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Letter
from the Chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
October 27, 2000
Press Release
Hundreds of Christian Arab families are still here and will remain
forever here.
We were surprised this morning to read a false news-article at the
"Jerusalem Post" which claimed that the "Foreign Ministry
Helps hundreds of Christian families flee PA areas" with the help
of foreign embassies such as those of England, Canada and Cyprus".
Please note that the title is different in the Internet edition of the
Jerusalem Post, and says "Hundreds
of Christian Arab families fleeing PA areas".
After checking with various concerned parties, especially the mentioned
embassies and among our Christian communities, we are confident that the
mentioned report included a lot of fabricated information. Some foreign
diplomats told us that there are only "registration" of
foreign residents at their respective consulates and embassies; some of
these are Arab Christian and Moslem families who have foreign
citizenship, few of these families left the
country. But, no one reported to us any foreign intervention to
"help" Christian families to flee the Palestinian Authorities.
The immediate reaction of some of them was "I' am surprised to hear
that... I don't believe it is true... and we are only concerned only on
our own citizens".
We wonder also how the Israeli Foreign Ministry is helping our families
to flee the PA areas while they claim strict closure on the territories
where our people is under military siege, refusing to grant, even the
workers, the necessary permits to enter Israel and Jerusalem looking for
their daily bread.
With regard to the recent attacks by some radical individuals in Gaza on
some Christian properties there, we would like to thank the Palestinian
Authority, especially President Yasser Arafat, for the immediate
solution offered to this problem, by arresting the doers and giving
immediate order to fix all damages.
We would like to highlight, once more, that the Arab Christian Community
in the Palestinian Territories is an integral part of the Palestinian
people. It suffers with it, rejoices with it, and shares with it the
same hopes and aspirations. Therefore, the recent Israeli rumors about
getting the town of Beit Jala involved in the recent clashes is not a
coincidence, but aim to "divide and rule" among the one
Palestinian people.
We are calling upon all leaders to resume the peace negotiations, as
soon as possible, hoping to reach a just and comprehensive agreement
between the Palestinians and the Israelis that will guarantee the
freedom, security and stability in our region, so that our both peoples
will "live in the beauty of peace"
Fr. Raed Abusahlia
Chancellor
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Our phone # is 6282323
our
fax is 6271652
E-mail: latinpat@actcom.co.il
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