THE CALVARY OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

"Today, the Calvary is a war that has been raging for 60 years, military occupation, unemployment, economic recession. Today, we build walls without realising that we are locking ourselves in. This land does not need walls, but dialogue. We must eradicate the causes of fear that are keeping our neighbour at distance, we must ask ourselves why we fear one another." The Calvary of the Christian communities of the Holy Land, that are looking forward to Benedict XVI's visit in May, is reported to the SIR by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal. "Politicians should change; they should convert themselves and have the courage to take difficult but necessary decisions for the good of the whole population," he said. This invitation is all the more relevant in the current context, considered the Israeli and Palestinian political situations. Indeed, Israel is trying to establish a National Unity Government while Palestinians are striving for reconciling their strongest forces: Hamas, which is ruling Gaza, and Fatah, with a majority in the West Bank. "Gaza has been the theatre of another war, with what results?" asked the priest with Jordanian Bedouin origins. "None. If somebody can prove me, with evidence, that this war has been effective, I myself, as a patriarch, will support new military operations. You sow occupation and you reap resistance. This occupation must come to an end". Twal also speaks of humiliations when "we are asked by many: you, as Christians, what are you doing? What is the Pope doing to stop this war? I reply: we talk, we educate to coexistence, to tolerance, to the respect of rights. The fruits of this work are not enjoyed immediately unlike those of hatred that, unfortunately, are before everyone's eyes." In 20 years, there will be somebody among our young people who, after becoming a politician, will have the courage to work for peace. Now it is time to denounce, to speak up, like Saint John the Baptist did." "The Pope's next visit will encourage the Christian communities and make them understand that being Christian here is a vocation, and that they have to resist the temptation of fleeing their country. Muslims are often living in worst conditions than our faithful, but they do not plan to leave their Land. They stay, they resist. Here, they give birth to their children. I think that sometimes we give too much attention to our Christians", he concluded.
© SIR