Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bethlehem (Agenzia Fides) - The wall of separation in the Holy Land continues to cause suffering to the local people and to the religious communities. Following a decision by Israel to build a Wall of Separation in the Palestinian town of Beit Jala, the Salesians of the Middle East issued a statement signed by Vicar Inspector Rev. Giovanni Laconi, expressing disappointment and “hope that walls between people will fall for a future of peace”.
“The entire Wall, including the part which directly affects Salesian property in Cremisan - the statement reads - was built unilaterally by the Israeli authorities, despite the known consultative opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 9 July 2004. The Salesian community, affected by a decision imposed by the Israeli authorities, strongly opposes policies of unilateral separation; it affirms its total non-involvement in the plan for the Wall and at the same time appeals to the competent authorities to re-establish international legality ”.
The Wall runs above the Salesian House and encircles the Israeli colony of Har Gilo at the summit of the hill connecting it with the municipality of Greater Jerusalem established unilaterally by Israel in 1967. “Our House at Cremisan - the text reads - is already within the said municipality, between the colonies of Gilo and Har Gilo, therefore the idea of excluding it was never taken into consideration. The Salesians were never offered a choice of which side of the Wall they wanted to be since the Israeli authorities had already decided a priori the position of the House within the border of the municipality by them marked out ”.
The part of the Wall along the border between the House at Cremisan and the Palestinian village of Al-Walajeh was built on Salesian property, to avoid crossing the territory of the village which otherwise would have suffered even greater consequences.
“Faced with the Wall - the religious explain - the Salesian Community in no way aggravated the difficult condition of the Palestinian village, nor has it favoured directly or indirectly, the requisition of land belonging to the village”.
The heads of the Salesian Community, who have always been a remain open to dialogue with the local people, to whom they have often offered social services, renew deepest solidarity with the village of Al-Walajeh and the Palestinian people still subject to the tribulations of occupation, and express the hope that those responsible will make decision for reconciliation, peace and brotherhood among the two peoples. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2007 righe 28 parole 291)
