a recent
tournament. But the team is determined. "I used to play basketball.
Soccer is more beautiful. I feel stronger. I just like it," said
Amira Hodaly, 18, of Bethlehem.
Jerusalem Palestinian Melkite Catholic Jacob Zakharia:
"We are sandwiched between extreme Jews and extreme Muslims."
Said Catholic Jerusalem native Palestinian Ambassador
to the United States (formerly Palestinian Ambassador to the Vatican) Afif
Safieh: “I am a spokesman for human and national rights for the people
of Palestine and advocate for a two-state solution. I am not asking you to
sacrifice a traditional friend, Israel. I’m asking you to accept an
additional friend.”
Caritas Jerusalem Gaza Medical Centre celebrated its
third anniversary in Gaza City, Gaza. Caritas quoted chief
Palestinian negotiator Dr Saeb Erekat as saying, "Israel is and has
been suffocating Gaza to seize Jerusalem. Israel restricts the
internal movement of 2.4 million Christian and Muslim Palestinians so that
430,000 Israeli settlers can roam free. In South Africa, they had a name
for this. Let us breathe. We want to be free too."
Catholic Relief Services states that the U. S. "no
contact" policy concerning the democratically-elected Hamas
government in the Palestinian Territories is problematic for relief
workers who don't ask party affiliation before dispensing services.
They jokingly want to know if passing salt to a member of Hamas at dinner
criminally violates U. S. law. "The church leaders and other
partners we work with have always sympathized with the United States, many
have been to the United States, and have family living in the United
States, and yet they don't understand U.S. government policy. And they
feel hurt by it. They're currently feeling the pain of hunger, but even
before that, when the U.S. announced the policy, they felt rejected and
isolated and didn't feel they deserved that."
EUR 1.3MM in funds collected from German Catholics on
the pope's visit to Bavaria were sent to the Holy Land to build a pastoral
center in Nazareth. The 300,000 square foot facility will provide lodging,
youth and family activities, religious instruction, conference room, and a
sports field. The gift was to "demonstrate the spiritual closeness of
the Holy Father to the Christian community and to bring them a gift in the
pope's name."
Who Is the Man of the Holy Shroud? is a
permanent exhibit opened by The Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of
Jerusalem. According to Zenit, "Highlights of the
exhibition include a digitalized copy of the Holy Shroud exactly as it is
in Turin, and a bronze sculpture by Italian sculptor Luigi Mattei who has
reconstructed in three dimensions the body of the man of the Holy Shroud.
The sculpture shows for the first time the whole body imprinted on the
linen. The main objective of the exhibition according to the
institute is to help those who pass through Jerusalem to reflect on and to
appreciate the sufferings of Christ as stated in the Gospels and as they
appear on the Holy Shroud. The exhibition is open Monday through Saturday,
from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m."
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