Catholic Patriarch says Israeli occupation is prime mover of violence in Palestine
Occupied Jerusalem: 3 April, 2002 (IAP News)
Catholic Patriarch says Israeli occupation is prime mover of violence in Palestine
By Khalid Amayreh
Occupied Jerusalem: 3 April, 2002 (IAP News)
The highest-ranking Roman Catholic official in the Middle East, Patriarch
Michelle Sabbah, has strongly criticized Israel for fomenting violence
and hatred throughout the region by adopting a policy based on coercion
and violence towards the Palestinians.
Speaking during an interview with the Arabic
Service of the BBC Wednesday, Sabbah pointed out that the Israeli military
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip was the prime mover of violence
and terror in the region.
"This occupation is the real generator of violence
and terror," said Sabbah.
A few hours earlier, the Israeli army barred Sabbah
and over a hundred Christian interdenominational clergymen from entering
Bethlehem which the army declared "a closed military zone."
"We drove to Bethlehem but were told that we couldn't
enter because the city is a closed a military zone."
Sabbah stressed that the problem surrounding the
present violence in Palestine has to do with "distorting the reality."
"The image Israel is trying to portray about what
is happening clouds the truth and distorts reality. The real problem here
is not terror, it is an entire people being subjected to military occupation
and repression."
He added that the Israeli government "doesn't want
to listen to the message of peace," saying "the Israeli people and the
Palestinian people were in an urgent need for peace."
Sabbah denounced Palestinian suicidal bombings against
Israeli civilians, which the Israeli government said justified the current
Israeli rampage in Palestinian population centers.
However, Sabbah reminded the Israelis that on the
eve of Eidul Adha holiday four weeks ago, the Israeli army killed 41 Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip.
Sabbah warned the Israeli army against storming
or attacking the Church of the Nativity, saying such a measure would be
utterly irresponsible.
He strongly criticized the Israeli army for insisting
on tormenting and humiliating the Palestinians by preventing medical rescuers
from transferring the wounded to hospitals.
"There are the wounded who need to be hospitalized,
there the dead who need to be buried, there the hungry who need food."
He called on the Israeli army to leave Bethlehem.
"There was a battle, and you did what wanted to
do, now you can go back to your families, and let us try to heal the wounds."
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