Interesting reading & viewing for Christians, page-26

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    re: Interesting reading & viewing for Christians - http://www.catholic.org/cathcom/article.php?article_id=85


    Palestinian Christians reject Israeli charges
    Author: COL Date: 12/09/97

    The Latin-rite Catholic Patriarchate of Jerusalem has reacted strongly to dispute recent stories that the Palestinian Authority has
    been engaged in discrimination against-- and even persecution of-- Palestinian Christians. The Patriarchate has reported continued
    friendly relations with Palestinian authorities, and dismissed the stories of persecution as propaganda efforts.

    Moreover, the Patriarchate-- which serves the spiritual need of Latin-rite Catholics among the Palestinian people-- argues that the
    Israel government itself has discriminated against Christians by cutting of Catholic (and Orthodox) radio broadcasts.
    Representatives of the Church have asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to restore their access to radio programming.

    Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians, have complained consistently for several months about Israeli "peace-keeping" efforts
    in the West Bank, which have resulted in severe economic hardships for the people living in that region. Schools, shops, and
    businesses have been closed by blockades; commerce has been badly curtailed; unemployment has soared; and basic needs such
    as food and medicine have become difficult to obtain.

    However, in late November the Israeli government released a report claiming that Yasser Arafat's regime was engaged in
    "persecution" of Christians; the report argued that this persecution was the main reason for the steady flow of Christian emigrants
    away from the Holy Land. In a December 4 op-ed column for the Washington Times, Congressman J.C. Watts had repeated the
    Israeli claims, saying that Arafat was heading a "brutal and relentless persecution" against Christians.

    Actually, the Jerusalem Patriarchate noted, "Conditions for Christians bear no resemblance to the conditions portrayed by the
    Israeli report." Dr. Wadie Nassar, a Church spokesman, reports that he has investigated every incident mentioned in the Israeli
    report, and found no basis for claims of anti-Christian bias in any case.

    The emigration of Christians from Palestine, the Church spokesmen continued, has been occurring for more than a century, and the
    latest surge of emigration can be attributed to the lack of economic opportunity in the Palestinian lands-- a problem which is being
    exacerbated by Israeli restraints on trade.

    Finally, the spokesmen observer, the Palestinian Authority has several Christians in prominent leadership positions. In fact Arafat
    himself is married to a Christian.

    In fact, the Jerusalem Patriarchate turned the tables on the Israel government early in December, complaining that the state radio
    network had silenced the voice of Christians. Msgr. Giacintio-Boulos Marcuzzo, a spokesman for the Patriarchate, said that the
    broadcasts put out by the Catholic Church had been discontinued by the Voice of Israel's Arabic service. "They have cut off an
    entire community," said Msgr. Marcuzzo. "This is evident religious discrimination and we want the situation to be changed."

    Although the Voice of Israel had explained the decision to cancel the Catholic programming as the result of budget cuts, Msgr.
    Marcuzzo pointed out that other broadcasts had been retained-- including "the Muslims who have daily, weekly, and seasonal
    programs. We are happy for the Muslims, but why this discrimination against the Christians?"

 
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