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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Dimitri Diliani: Holy land churches slam Israel's policy in Jerusalem

http://palestinenote.com/cs/blogs/blogs/archive/2010/03/27/holy-land-churches-slam-israel-s-policy-in-jerusalem.aspx

27 Mar 2010 12:21 PM By Dimitri Diliani


In a press conference organized in Jerusalem this morning by The National Christian Coalition in the Holy Land, Representatives of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Latin Patriarchate, Armenian Patriarchate, Episcopal Church slammed Israel's policies in Occupied East Jerusalem.

President of the National Christian Coalition in the Holy Land, Dimitri Diliani, assured local Christian popular support of the Churches' position rejecting Israeli unilateral colonial settlement building in the Palestinian Territory Occupied in 1967, especially in Jerusalem, in addition to the churches condemnation of violations committed by the State of Israel against the Palestinian People's national, religious and cultural rights.

"As we approach Easter Holidays," Diliani added, "Israeli discrimination appears clearly when we compare the treatment of Jews celebrating Passover on one hand, and Christians celebrating Easter on the other."

Diliani said, "if what Israel practices against Christians is practiced anywhere in the world against Jews, that place would be boycotted by the International community at once." He wondered, 'Are the Holy Land Christians less worthy than other human beings around the world?'

Bishop Aris Shirverian of the Armenian Patriarchate expressed his church's dismay at Israeli policies in Jerusalem, especially during the holidays where thousands of pilgrims are prohibited from visiting the Church of Holy Sepulcher.

Father Dr. Peter Madrous of Latin Patriarchate assured that one who plants injustice will harvest animosity 'and that is the reason for the Israeli paranoia, Israel has planted injustice for years'. Father Madrous stated that Palestinian Christians are peaceful people who have the right to practice their religion without Israeli armed interference.

Rev. Zahi Nasser of the Episcopal Church criticized Israeli claims to Democracy given reality on the ground. He said that Israeli building an Apartheid Wall and violating Palestinian people's rights directly contradict its claims to being a Democracy. Rev. Nasser said that Jerusalem is suffering just like Jesus suffered at the hands of his capturers.

Father Issa Misleh, Spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, said that his church attempted to negotiate with the Israeli security forces over the arrangements for the Holy Week, he added that these negotiations faced major inflexibility by Israeli officials who insisted on imposing their view of what should be taking place on our holiday. Father Misleh rejected the Israelis excuse of security saying that all throughout history Christians were not prohibited from entering the same facilities under the same circumstances until Israel decided that it should down play any Christian character of the holy city of Jerusalem. He said that Christian and Muslim Palestinians suffer from the same Israeli policies.


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