Israeli wall threatens Christianity and Christian in Palestine
Rep. Henry Hyde:
"The Pope also wants a letter from Bush"
by Akiva Eldar
Haaretz (Israeli newspaper), April 29, 2004
On the eve of a referendum among members of an organization, like on the eve of elections, anything and everything can be put in writing, and promises fly thick and fast. To his misfortune, U.S. President George Bush, was dragged into the letter-exchange game on behalf of the Gaza disengagement referendum. It has befallen him at a time that he, himself, is looking for a way to disengage from the Iraqi killing fields, before John Kerry disengages him from the White House.
When the king of Jordan or the Egyptian president is angry, Bush can still continue with his game of golf on the family ranch. While his airs and graces toward Sharon and the Jewish community invoke the jealousy of the few Muslim voters he has left, Bush can remain ahead in the polls.
And even when Sharon's fence threatens to appropriate the lands of thousands of Muslim peasants who have the misfortune of living in the seam-line area, Bush can ignore its invasive route.
But when Pope John Paul II stirs up leaders of Congress, and prompts them into sending Bush letters of protest about the damage being done by the Jews to sacred Christian sites, the president is in trouble.
House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde's letter about the route of the separation fence will soon force Bush to decide what is more important - his relations with the masses of Christian voters on the eve of the presidential elections, or Sharon's relations with Benjamin Netanyahu the day after the referendum.
To get Netanyahu off the fence with regard to the disengagement plan, Sharon undertook to speed up construction of the fence. Congressman Hyde (Rep.-Ill.), inspired by the most senior ranks in the Vatican, is calling on the Bush administration to stop construction of the southern parts of the fence.
Hyde, considered a friend of Israel, begins his letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell with warm words. "As you know, I am a staunch supporter of Israel. Throughout their struggle with terrorism, the people of Israel have always had my heartfelt sympathies, and they will continue to have my steadfast support. I strongly believe that Israel has a right and a responsibility to defend itself from acts of terrorism."
But the senior congressman also lashes out mercilessly at the route of the separation fence, noting: "I am writing to express my concerns over the plight and security of Christians in the Holy Land, and other issues which they confront as a result of living in the vicinity of Israel's separation barrier now under construction... If the Christian character of Jerusalem is not preserved, I fear that important religious sites will become museums for commercial purposes and will will no longer be maintained as places of spiritual worship shared by billions across the world.
"I am asking to you to persuade the Israeli government to take meaningful steps to alleviate the suffering of the Christian community and their institutions without compromising President Bush's vision of two states living side by side in peace and security."
And Hyde continues: "The Administration should work with the Israeli government to change the route of the barrier, without moving it further east into the West Bank, so as not to infringe on Christian life in the Holy Land. Specifically, there should not be any physical barrier separating Bethlehem from East Jerusalem and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Those residing at monasteries or convents should not be required to travel long distances in detours to reach their Holy places."
Elsewhere in the letter, the congressman writes, "The current route of the separation fence as proposed by the Israeli Ministry of Defense will divide Bethlehem from Jerusalem, which threatens to stifle Christian life by preventing access to holy sites, places of prayer, and the contiguity of the Christian population."
Permanent settlement with the Vatican
Hyde asks to outline "some of the more serious examples of which [he] is now aware" with regard to the damage the fence is causing to Christian interests, noting: "In several cases, the barrier will follow a route through a number of religious sites, including the Rosary Sisters Convent, which just spent $6,000,000 building a new school that serves 2,000 female students. The proposed route will separate the convent from the school, creating an untenable situation. Also in the case of the Russian Orthodox Convent of St. Mary Magdalene, which runs a school in Bethany, the proposed route will separate the school from the Mother Church. The route of the barrier will also block access to the Sisters of Emmanuel Monastery in the hills north of Bethlehem.
"The dwindling Christian community is also threatened by the expropriation or confiscation of its lands. This is the principle cause for the decreasing Christian population in the Holy Land. In 1948, Christians comprised more than 18 percent of the population, a number which has dwindled to 2 percent today. The proposed route will take land from hundreds of families in Beit Sahour, better known as Shepherds' Field, and Beit Jala. Shepherds' Field is the place where an angel appeared announcing the birth of Jesus.
"In December 2003, USAID completed construction of a road at a cost of $260,000 north of Bethlehem leading to the Cremisan Monastery of the Salesian Fathers. Only days after completion on January 11, 2004, without notice, the Israeli Defense Forces destroyed the road, leaving it useless by the people it was meant to serve. My office has been unable to find any justification for this destruction. If the measure was necessary for security purposes, why didn't the Israeli government communicate such information to the United States Government prior to the investment of U.S. funds?
"The construction of an eight-meter-high concrete wall in Bethany on the Mount of Olives near the Bethpage monasteries is near completion. This will completely enclose the only remaining passage from Bethany to the Mount of Olives, and will place undue restrictions on religious freedom by preventing the procession of Palm Sunday from Bethpage into Jerusalem in commemoration of when Jesus began his triumphant entry into Jerusalem... the Administration should ensure that the Stations of the Cross are not cut off from each other, preventing the normal celebrations of Easter and the commemoration of the last days of Christ."
Hyde concludes with a demand: "Lastly, the Administration should encourage Israel to return to negotiations with the Holy See regarding the final status issues of the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel."
Here, Hyde alludes to the Vatican's complaints regarding the foot-dragging in the negotiations on the fate of the Holy See's assets in Israel, tax arrangements, and other issues that have remained unresolved since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Vatican some 10 years ago. |
