Jerusalem: Christmas message from the Latin Patriarch
In his Christmas message, published on December 22, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Mgr. Michel Sabbah, recalled the difficult situation in which the people of the Holy Land are living and denounced the fact that in this land, the leaders talk of peace, and make war. He quoted the words of the prophet, which apply well to the present time: They lead my people astray, saying Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
During a press conference in Jerusalem, Mgr. Sabbah launched an appeal to the Israelis and the Palestinians to make decisive efforts in favor of peace, and an end to the conflict. He said that the Israelis wanted their security and the Palestinians wanted their land and their freedom, and that to tell the truth, no one wanted the war and the bloodshed, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians.
The Latin Patriarch, without beating about the bush condemned, the nonsense of the separation of Palestinian territories from the Israeli settlements, a separation which would not bring security: The wall of separation which is in the process of being built is a measure which will make peace remote and postpone it until this same wall falls down, and with it the bitterness will fall from peoples hearts, and stop this bloodshed.
Mgr. Sabbah described as very worrying, the situation in Bethlehem and the occupied territories, where people have almost no chance of earning a living with dignity and depend solely on charity. This situation is pushing not only Christian families, but also Muslim and Jewish families to leave the country.
In his Christmas message, we can read this poignant appeal: Our life continues to be subject to the occupation, the violence, the humiliation of the human person, fear and insecurity. While we pray and meditate the mystery of Christmas, we say that all this must change.( ) It is not for this that God created us in his own image and his likeness, it is not for this that he gave us our freedom and our dignity, and it is neither for this that he wanted us to live in this Holy Land.
