[Episcopal News Service]
Bishop Riah Abu el-Assal of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East used a report to the Church of England's General Synod July 7 to launch an attack against Israeli policies, accusing them of fostering terrorism.
In his report, 'Israel/Palestine--An Unholy War,' Riah accused the Israeli Defense Force of torturing Palestinians and claimed that Israel was contributing to the increase in terrorism rather than curbing it. He also warned that the continuing conflict could lead to the extinction of the Christian presence in the region. Since the most recent intifada began almost two years ago, he said that 1,600 people have been killed, including 450 young people under the age of 18.
'It is not humanly possible to live with the tortures imposed by the Israeli Army,' he wrote. 'Israeli restrictions on movement are impeding hospital staff and patients' from taking care of the victims. 'All this does not amount to a war on terrorism but rather to the systematic humiliation of an entire people.'
He added, 'The result of all this is anger, frustration and a desire for revenge. The Israelis may claim that they are rooting out terrorism but, in fact, they are creating it. No one is left with enough sanity to heed the value of human lives. The bottom cause of all this is not terrorism, as some would think, rather it is the unjust and illegal occupation of Palestinian land.'
Riah said that the occupation 'is also corrupting the Israeli culture and society. This is an unholy war indeed,' in a land 'we call holy.' After 2000 years of Christian witness, 'today the church faces a serious threat of extinction…This may be avoided but only if peace is established on justice,' based on withdrawal of the Israelis from all the territories occupied in the 1967 war.
|
