Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - "We cannot remain silent". The ecumenical Christian group A Jerusalem Voice for Justice, active in the Holy City and committed to equality and justice for peace in Palestine and Israel, issued a new appeal today. The signatories - including Palestinian Latin Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah, Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Mounib Younan, and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Attallah Hanna - speak out against becoming accustomed to witnessing "death" and "displacement" in Gaza as well as in the West Bank, where unpunished Israeli raids and increasing settler attacks continue unabated. They address "all people of conscience"; and to Christians in Palestine they say: "This is your land, do not lose hope".
The appeal by A Jerusalem Voice for Justice - released today by Jesuit Fr. David Neuhaus, of South African origin, also among the signatories - is structured in three points. First of all, it highlights the "human tragedy" unfolding in Gaza for more than a thousand days. "Behind the casualty figures there are faces and names," they say. They recall the two million people forced into starvation and a life of hardship amid the rubble. They denounce the "collapse" of healthcare. "We cannot simply learn to live with this as if it were normal."
"The danger today is that we become accustomed to this tragedy. When the loss of human life becomes just another piece of news among many in our daily lives, and when destruction no longer stirs moral indignation and compassion, we face a danger that threatens not only Gaza, but our very humanity. We refuse to allow Gaza to be forgotten," the signatories state.
A Jerusalem Voice for Justice asks that Gaza not be "forgotten". "We demand the protection of civilians, guaranteed access to humanitarian aid and an end to the killings, destruction, hunger and fear." The ecumenical group stresses that "every human life is sacred" and that it rejects "all forms of killing, violence and revenge." And, on peace, it adds: "It cannot be built on the ruins of a people, nor can it be based on the denial of the dignity of others. There can be no peace without equality for all those who live in this land."
The appeal continues by focusing attention on the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, where the danger is "growing day by day". While the world looks elsewhere, the situation in the West Bank "is deteriorating". Due to the unchecked expansion of settlements, checkpoints, closures, and difficulties in movement, which are pushing Palestinian people - both Muslim and Christian - into "ever-deepening despair". Which drives them to consider emigration. "What is happening in Palestinian cities and villages, including Taybeh with its significant Christian presence, concerns us all," says A Jerusalem Voice for Justice in its appeal.
"We reject any ideology or policy that denies Palestinians the right to exist in freedom and dignity in their own land and in their own homes. Jerusalem is becoming increasingly isolated from the surrounding Palestinian context. Access to the city, even for prayer and pilgrimage to the holy places, has become extremely difficult for many." Calling on Churches and institutions to "make defending people's ability to remain in their own land a priority".
The appeal concludes with the third point: an invitation to hope addressed to Palestinian Christians. The signatories state: "We know that life is difficult." And further: "We tell you: do not let fear dominate you, suggesting that you are strangers in your own land. Do not let despair cloud your future." "We are not relics of the past," they add. The Christian communities in Palestine are not "passing through". They belong to the land of Jesus Christ, and are "an integral part of its people, of its past, its present and its future," the signatories add.
"Dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and do not flee. Take courage and do not give up. Remain steadfast in solidarity with our people, resisting evil and violence. As the apostle Paul taught: 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good'. Love is not weakness, but a force capable of confronting evil."
Then, A Jerusalem Voice for Justice addresses political decision-makers, particularly the United States, urging them "to assume their responsibilities, working to put an end to the killings, displacement and destruction". Attention is also turned to the upcoming elections in Israel and Palestine, as opportunities for significant political turning points. The hope is that they "will bring new forms of government, founded on justice and equity, helping to create a new reality that leads to equality and a just and lasting peace in our land and throughout the region."
Finally, A Jerusalem Voice for Justice urges Churches and Christian institutions "to prioritize the commitment to help our people remain steadfast, supporting job opportunities, education, housing". Reminding church leaders to consider the urgency of unity and to work to "raise the concerns of our people and defend them", so that "the faithful may feel that the Church does not merely talk about them". "At the same time we urge our Christian people not to expect everything from institutions and leaders." Concluding: "This land is not only the land where our ancestors lived; it is also the land where we want our children to live."
