This is what the Jerusalem Voice for Justice (JVJ) writes in their holiday message, whose members include Catholic Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna, Lutheran Bishop Mounib Younan, and Jesuit Father David Neuhaus. Destruction and oppression cannot dampen the desire to celebrate. “We rejoice and celebrate, but with awareness and caution for every day we are exposed to the danger of death and war”.
The cardinal is visiting Christian communities in Gaza, ravaged by more than two years of war. Tomorrow, the traditional solemn Mass will be celebrated, with a focus on rebuilding and healing hearts. The patriarchs and heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem have issued an appeal to Israeli authorities for Gaza’s sick children, asking for them to be cared for at the Augusta Victoria Hospital.
The parish priest of the Holy Family shares a video testimony of these days of Advent with AsiaNews. Life has ‘slightly improved’ after the ceasefire, but the war ‘continues’. The humanitarian emergency remains current in a climate ‘of great depression because there is no end in sight’. A tormented community that finds strength in faith and prayer.
Fr Bashar Fawadleh spoke to AsiaNews about a “fragile" security situation in the West Bank Christian town where life has been “seriously disrupted”. Despite this, the faithful attend services, and the Churches offer “unity and ecumenism”. The desire of some families to flee is offset by the show of faith and resilience of those who choose to stay each day. Yet, hope is seen as “something fragile and profound.”
Despite the ceasefire declared in Gaza, violence continues to engulf the region, not only in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, but also in Lebanon, where Israel recently bombed the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp, killing at least 13 people. Against this background, an ecumenical group of Palestinian Christian leaders spoke out on the recent UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which they deem insufficient and restrictive.
A report by the Haaretz newspaper revealed the involvement of Al-Majd Europe, an NGO with phoney headquarters, commissioned by Israel’s Voluntary Emigration Bureau and COGAT to organise departures from Gaza as part of a broader scheme to resettle Palestinians, who were unaware of their final destination. Previous flights also reached Indonesia and Malaysia via Romanian airlines.
