News, articles and documents from
the Holy Land
Issue No. 137 - Friday, 15 March 2002
Dear Friends, Brothers and Sisters,
I am sorry for
storming you will all these messages full of documents, but we are passing through
one of the most critical periods in the Holy Land and since events are
escalating very quickly we need to tell the world through you. Therefore,
please be patient with us and hear our voice.
It seems that
there is some signs of hope with the arrival of Mr. Zinni and the partial withdrawal
of the Israeli troupes from parts of the reoccupied Palestinians territories, and
the latest security council resolutions and the USA declarations, but I would
like to tell you frankly that all this is not enough at all unless it will lead
to the core of the conflict and deal with all the hot issues and reach a full
and lasting solution as soon as possible and once for ever with the complete
end of the occupation.
The situation on
the ground is still the same with its complexity and daily life complications
of the people are full of suffering and humiliation.. This also should stop and
end in order to return to a normal life while politician try to find solution…
You cannot ask the depressed people to stay silent if you don’t give him hope
for a better future.. any other partial solution will only be postponing for
the next escalation and another wave of violence.
I visited today
Bethlehem area which is still under occupation, I visited the Holy Family
Hospital and the nearby Creche in order to see the statue of our Lady which was
shelled yesterday and almost smashed… This 110 years old metal statue dominating
the top of the church and controlling the whole area was the target of several
tank shelling with the pretext that Palestinian fighters were shooting from the
compound of the Hospital or from the nearby playgrounds of Bethlehem University.
These excuses are not true and even the army’s apology is not acceptable
because it is not the first time that they shell this hospital where more than
40 orphans are living including a lot of women delivering day and night because
it is the only maternity hospital in the area. I met Sister Sophie who was sad
and said to me: “They smashed our Lady’s Statue... as if they smashed part of
me”. Never mind, this huge heavy statue remains there with out hand and noise
in order to remind us of the brutality of the occupation which doesn’t spare
anything or anybody even the holy places. Thanks God that it doesn’t fall down
from the top of the Church because it is 240 sm height and 1500 Kgs weight… but
its hand and smashed parts are now kept inside the church at the main alter
waiting to be repaired even if I prefer not to do that in order to keep it for
history. (see the pictures).
You
will find several important documents and articles:
1)
Two
documents issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Statement on
Israeli Palestinian Violence issued by the administrative Committee last March
13, 2002; U.S. Church Leaders Welcome U.N. Resolution on Palestine and
Reiterate Need for an End of Occupation. We thank them for these courageous
positions.
2) Open letter to the member
churches of the World Council of Churches, regional and national councils of
churches and ecumenical partner organizations, issued by Commission of the Churches on
International Affairs of
the World Council of Churches.
3) The Associated Press news about “Tank
Fire Hits Bethlehem Church”.
4) "WE NEED VATICAN´S SUPPORT,"
SAYS ISRAELI OFFICIAL.
5)
The
Catastrophe in Ramallah By Dr. Maria C. Khoury.
6)
Two appeals
for two professors in Bethlehem University and Ben Gourion University: Strop Israeli Forces
From Killing more Reporters; Stop Israeli Forces from shelling schools,
Universities, Hospitals and Holy Places Attacking Medical Teams and Ambulance.
7)
Ghassan Andoni from rapprochement center in Beit Sahour reflecting
about “A Palestinian
State”.
This is the least that we ask and struggle for and we hope that our
dream will become true soon.
Pray
and work for that with us. Fr.
Raed Abusahlia
Statement on
Israeli-Palestinian Violence
Administrative
Committee
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 13, 2002
The horrible cycle of violence, occupation, and terror in
the Middle East must be brought to an end. Every day, more Palestinians
and Israelis lose their lives, and every day, many more are losing their hopes
for a future of dignity, security and peace.
We call on Catholics in this nation to join with us in fervent prayer and
greater advocacy for a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As
citizens, we urge our government to use every means to persuade leaders on both
sides to turn away from actions which permit, incite or employ violence and to
return to the search for peace based on mutual respect and equal justice for
Palestinians and Israelis. Nothing is gained by demonizing one side or the
other in this conflict. The human and moral imperative now is for a just peace
based on understanding, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
It is clearer now than ever before that the status-quo is
unacceptable. Israeli occupation cannot be sustained “militarily or
morally” nor can the indiscriminate use of force in civilian areas. Palestinian
attacks on innocent civilians cannot be tolerated * both because they are
morally indefensible and because they undermine the legitimate claims of the
Palestinian people. This deadly cycle of action and reaction, suicide
bombing, and aggressive attacks must be ended.
As we said in our statement last June, sustained U.S. leadership, in
cooperation with others in the international community, is required to
encourage, persuade and insist that both parties take the steps necessary to
end the violence, rapidly resolve the differences between them and begin to
live in peace together. We must make clear that attacks on civilians must end,
whether they are carried out in shopping malls by suicide bombers or in refugee
camps by military units. We must insist that the parties embrace an
immediate cease-fire and return to the arduous task of negotiating a just
peace, without delay or pre-conditions. Only negotiation can lead to an
end to violence and occupation, a secure state for Israel and a viable state
for Palestinians.
We hope the return to the region of General Anthony Zinni, the encouraging
proposals from Saudi Arabia, and elements of the Mitchell and Tenet reports can
provide the basis for new and urgent diplomatic efforts to replace bloody
conflict with serious dialogue based in respect for relevant UN resolutions,
such as that just approved by the Security Council, and other provisions of
international law. Real peace and security will not come from terror or
tanks, but only from a determination to find the ways for both Israelis and
Palestinians to live together with dignity, justice and peace.
We stand with the Church in the Holy Land, which has not escaped the violence,
as evidenced by the damage inflicted on Bethlehem University, St. Joseph’s
School, the Creche maternity clinic and other church institutions. We join with
leaders of the Christian community in the Holy Land in their haunting question:
“Is this the future that we all want for our children?” We share their
conviction that “the key to a just peace is in the hands of both the Israeli
Government and the Palestinian Authority. War, shelling, and destruction
will not bring justice and security; rather, it will intensify hatred and
bitterness.” We share their belief “that Israeli and Palestinian peoples are
called to be partners in an historic peace.”
Speaking out of the tragic circumstances of this ongoing conflict, the
Christian leaders of the Holy Land have said: “Our prayers for peace are more
urgently needed than ever.” May Catholics throughout this nation join us
in imploring God for justice, peace and reconciliation in the land we call
“holy.”
May we heed the words of the Psalmist: “I will hear what God proclaims;
for He proclaims peace to his people, and to his faithful ones, and to those
who put in Him their hope” (Ps 85, 9).
Note: General Anthony Zinni, the U.S. special envoy, is on a
peace mission that, among other things, seeks to encourage the parties to
implement a truce negotiated last June by CIA Director George Tenet and to
implement detailed proposals for a return to negotiations issued last May by an
international commission headed by George Mitchell. The Saudi Crown Prince
Abdullah has recently called for a peace settlement based on the establishment
of a Palestinian State in the territories now occupied by Israel and
normalization of relations between Arab governments and Israel.
U.S. Church Leaders
Welcome U.N. Resolution on Palestine
and Reiterate Need for an End of Occupation
(WASHINGTON, March 14, 2002) -- Church leaders today welcomed
the United Nations Security Council passage of a U.S.-initiated resolution
proclaiming support for a Palestinian state. However, they cautioned that
the resolution could be relegated to a fate of futility if not swiftly followed
by concrete steps that bring an end to current Israeli-Palestinian violence and
a resumption of negotiations toward full implementation of the U.N.
"land-for-peace" formula.
Commenting through a national ecumenical coalition named Churches for Middle
East Peace, the leaders made clear that the United States must use the
resolution as a springboard to propose and implement clear-cut initiatives that
will stop the violence, return both parties to negotiations, and end the
Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Dennis Frado, U.N. representative for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, said of the United Nations Security Council action, "This U.N.
Security Council resolution breaks new ground because it is the first time the
Council has gone on record specifically endorsing the creation of a Palestinian
state. More importantly, it comes at a most critical time for all people
of the region. Now, hopefully, the U.S. will support Council discussions
of various peace initiatives such as that of the Saudi Crown Prince. The
U.N. Security Council remains the best forum in which to fulfill and implement
U.N. Resolutions 242 and 338 and bring an end to the conflict."
The church leaders, many of whom have been in close contact with Palestinian
Christian churches in recent days, supported the U.N. resolution but warned
that words must be followed by action if more senseless deaths are to be
avoided. Father Drew Christiansen, S.J., senior fellow at the Woodstock
Theological Center and long-time adviser on Mideast affairs to the U.S.
Catholic bishops, stated, "Every day our hearts weep at the suffering in
Palestine and Israel. I pray that the U.N. action will lead both Israelis
and Palestinians to a cessation of violence and an immediate return to
negotiations within the framework of international law. Unless the
occupation ends, no one can expect a ceasefire to last."
Father Christiansen continued, "I hope that just as Vice President Cheney
condemned Palestinian violence, which we see as intolerable, he will by the
same token make absolutely clear that Israel has to stop its killing of
Palestinian civilians in their homes, withdraw its weaponry, and cede the
territories to others - either to the Palestinians or to international
authorities."
This theme was echoed by James Matlack, Washington office director for the
American Friends Service Committee. After conferring with Quaker staff in
the region, Matlack commented, "There is a desperate need to end the
violence on all sides. The quickest and surest way to do so - the path
that can lead to peace and security for all parties - is for Israel to commit
itself and move promptly to end its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East
Jerusalem. Though the United Nations now calls for creation of a
Palestinian state, the lands on which it would be created - and its people -
are under daily and devastating Israeli assault. And sadly, these lethal
attacks are often carried out using weapons and munitions supplied by the United
States."
Churches for Middle East Peace has worked diligently for nearly two decades
with policymakers in Washington to encourage steps that will produce a
comprehensive and just peace. For American church leaders, the U.S. role
remains key. Father Christiansen expressed relief at the opportunities
offered by Zinni's visit: "I am hopeful that the U.S. is now
declaring that it can not and will not sit on the sidelines and will instead
pursue a solution within the United Nations. Though words alone will not
cause the killings of Palestinians and Israelis to cease, the right words to
the right people can go a long way toward making this happen. The special
envoy must speak those words to both Prime Minister Sharon and Chairman Arafat.
This deadly spiral must be ended now."
Churches for Middle East Peace is a Washington-based program of the American
Friends Service Committee, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's
Institutes, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren,
Church World Service and Witness, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Maryknoll Fathers and
Brothers, Mennonite Central Committee, National Council of Churches of Christ
in the USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, Unitarian
Universalist Association, United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist
Church.
World
Council of Churches
Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
Geneva, 15 March 2002
Open letter to
the member churches of the World Council of Churches, regional and national
councils of churches and ecumenical partner organizations
Dear
sisters and brothers in Christ,
We
have all been watching with growing alarm as, hour by hour, the violent
conflict between Palestinians and Israelis intensifies. The killings, bombings
and destruction continue to escalate in defiance of the repeated admonitions
and appeals of the United Nations, of governments and of people around the world.
Israel is rapidly re-occupying Palestinian lands by military force, raiding
Palestinian refugee camps and engaging in mass indiscriminate detentions of
civilian inhabitants under the most degrading circumstances. Attacks on medical
and rescue staff, coupled with the severe new restrictions on access to
hospitals and other medical facilities, add to the systematic violations of
human rights and international humanitarian law. In his address to the United
Nations Security Council on March 12, secretary general Kofi Annan emphasized
the critical need to end the illegal occupation and the violence.
The
WCC is receiving regular eye-witness reports from Palestinian church workers
about invasions, occupation and major physical damage or destruction of church-related
and internationally supported schools and other facilities. A number of
statements and appeals have also come to us from the Middle East Council of
Churches Department for Service to Palestinian Refugees (MECC/DSPR) and from
other Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious groups and secular Palestinian and
Israeli organizations, pleading for determined international action, including
the deployment of UN monitors, to put a stop to the escalating violence and to
address dire humanitarian needs.
The thirteen
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches and Christian communities in Jerusalem issued
a statement on March 9 (attached), expressing their deep distress at the
increasing bloodshed, joining their voices with every Palestinian and Israeli
seeking a just peace. Saying that "Israeli
security is dependant on Palestinian freedom and justice," they call upon Israeli citizens and the Israeli government
to "stop all kinds of destruction and death caused by the heavy Israeli
weaponry, [for the] way the present Israeli government is dealing with
the situation makes neither for security nor for a just peace". The church leaders also urge
the Palestinian people to put "an end to every kind of violent
response", reiterating that the way to peace is through negotiations. They appeal too, and in particular, to
churches around the world to contact their respective governments to seek their
active involvement in the quest for peace.
The
WCC, Action by Churches Together (ACT), APRODEV (WCC-related development
organisations in Europe) and the MECC/DSPR are all seeking to respond to the
humanitarian crisis, and all need your help and support. Above all, however, an immediate common
effort is required to break through the stagnation of the international
community and to encourage action that corresponds to words. More than ever, we
must hear and respond to the cries of the churches and bring them to the urgent
attention of Christians, our communities, our media and our governments.
Our
united message is clearly stated by the WCC Executive and Central Committees:
the illegal occupation of Palestine must come to an end. It is at the root of
the violence. Unless this is
addressed, there can be little hope for a just and lasting peace. We therefore
urge you to strengthen your efforts related to the 2002 focus of the Decade to
Overcome Violence: "End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine".
The
WCC has also initiated the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and
Israel (EAPPI). Through this, the Council is organising a continuing
international ecumenical presence in Palestine to monitor and report on human
rights violations, offer protection to individuals and communities, and
accompany local Christian and Muslim Palestinians and Israeli peace activists
in their efforts of non-violent resistance to occupation, closures, and
destruction of Palestinian homes and sources of livelihood. Some Christians and
others are already in the area and have remained present through the current
violence. It is hoped that others will join them soon. We urge you to contact
your own national organizing bodies to offer participation or other forms of
support.
In
the present circumstances, however, this is not enough to provide the immediate
protection needed. Thus we urge you to apply pressure on your governments to
support proposals that have been brought to the UN Security Council, and
encourage the rapid deployment of an intergovernmental monitoring body in
Palestine.
The
churches of Jerusalem have also asked for prayers for peace. The global
fellowship of churches can join together in special prayer vigils and services
of worship with the Christians of Palestine. A collection of prayers from the
local churches has been published by the WCC for use on such occasions. These
prayers and other materials related to the WCC initiatives are available at www.wcc-coe.org or by mail upon
request.
We
are not alone in our faith commitments to the peoples caught up in this tragic
conflict. Thus wherever possible,
we encourage you to engage in dialogue and common actions with your Jewish,
Muslim and other neighbours who share a common longing for peace and
justice.
This
terrible tragedy of violence and injustice must end. To remain silent now can
only be seen as complicity with the violence, the systematic abuses of human
rights and the refusal, especially by the State of Israel, to abide by its
obligations under international law. Now is the time for each one of us to
speak out and act, fulfilling our Christian vocation as peacemakers.
Dwain C. Epps
Director
Commission of
the Churches on International Affairs
Tank Fire Hits Bethlehem
Church
Associated Press
March 14, 2002
In a pre-dawn battle Thursday, an Israeli tank shell slammed into a church in
the city of Jesus' birth, and shrapnel peppered a statue of the Virgin Mary and
sliced off the hands and nose, a nun said.
The church compound also houses a hospital and an orphanage. Patients at the
hospital were rushed to a safer room during the fighting.
Israeli forces began moving into central Bethlehem from all directions around 1
a.m. and took control of a southern residential section. Residents said
soldiers were searching houses and taking up positions in buildings. Tanks were
parked 300 yards from the Church of the Nativity, which Christians revere as
the birthplace of Christ.
During a barrage of bullets and artillery, a tank shell punched a bowling
ball-sized dent in the thick stone facade of the two centuries-old Holy Family
Church. The stone blocks were blackened and pockmarked.
The damaged Virgin Mary sculpture, with arms outstretched, remained standing on
the roof beside an unlit star decoration and a flag of the Vatican.
No one was injured inside the church compound.
The nun in charge of the compound, Sister Sophie, said an Israeli tank moved to
within 50 yards of the church hospital and fired a shell that struck the top of
he church. Under the sound of heavy machine gun fire, she rushed hospital
patients into a different wing of the building.
Several women had just given birth in the maternity ward.
One of them, Jihad Quraka, said she heard the booms and bullets whizzing during
the battle just after she gave birth to a boy, Ali. "After I gave birth
the tanks moved toward Bethlehem," she said. "They started firing in
all directions. It was so scary." With tears in his eyes, her husband
Mohammed, 35, held their small crying Ali.
"We are living in a very difficult situation," he said. "But
there is always hope. I have a new baby now."
"WE NEED VATICAN´S
SUPPORT," SAYS ISRAELI OFFICIAL
Rabbi Michael Melchior Tells of Hope for Mideast Peace
VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- Rabbi Michael Melchior, Israeli Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and leader of the Meimad religious party, met John Paul II today to ask the Vatican´s support for Mideast peace efforts.
Rabbi Melchior explained the reasons for his visit to Rome in the following interview with Catholic television channel Telepace.
Q: It seems that Israel gives the Vatican a key role in the interreligious dialogue, but denies it at the political and diplomatic level.
Rabbi Melchior: Without a doubt, we need the Vatican´s support. This is why I have come to Rome: to meet with the Pope and with my Palestinian interlocutors.
Politicians are not the only ones who believe in the future. Without an opening of hearts, even if the politicians have good will -- and they don’t always have it -- they cannot be successful. Every time we have seen how the peace process has exploded in our face, even when we had good will.
It is necessary to launch a process of legitimization of peace. We believe the Catholic world, and the Pope as head of the Catholic world, can give us strong support on both fronts.
Q: The Middle East peace process is a history of lost opportunities. Will Israel "lose" the opportunity that the Saudi Arabian peace plan has given it, as the Palestinians lost the offer made by Ehud Barak?
Rabbi Melchior: I was part of the Camp David delegation: Barak´s proposals would have given Palestinians dignity, peace and the future they deserve. While they have no borders, neither will we have borders. While they have no peace, neither will we have peace. It is because of this that we look favorably on every initiative, including the Saudi.
We have yet to understand what it is really all about. We have heard talk of a peace plan, but it was only about an interview with the New York Times. However, this is no reason to diminish its scope. I think the idea is constructive and we must study it further. Perhaps it is no more than a tactic, but we must listen and see what can come out of there. The general opinion in Israel is that it is very interesting.
Naturally, the conditions of peace cannot be established unilaterally. They must be the result of negotiations. But we have been and are disposed to make radical commitments to reach an authentic normalization of relations.
This is the real good news that comes from Saudi Arabia: For the first time we hear that the most conservative of the Arab regimes is prepared to have relations with us. Just the fact of speaking of "normalization" is already positive.
We take advantage of every break, every opening in the wall of hatred against us, to come out of the bloodbath where no one gains anything. And I think that we already know, more or less, the results. It makes no sense to continue to lose human lives. Our commitment, and this is the reason I came to Rome, is to do something to break the wall of hatred.
The Catastrophe in Ramallah
By Dr. Maria C. Khoury
O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever (Psalm 107)
The missiles were falling, the tanks were firing rockets, the home invasions were on a rampage, the Italian photographer was shot dead, killed in cold blood in Ramallah and Fr. Ibrahim Hijazin opened his church as usual to pray during the daily Mass. This was not a well-attended service on Wednesday afternoon with the severe curfew in Ramallah and the Israeli snipers high up on buildings shooting at anything and anyone that moves. Fr. Ibrahim is a firm believer of keeping the faith and teaching his parishioners the eternal joy and peace that comes from accepting Christ as our Savior. He feels praying is a must: "without prayer we are lost" he told me as I call daily to check on him since they are shooting right outside his convent which happens to be where my office is as well.
The catastrophe in Ramallah started on Monday morning where on our way to school we saw dozens of trailers carrying tanks to the outskirts of Ramallah. Something felt a bit strange. After school on the way home, the same trailers were carrying more tanks. By midnight Monday the majority of tanks had surrounded all of Ramallah and by 1 a.m. the Israeli army had complete control of the city with over 150 tanks in the area and 20,000 soldiers in the West Bank. It was one of the worst and major invasions since the war with Lebanon. The principal at the Ein Arik School with five tanks in front of her house alone told me: "We want them to leave, the situation is very bad. We are just sitting in the house and we are very scared. Four days just sitting home doing nothing. I just want to open my door and go outside…I want to breath…we need to sleep safely and go to our work safely," said Mervat who keeps her two little girls sleeping with her because they are too frightened to sleep alone. The sound of bombs and shooting have kept every adult and child awake the last few nights not just in Ramallah, but Bethlehem, Gaza and most Palestinian cities and towns. Mervat has food supplies to last a few more days. But in other neighborhoods the situation is much worst especially for mothers with very young children who need milk.
With dozens of tanks in front of her house and heavy shooting in her area, Maha, one of our English teachers has been without electricity for two days and most of her food in the refrigerator is beginning to spoil for her three children. "We hope an end will come to this situation, we are just prisoners without electricity inside our homes…it is so dangerous to move…we hope they leave…I can't even look outside of my window because of the snipers, it is like a ghost town." She thinks she can feed the children for about a week with macaroni that she has in the house and then she would have finished everything.
My Greek friend Margarita ran out of bread early because she lives next to many shops and can purchase everything she needs fresh and daily so she was not prepared for a four day prison sentence in her own home. She has been feeding her little girl dried beans and lentils day in and day out until the stores are allowed to open again. Her mother-in-law that did have large supplies of food such as large bags of flour, rice, sugar and large containers of oil had it all sabotaged by the Israeli soldiers. As they do in most homes, they locked up the women and children in one room of the house while they took the men outside to torture them and at the same time destroyed everything on the premises. Also the Israeli soldiers took the bags of flour and spilled them out on the floor and on top of it the bag of rice and on top of it the sugar and poured the containers of oil to finish them off. Then, they continued to look for the "terrorists."
Rana who is an assistant principal to Fr. Ibrahim at the Al Ahliyyah School has been sitting in one corner of her house for the majority of the time. All the members of her family sit in one spot because they are too scared to escape as her neighborhood is being bombarded next to Arafat's headquarters. Sometimes, really, we have a hard time understanding why the American government continues to provide Israel with weapons used against civilians. And even more shocking is how the American people don't stop their government from supporting these crimes against humanity in the Holy Land. Many houses in different locations in Ramallah have been taken over completely by the Israelis and turned into military posts. The Israeli soldiers terrorize the small children in these homes with their guns. Their tanks and jeeps traumatize even adults because the sound of their movement is so loud and agonizing. Life as "normal" has stopped to exist this week and for most people it has been devastating since September 28, 2000.
The worst situation is the way the Israeli army surrounded the Ramallah hospital and will not allow ambulances to come or go within the city. The hospital has been without electricity and water. The medical staff is prevented from helping wounded people. The dialysis patients were prevented from receiving dialysis treatment since this nightmare began on Monday night. Two women that have died in Margarita's neighborhood could not be buried or placed in the hospital to await burial because of this awful curfew. Nikki, another Greek-American living in this land is passed her due date and does not know where or how she will deliver her baby with Ramallah under occupation.
We ask for your prayers and we ask you to contact your government officials to pressure Israel to stop the occupation and the military escalation against the Palestinian people living in the Holy Land. In this third millennium, the Israeli army does not know the difference between a hospital, a school, a church, a university or a "terrorist." They are simply destroying everything in their site while breaking all humanitarian laws and international laws. Is that what it means to be God's chosen people…to be above the law and to deny over three million Palestinians their human rights?
Appeal I
Appeal
Appeal
Appeal
Stop
Stop
Stop
Israeli
Forces From Killing more Reporters
Today Thursday, March 14,2002 and about 10:00 am Rafanelo Toulino an
Italian reporter was shot and killed in Rammallah near Gadoura Refugees Camp by
Israeli Forces while doing his duties as reporter. He was shot in the chest by
six bullets. Of course he was not killed because he is Italian but because he
witnesses the atrocity acts and the war crimes committed by Israeli Forces.
When he arrived to Hospital he was already dead. Another French and an Egyptian
reporters were injured the same morning.
This is not the first time Israeli Forces shoot at reporters. The duties
of the Reporters are to document-by sounds and photos- what is going on the
ground; write stories so the people around the world be informed. The safety
and security of reporters are protected by International agreements and
conventions.
We strongly appeal to all peace loving persons, societies, government,
institutions to pressure the Israeli Government, the Prime Minister of Israel,
and all Israelis and Jewish people in Israel and the world to stop the killing,
harassing and hindering reporters from doing and carrying their duties. They
should take all measures to protect their safety and offer them all needed
assistants
Killing reporters and prohibiting them form executing their mission is a
clear violation of their freedom and rights as human then as reporters.
Please join me to send our deep and sincere condolence and sympathy to
Rafanelo Toulino family, friends, colleagues and Italian people.
Killing
reporters does not bring security or peace to Israelis nor stop people from
knowing the truth.
Appeal II
Appeal
Appeal
Appeal
Appeal
Stop
Stop
Stop
Israeli Forces
from shelling schools, Universities, Hospitals and Holy Places
Attacking Medical
Teams and Ambulance
Tahir Al-Masir School in Nablus was shelled causing serious damaged by
Israeli shelling as well as many schools all over PNA areas. Dar Al-Kalemah
near Dehaishah Camp were seriously damages. Schools are used as military
barricades and as detention for Palestinians.
Bethlehem University was hit by five guided rockets on Saturday, March
9,2002 at 9:25pm. Two rockets hit the library and burnt two shelves of books
and the rest hit the Millennium Building. This is a newly built building just
inaugurated to be used as offices for staff and classrooms. Shelling also did
Many damages to An-Najah University’ buildings in Nablus.
Ramallah Hospitals entrances were blocked by Israeli Forces prohibiting
doctors and medical teams from going into the hospital as well as injured
people. The Holy Family Hospital (Maternity Hospital) in Bethlehem was directly
hit today. Al-Hussain Hospital in Hebron was hit many times in the past. Women
give birth at Military check Points. Few of them and their infants died as well
as sick people.
Many ambulances were damaged, numbers of medical teams were killed and
injured as well. Dr. Ahmad Nu’man, the General Director of Al-Yamamah Hospital was shot and killed
while trying to carry his duty in Bethlehem.
Many holy places mosques and churches were not immune form shelling. The
statute of Virgin Mary on the top of a local church in Bethlehem was shelled as
well.
We strongly appeal to all peace loving persons, societies, government,
institutions to pressure the Israeli Government, the Prime Minister of Israel,
and all Israelis and Jewish people in Israel and the world to stop shelling
Palestinian infrastructures
Destroying Palestinian
Educational institutions, medical installations and Holy Places and attacking
medical teams does not bring security or peace to Israelis.
Prof.
Sami Adwan
Prof. Dan Bar On
Bethlehem
University
Ben Gurion University
A Palestinian State
Written By: Ghassan Andoni
Finally and after 54 years of establishing the state
Israel, the UN Security Council passed a resolution, which calls for ending the
occupation and establishing a Palestinian state. The remarks of the UN
secretary General Coffi Anana regarding the “Illegal Occupations” open a new
gate of hope. Yet, the unresolved question is still: why it came so late?
Through
a long period of time Palestinians laid enormous faith in the UN and in
particular the UN Security Council resolutions but not anymore. Palestinians
are very skeptical and very doubtful about the ability or the willingness of
the decisive powers in the UN to bring about a solution that takes into
considerations their needs and national aspirations.
Again,
the resolution failed to be precise in defining the terms. Therefore,
expectations are: it will be for the two parties to work out the details of
this broad line concept. The two parties need to negotiate what will be the
borders between both states, what is the solution for the settlement problem,
Jerusalem, refugee’s rights, and the level of sovereignty this state will enjoy
based on Israeli security considerations. Evidently starting again from the
bases of “positive ambiguity” still has the potential to intensify the crisis
rather than solving it.
The
recent crisis in the region was to a large extent the direct result of the
above-presented approach. The basic idea of attempting to resolve the conflict
through the same means that lead to the current escalation should be
re-examined.
If the international community is interested in
bringing about a long living solution to the Middle East crisis, then the
approach has to be different. Bilateral negotiations are a tool that lead to
intensifying the conflict and should be re-examined and maybe replaced, a more
active role from the side of the international community to set more clear
terms of references for any expected solution to the core issues of the
conflict might be needed, and serious attempts to establish a third party
monitoring and buffering body has to be persuade.
To avoid laying the new resolution on the dusty
shelves of the UN to join dozens more, it is important to re-examine the
methodology of conflict management and resolution in the Middle East.
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The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People - Beit Sahour –
Palestine www.rapprochement.org
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Jerusalem Fr. Raed Abusahlia |