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Israel continues ethnic cleansing actions against Palestinian Christians in the Occupied West Bank.
Last mass held in Beit Jala as court to rule on land seizure
Rev. Ibrahim Shomali, a Catholic priest, pictured during the mass.
(MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
By Charlie Hoyle
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- "Residents of Beit Jala held their last weekly mass Friday in an area threatened by Israel's separation wall as locals awaited a decision from Israel's Supreme Court on an appeal to halt the land seizure."
The article reports that there were approximately sixty Palestinians, internationals and representatives of the Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran churches gathered together on an olive tree-covered hilltop in the Cremisan Valley. And according to the article there they stood praying for a halt to Israel's separation wall, set to annex the entire lush green area north of Beit Jala.
The article notes that this weekly mass has been held since 2011, and it is the last action by the largely Christian community before Israel's Supreme Court issues a final ruling on January 29 regarding the route of the wall. Reverend Ibrahim Shomali is the Catholic priest who led the mass.
Issa Kassissieh, Palestine's ambassador to the Vatican, which owns the land threatened with confiscation, informed Ma'an that the seizure was unacceptable."The pope is coming as a peace pilgrimage to the Holy Land to build bridges and here we are seeing that a wall is being erected. This is a way of exodus. This is a way of pushing people out and there is no legitimate grounds for this confiscation by the Israelis, so we hope that the power of logic will prevail and not the logic of power."
A general view over part of the Cremisan Valley. (MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
"The ruling last year proposed that the convent, and adjacent school, remain on the Palestinian side of the wall, but the nuns would lose access to 75 percent of their land and the school would be situated in a military zone surrounded by the separation wall. The Cremisan monastery and winery would be on the Israeli side on the wall, splitting the religious community, and residents would no longer be able to participate in the annual religious event of the Holy Spirit Procession, which sees local Christians walk from Cremisan to the Annunciation church in Beit Jala."
http://www.maannews.net/images/PhotoViewer/262835.jpg
A member of the Papal Scout Troop of Beit Jala looks on during
the mass. (MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
"Our hope is just in God. I don't think we have any hope with the Israelis. We look for peace but they don't know what the word peace means." says a resident of Beit Jala Abu Mohor who further states the seizure of family land which dates back generations will force Christians out of Beit Jala.
And Christian resident of Beit Jala Abu Mohor adds: "I think this is what they want, but we are staying here until God takes our life."
The legal case that has been presented by the landowners and Salesian religious community argues that the wall is a means to annex Palestinian land to expand the surrounding settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo. And the appeal also stresses that the wall will infringe on the right to freedom of religion, as it will separate the Christian community from the monastery and it will also threaten the right to education by forcing children to attend school in a military zone.
Besides being a farming area for a community of mostly Christian Palestinians, where olives are harvested, the area also serves as a recreational space for the residents of Beit Jala, Bethlehem and Beit Sahour. Palestinian families picnic and hike in the lush green Cremisan Valley. The Wall will cut people off from their land.
Last mass held in Beit Jala as court to rule on land seizure | Maan News Agency
Last mass held in Beit Jala as court to rule on land seizure
Rev. Ibrahim Shomali, a Catholic priest, pictured during the mass.
(MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
By Charlie Hoyle
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- "Residents of Beit Jala held their last weekly mass Friday in an area threatened by Israel's separation wall as locals awaited a decision from Israel's Supreme Court on an appeal to halt the land seizure."
The article reports that there were approximately sixty Palestinians, internationals and representatives of the Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran churches gathered together on an olive tree-covered hilltop in the Cremisan Valley. And according to the article there they stood praying for a halt to Israel's separation wall, set to annex the entire lush green area north of Beit Jala.
The article notes that this weekly mass has been held since 2011, and it is the last action by the largely Christian community before Israel's Supreme Court issues a final ruling on January 29 regarding the route of the wall. Reverend Ibrahim Shomali is the Catholic priest who led the mass.
Issa Kassissieh, Palestine's ambassador to the Vatican, which owns the land threatened with confiscation, informed Ma'an that the seizure was unacceptable."The pope is coming as a peace pilgrimage to the Holy Land to build bridges and here we are seeing that a wall is being erected. This is a way of exodus. This is a way of pushing people out and there is no legitimate grounds for this confiscation by the Israelis, so we hope that the power of logic will prevail and not the logic of power."
A general view over part of the Cremisan Valley. (MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
"The ruling last year proposed that the convent, and adjacent school, remain on the Palestinian side of the wall, but the nuns would lose access to 75 percent of their land and the school would be situated in a military zone surrounded by the separation wall. The Cremisan monastery and winery would be on the Israeli side on the wall, splitting the religious community, and residents would no longer be able to participate in the annual religious event of the Holy Spirit Procession, which sees local Christians walk from Cremisan to the Annunciation church in Beit Jala."
http://www.maannews.net/images/PhotoViewer/262835.jpg
A member of the Papal Scout Troop of Beit Jala looks on during
the mass. (MaanImages/Charlie Hoyle)
"Our hope is just in God. I don't think we have any hope with the Israelis. We look for peace but they don't know what the word peace means." says a resident of Beit Jala Abu Mohor who further states the seizure of family land which dates back generations will force Christians out of Beit Jala.
And Christian resident of Beit Jala Abu Mohor adds: "I think this is what they want, but we are staying here until God takes our life."
The legal case that has been presented by the landowners and Salesian religious community argues that the wall is a means to annex Palestinian land to expand the surrounding settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo. And the appeal also stresses that the wall will infringe on the right to freedom of religion, as it will separate the Christian community from the monastery and it will also threaten the right to education by forcing children to attend school in a military zone.
Besides being a farming area for a community of mostly Christian Palestinians, where olives are harvested, the area also serves as a recreational space for the residents of Beit Jala, Bethlehem and Beit Sahour. Palestinian families picnic and hike in the lush green Cremisan Valley. The Wall will cut people off from their land.
Last mass held in Beit Jala as court to rule on land seizure | Maan News Agency
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