This Holy week in Jerusalem was a week to remember. After 6 years of increased Israeli violation of our right to freely observe rights of worship in our churches, local Christians succeeded in regaining their position on the roof of the Patriarchate where for hundreds of years this has been their place from which they receive the Holy Fire.
Unfortunately, after years of attacks from the Israeli occupation forces on Palestinian Christians heading to the roof, this year we didn’t have families or the thousands of people that used to join us. In fact, the tens of people that were able to make it were mainly young people that could resist the pressure of the Israeli repressive measures as well as the humiliation of having to wait for hours at a Checkpoint established at the New Gate.
None the less, worshipers of the different Christian denominations celebrated inside the old city showing resilient processions, most taking them out into the streets around their churches as a sign of their presence in their own city.
The number of participants was not what it used to be in years past. The reason does not only include the bad experiences of past years for Jerusalemite Christians, but also the restrictions imposed on Palestinian Christians in the form of permits in the case of West Bank and Gaza Christian, to whom Israel claimed to have issued said permits but that proved useless at the actual checkpoints.
Despite that, what was achieved today encourages Local Palestinian Christians in persevering in their efforts to regain all their rights as long as there is a will to do so. Local leaders see a window for improvement, either by direct requests or through legal action that can be weighed according to this week’s experience.
At the same time that we declare our disappointment for not seeing a firm position from the Heads of Churches, we affirm that their weak stand allowed Israeli occupation forces to disrespect Church leaders and priests during the past Holy Week.
In staying true to historic traditions and Christian heritage in the Holy Land the Arab Christian institutions reiterate the following:
· Excuses being used by the Israeli occupation forces regarding our ‘own security’ are not acceptable. Our prayer, holding candles, is that of peace & should not threaten the might of the Israeli Police. Therefore it should not be met by a fully charged army & police force.
· Actions taken against Palestinian Christians, the oldest Christian community in the world is an attack not only against the Palestinian people and its rights on the occupied city of Jerusalem, but against the whole of Christianity.
· Regardless of the number of people from the local congregation allowed to participate in the celebrations, we reject the imposition of a permit/quota system to access our churches and shrines.
· It is unfathomable that by the year 2010, Christians in the Holy Land find themselves forced to be led by an occupation security officer down to their churches. We know every single corner of our Holy City and therefore we don’t need someone to remind us of our way to our church; these Israeli impositions are just part of their arrogance trying to show a control over Jerusalem that is not recognized by anyone on this world.
· Israel, the occupying power, has to be forced to put an end to its illegal policies in occupied Jerusalem. The colonization policies not only include building of settlements, home demolitions or ID revocations, but also severe violations to the freedom of worship aiming to cleanse the Arab identity, Christian and Muslim, from the city.
· We call on all our friends around the world to continue putting pressure on Israel, the occupying power, to respect international law and our right to freely worship in our city of Jerusalem.
The local community is grateful for the international support it got from the Churches abroad and the attention from the different media agencies.
To conclude, we announce that we will not stop denouncing the lack of freedom of worship until the rights of all Palestinians in the City are respected.
Arab Christian Institutions – Jerusalem.
For more information you can contact
Hanna Karkar Yusef Daher Xavier Abu Eid
Check out the video below:
http://www.aljazeera.net/
Butros Abu Shanab
Chairman HOLYLANDERSpa
0 Have Your Say!:
Post a Comment