Agenzia Fides

Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - "Behind the missiles fired from Gaza and triggered retaliation from time to time by Israel, the underlying issue always resurfaces. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is the problem that must be addressed and resolved, if one wants both peace in Gaza and for Israel to live in peace and security." So says to Fides Agency His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Patriarch Emeritus of Jerusalem of the Latins. The Patriarch Emeritus recalls that the Gaza Strip for many years "has been living under the weight of an absurd embargo, which makes the daily lives of a million and a half of people inhumane, fostering feelings of permanent hostility towards Israel.
The international community remains indifferent, and wakes up in a stupor just in front of an escalation as the one ongoing these days."
According to he who has been called the first Arab to lead the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, one should use all political and diplomatic means to "force the Palestinians and Israelis to a final peace agreement." In this regard, the Patriarch Emeritus raises the recent appeal by more than one hundred Christian leaders in Holy Land who have asked the international community, and Europe in particular, to support the recognition of the Palestinian State as a full member of the UN, with the status of permanent Observer. "I cannot understand how such a request may be presented as an initiative against peace. Even the Churches - adds His Beatitude - must take on their responsibility, so that the Holy Land does not become a land of war."
According to Patriarch Sabbah, a strong support to the request of the Palestinian Authority is the last chance to preserve the authority of President Abbas from the total delegitimization: "If an authority is constantly humiliated, the people with time acknowledges that authority is not worth anything. Abu Mazen is a Palestinian leader who wants peace. Seeing the way he was treated, who knows who will come after him. "
The appeal of Christian leaders, issued before the Israeli offensive on Gaza was triggered, had been signed - among others - also by the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna and by the Baptist Pastor Alex Awad. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2012).