8 aug 2015
The heads of Catholic churches, Friday, filed a complaint against the chief of extremist Jewish group, Lehava, for advocating the burning of churches.
According to a press release issued by the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries on Friday, Father Pietro Felet, Secretary General of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, filed an official complaint to the Israeli police, Friday morning, against the leader of radical Israeli organization Lehava, Bentsi Gopstein, demanding he be brought to justice for advocating the torching of churches.
The complaint, filed on behalf of over than twenty patriarchs and bishops, expressed “concern over what was described to be growing security challenges to churches, people and buildings alike, in areas under Israel's sovereignty or control.”
The complaint referred to several attacks that targeted churches and Christian holy sites by radical parties and hinted that in vast majority of these criminal incidents criminals were not brought to justice.
The complaint was referring to remarks made by Gopstein during a panel debating Jewish religious law, last Tuesday night in Jerusalem.
Responding to a question on whether he “is in favor of burning churches in the Land of Israel,” Gopstein answered: “Did the Rambam rule to destroy [idol worship] or not? Idol worship must be destroyed. It’s simply yes – what’s the question?”
He was reported in another version as answering, apparently alluding to the rulings of the 12th century Jewish ‘sage’ Mainonides “The law is straightforward; Maimonides’ interpretation is that one must burn idolatry. There’s not a single rabbi that would deliberate that fact. I expect the government of Israel to carry that out.”
When the panel moderator warned him that the panel was filmed and if the recording get to police he would be arrested, Gopstein said: “That’s the last thing that bothers me. If that’s the truth then I’m prepared to sit 50 years in prison for it.”
The complaint was made one day after the Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a press statement vehemently denouncing the Israeli government’s “tolerance toward Gobshtai and other extremists who advocate murdering and terrorizing Palestinians and setting fire to their property.”
The Foreign Ministry held the Israeli government fully responsible for the consequences of such “racist and provocative” calls that have resulted in murdering Palestinians in the most atrocious fashion, particularly the burning to death of 18-month-old Palestinian toddler Ali Dawabsha and critically injury of his family members in an arson attack on a house in the Nablus village of Douma.
The Ministry, given a rise in the cycle of violence and counter-violence, slammed Israeli government’s policies and disregard of rising bloody extremism as responsible for the proliferation of the culture of hatred, violence and racism.
In December 2014, several Lehava members, including Gopstein himself, who lives in a settlement inside the West Bank city of Hebron, were detained on charges of setting fire to a first-grade classroom at Jerusalem's Hand-in-Hand school on November 29. Daubed on the walls in Hebrew were slogans reading 'Death to Arabs' and 'There's no coexistence with cancer.'
Lehava activists follow the teachings of the late Meir Kahane, a virulently anti-Arab rabbi whose Kach party and another offshoot were banned in 1994 after one of its members gunned down 29 Muslims in a flashpoint mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron.
According to a press release issued by the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries on Friday, Father Pietro Felet, Secretary General of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land, filed an official complaint to the Israeli police, Friday morning, against the leader of radical Israeli organization Lehava, Bentsi Gopstein, demanding he be brought to justice for advocating the torching of churches.
The complaint, filed on behalf of over than twenty patriarchs and bishops, expressed “concern over what was described to be growing security challenges to churches, people and buildings alike, in areas under Israel's sovereignty or control.”
The complaint referred to several attacks that targeted churches and Christian holy sites by radical parties and hinted that in vast majority of these criminal incidents criminals were not brought to justice.
The complaint was referring to remarks made by Gopstein during a panel debating Jewish religious law, last Tuesday night in Jerusalem.
Responding to a question on whether he “is in favor of burning churches in the Land of Israel,” Gopstein answered: “Did the Rambam rule to destroy [idol worship] or not? Idol worship must be destroyed. It’s simply yes – what’s the question?”
He was reported in another version as answering, apparently alluding to the rulings of the 12th century Jewish ‘sage’ Mainonides “The law is straightforward; Maimonides’ interpretation is that one must burn idolatry. There’s not a single rabbi that would deliberate that fact. I expect the government of Israel to carry that out.”
When the panel moderator warned him that the panel was filmed and if the recording get to police he would be arrested, Gopstein said: “That’s the last thing that bothers me. If that’s the truth then I’m prepared to sit 50 years in prison for it.”
The complaint was made one day after the Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a press statement vehemently denouncing the Israeli government’s “tolerance toward Gobshtai and other extremists who advocate murdering and terrorizing Palestinians and setting fire to their property.”
The Foreign Ministry held the Israeli government fully responsible for the consequences of such “racist and provocative” calls that have resulted in murdering Palestinians in the most atrocious fashion, particularly the burning to death of 18-month-old Palestinian toddler Ali Dawabsha and critically injury of his family members in an arson attack on a house in the Nablus village of Douma.
The Ministry, given a rise in the cycle of violence and counter-violence, slammed Israeli government’s policies and disregard of rising bloody extremism as responsible for the proliferation of the culture of hatred, violence and racism.
In December 2014, several Lehava members, including Gopstein himself, who lives in a settlement inside the West Bank city of Hebron, were detained on charges of setting fire to a first-grade classroom at Jerusalem's Hand-in-Hand school on November 29. Daubed on the walls in Hebrew were slogans reading 'Death to Arabs' and 'There's no coexistence with cancer.'
Lehava activists follow the teachings of the late Meir Kahane, a virulently anti-Arab rabbi whose Kach party and another offshoot were banned in 1994 after one of its members gunned down 29 Muslims in a flashpoint mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron.
6 aug 2015
Israeli settler Benzi Gopstein, the leader of the extreme right-wing movement Lehava, in court in Jerusalem in 2014
The leader of a Jewish extremist group in Israel allegedly called for arson attacks on churches in front of Israeli students, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Arab group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held this week for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
When a journalist at the panel informed Gopstein that he was on camera and could be arrested for his comments, Gopstein said he is prepared to spend 50 years in jail for his remarks, according to a video of the panel released by the Haredi website Kikar Shabbat.
After the release of the video, Gopstein said he "stressed several times" that he was "not calling to take operative steps," instead he said that it is "the responsibility of the government, not of individuals" to abolish the Christian practice of idol worship.
The Israeli government has taken steps to crack down on Jewish extremism over the past week, after suspected Jewish extremists torched two West Bank homes, burning an 18-month-old infant alive and critically injuring the baby's mother, father and brother.
Three right-wing extremists were arrested on Tuesday in connection to the arson under an administrative detention order after Israel's security cabinet approved the use of the measure on Jewish Israelis. The arrests marked the first time a Jewish Israeli has ever been held under the policy of administrative detention.
There has been a long line of attacks on Christian and Muslim holy places in both Israel and the occupied West Bank in which the perpetrators were believed to be Jewish extremists.
Despite announcements by the Israeli government in May 2014 to crack down on violent attacks carried out by Israelis against Palestinians, prosecution rates of Jewish extremists remain remarkably low.
The leader of a Jewish extremist group in Israel allegedly called for arson attacks on churches in front of Israeli students, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Arab group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held this week for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
When a journalist at the panel informed Gopstein that he was on camera and could be arrested for his comments, Gopstein said he is prepared to spend 50 years in jail for his remarks, according to a video of the panel released by the Haredi website Kikar Shabbat.
After the release of the video, Gopstein said he "stressed several times" that he was "not calling to take operative steps," instead he said that it is "the responsibility of the government, not of individuals" to abolish the Christian practice of idol worship.
The Israeli government has taken steps to crack down on Jewish extremism over the past week, after suspected Jewish extremists torched two West Bank homes, burning an 18-month-old infant alive and critically injuring the baby's mother, father and brother.
Three right-wing extremists were arrested on Tuesday in connection to the arson under an administrative detention order after Israel's security cabinet approved the use of the measure on Jewish Israelis. The arrests marked the first time a Jewish Israeli has ever been held under the policy of administrative detention.
There has been a long line of attacks on Christian and Muslim holy places in both Israel and the occupied West Bank in which the perpetrators were believed to be Jewish extremists.
Despite announcements by the Israeli government in May 2014 to crack down on violent attacks carried out by Israelis against Palestinians, prosecution rates of Jewish extremists remain remarkably low.
29 july 2015
The alledged arsonists in court
Shin Bet says two young men are followers of 'extremist ideology' that believes 'only someone who fights Christianity can call himself a Jew'.
Two Israeli men, described by authorities as Jewish extremists, were charged on Wednesday with torching part of a church at the site where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
The June 18 arson attack followed more than 40 suspected hate crimes committed against churches, mosques and monasteries in Israel and then West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2009, with only a handful of indictments handed down.
In a statement, the Shin Bet identified the two suspects, aged 19 and 20 and wearing kippahs in court, as followers of an "extremist ideology" that believes that "only someone who fights Christianity can call himself a Jew".
No pleas were entered during the court hearing in Nazareth. The limestone Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, was constructed in the 1980s and is overseen by the Benedictine Order.
It was built on the site of 4th and 5th century churches that commemorated what Christian faithful revere as Jesus's miraculous feeding of 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The fire damaged the church's roof, and a verse from a Hebrew prayer denouncing the worship of "false gods" was spraypainted in red on a wall.
Father Matthias Karl, a German monk from the church, said a souvenir shop, an office for pilgrims and a meeting room were badly damaged, and Bibles and prayer books were destroyed in the fire.
"It's totally destroyed. The fire was very active," he said.
A monk and a church volunteer were hospitalized from smoke inhalation, but the prayer area of the church was unaffected by the fire, he said.
Shin Bet says two young men are followers of 'extremist ideology' that believes 'only someone who fights Christianity can call himself a Jew'.
Two Israeli men, described by authorities as Jewish extremists, were charged on Wednesday with torching part of a church at the site where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
The June 18 arson attack followed more than 40 suspected hate crimes committed against churches, mosques and monasteries in Israel and then West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2009, with only a handful of indictments handed down.
In a statement, the Shin Bet identified the two suspects, aged 19 and 20 and wearing kippahs in court, as followers of an "extremist ideology" that believes that "only someone who fights Christianity can call himself a Jew".
No pleas were entered during the court hearing in Nazareth. The limestone Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, was constructed in the 1980s and is overseen by the Benedictine Order.
It was built on the site of 4th and 5th century churches that commemorated what Christian faithful revere as Jesus's miraculous feeding of 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. The fire damaged the church's roof, and a verse from a Hebrew prayer denouncing the worship of "false gods" was spraypainted in red on a wall.
Father Matthias Karl, a German monk from the church, said a souvenir shop, an office for pilgrims and a meeting room were badly damaged, and Bibles and prayer books were destroyed in the fire.
"It's totally destroyed. The fire was very active," he said.
A monk and a church volunteer were hospitalized from smoke inhalation, but the prayer area of the church was unaffected by the fire, he said.
13 july 2015
The Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs, in Palestine, issued a statement condemning the Israeli High Court decision granting a green light for starting the construction of the Annexation wall in the Cremisan monastery valley, in Beit Jala, in the West Bank district of Bethlehem.
The Committee stated that the Israeli decision is “just a racist means used by Israel to pass resolutions and rulings that violate International Law, and aim at more illegal annexation of Palestinian lands.”
“The ruling will cause excessive harm to the owners, the inhabitants on the area, to the church and monastery,” the committee added, “The court asked the army not to harm the rights of the Palestinians, but this wall would split the Monastery, and isolate large swaths of lands.”
Committee head Hanna ‘Amira called on the International Community, and all churches around the world, especially the Vatican, to denounce the Israeli violations, and act on stopping them, as Israel continues to violate the Palestinian rights, including their freedom of worship, ownership, and freedom of movement.
He also called on the International Community to be aware of the outrageous Israeli military interpretations of court rulings, and the allegations that the wall is built for security considerations, and to act on ensuring International Law and international humanitarian law, are fully applied without any exceptions.
“This wall, in the Cremisan Monastery, as well as in every part of the occupied West Bank is illegal, and violates International Law,” he said, “The Palestinians, as any other nation, have the right to establish their state in their homeland, and live in peace, security and stability.”
The Committee also stated that the construction of the Wall “is an assassination of the two-state solution.”
The Israeli ruling allows the army to confiscate large areas of privately owned Palestinian lands, and what Israel considers state lands, in the occupied territories.
The Annexation wall isolates the Palestinians from their orchards and lands, and has led to the illegal annexation of large areas, paving the way for Israel to build and expand its illegal Jewish-only colonies in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied Jerusalem.
Several Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank have been turned into isolated ghettoes after being surrounded by colonies, and isolated by the Annexation Wall. Villagers are largely denied access to what is left of their lands on the other side of the Wall.
The Wall is also built deep in Palestinian lands; to enable the expansion of illegal colonies, while the Palestinians remain denied the basic right to expand their communities, in their homeland.
The Committee stated that the Israeli decision is “just a racist means used by Israel to pass resolutions and rulings that violate International Law, and aim at more illegal annexation of Palestinian lands.”
“The ruling will cause excessive harm to the owners, the inhabitants on the area, to the church and monastery,” the committee added, “The court asked the army not to harm the rights of the Palestinians, but this wall would split the Monastery, and isolate large swaths of lands.”
Committee head Hanna ‘Amira called on the International Community, and all churches around the world, especially the Vatican, to denounce the Israeli violations, and act on stopping them, as Israel continues to violate the Palestinian rights, including their freedom of worship, ownership, and freedom of movement.
He also called on the International Community to be aware of the outrageous Israeli military interpretations of court rulings, and the allegations that the wall is built for security considerations, and to act on ensuring International Law and international humanitarian law, are fully applied without any exceptions.
“This wall, in the Cremisan Monastery, as well as in every part of the occupied West Bank is illegal, and violates International Law,” he said, “The Palestinians, as any other nation, have the right to establish their state in their homeland, and live in peace, security and stability.”
The Committee also stated that the construction of the Wall “is an assassination of the two-state solution.”
The Israeli ruling allows the army to confiscate large areas of privately owned Palestinian lands, and what Israel considers state lands, in the occupied territories.
The Annexation wall isolates the Palestinians from their orchards and lands, and has led to the illegal annexation of large areas, paving the way for Israel to build and expand its illegal Jewish-only colonies in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied Jerusalem.
Several Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank have been turned into isolated ghettoes after being surrounded by colonies, and isolated by the Annexation Wall. Villagers are largely denied access to what is left of their lands on the other side of the Wall.
The Wall is also built deep in Palestinian lands; to enable the expansion of illegal colonies, while the Palestinians remain denied the basic right to expand their communities, in their homeland.
Arab Member of Knesset Bassel Ghattas called on the Pope to refuse the selling of 1000 dunums belonging to Latrun Monastery west of occupied Jerusalem to a Jewish investment company that would use the land to build 5000 housing units for the Haridim.
In his letter, Ghattas stressed that the Latrun Monastery’s lands are of inestimable value that belong to the holy land of Palestine.
“We should sensitively deal with the church lands due to the current political conditions.”
Selling the church lands to an extremist Jewish investor will only serve Jewish interests in violations of the church’s principles, the MP Ghattas continued.
He said that the deal came as part of Israeli attempts to displace Arabs from their homeland, pointing to the increasing numbers of Christian emigrants from Palestinian lands.
“The church’s properties and privileges must only serve its people and strengthen their presence in their homeland.”
In his letter, Ghattas stressed that the Latrun Monastery’s lands are of inestimable value that belong to the holy land of Palestine.
“We should sensitively deal with the church lands due to the current political conditions.”
Selling the church lands to an extremist Jewish investor will only serve Jewish interests in violations of the church’s principles, the MP Ghattas continued.
He said that the deal came as part of Israeli attempts to displace Arabs from their homeland, pointing to the increasing numbers of Christian emigrants from Palestinian lands.
“The church’s properties and privileges must only serve its people and strengthen their presence in their homeland.”
12 july 2015
Israeli newspaper Yade’out Ahrenout said this morning that the Israeli police and security services have arrested the two Jewish extremists who vandalized and set fire to Galilee’s Church of Loaves and Fish a month ago.
The newspaper claimed that the anti-terrorism unit in the Israeli police force, who opened a secret investigation into the arson attack, today allowed the publication of details on the arrest of two Israelis involved in the racially-motivated attack on the Galilee church.
It said that Israeli police units based in the West Bank had indicated that the perpetrators were Jewish settlers and that the police had arrested them in cooperation with security services. No other details were given.
It is worth noting that Israel usually frees extremist settlers who carry out attacks on Palestinian citizens and holy sites. The extremists are usually described as ‘mentally ill’ and then released despite hard evidence to the contrary.
Extensive damage was caused when the two settlers deliberately set fire to several areas inside the church, which is built on the site where Christians believe Jesus peformed a miracle by feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. Racist and anti-Christian graffiti was also spraypainted in red on a church wall, defiling the holy site.
The newspaper claimed that the anti-terrorism unit in the Israeli police force, who opened a secret investigation into the arson attack, today allowed the publication of details on the arrest of two Israelis involved in the racially-motivated attack on the Galilee church.
It said that Israeli police units based in the West Bank had indicated that the perpetrators were Jewish settlers and that the police had arrested them in cooperation with security services. No other details were given.
It is worth noting that Israel usually frees extremist settlers who carry out attacks on Palestinian citizens and holy sites. The extremists are usually described as ‘mentally ill’ and then released despite hard evidence to the contrary.
Extensive damage was caused when the two settlers deliberately set fire to several areas inside the church, which is built on the site where Christians believe Jesus peformed a miracle by feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. Racist and anti-Christian graffiti was also spraypainted in red on a church wall, defiling the holy site.
9 july 2015
A secret deal between Likud party and Yisrael Beiteinu party in the Knesset was today exposed. The deal, agreed between Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Yisrael Beiteinu President Avigdor Lieberman, would enable both parties to object to the appointment of any judge in the so-called Supreme Court.
This comes after the Likud block agreed with the president of Yisrael Beiteinu to support Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beiteinu) in his election campaign to become a member of the Committee which runs the selection process of judges, as opposed to a Yisrael Beitenu block vote (6 Knesset members) in secret elections on the nomination of a member of the Likud bloc, Nurit Corinne, the same committee.
In the case of Ilatov’s election, the two parties could prevent the appointment of any judge, as the appointment requires a majority of 7 out of the total 9. If he were elected, there would be 3 right-wing representatives in the Committee: Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, as well as Corrine and Ilatov.
It is expected the elections will be held in two weeks time on August 22.
The Supreme Court is Israel’s highest court and point of recourse.
On Tuesday, it issued a decision giving the Ministry of Defense and Israeli army the green light to being building a new section of the separation wall in Cremisan valley near Beit Jala, despite multiple appeals made by the families whose land the wall will destroy.
This comes after the Likud block agreed with the president of Yisrael Beiteinu to support Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beiteinu) in his election campaign to become a member of the Committee which runs the selection process of judges, as opposed to a Yisrael Beitenu block vote (6 Knesset members) in secret elections on the nomination of a member of the Likud bloc, Nurit Corinne, the same committee.
In the case of Ilatov’s election, the two parties could prevent the appointment of any judge, as the appointment requires a majority of 7 out of the total 9. If he were elected, there would be 3 right-wing representatives in the Committee: Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, as well as Corrine and Ilatov.
It is expected the elections will be held in two weeks time on August 22.
The Supreme Court is Israel’s highest court and point of recourse.
On Tuesday, it issued a decision giving the Ministry of Defense and Israeli army the green light to being building a new section of the separation wall in Cremisan valley near Beit Jala, despite multiple appeals made by the families whose land the wall will destroy.
8 july 2015
Haaretz said on Tuesday that the Vatican has rejected requests by Israeli diplomats to see the text of an agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Palestine two weeks ago. The Israeli newspaper quoted a senior official as saying that diplomats have attempted to review the text on four separate occasions, but the Vatican declined to give details about the content of the agreement.
The Vatican signed the first accord with Palestine on 26 June, two years after officially recognising it as a state in February, 2013. The treaty covers the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine.
"The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs expresses its regret regarding the Vatican decision to officially recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state," said spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. "This hasty step damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement."
Israel also regrets the "one-sided" texts in the agreement "which ignore the historic rights of the Jewish people in Israel," he added. "Israel cannot accept the unilateral determinations in the agreement which do not take into account Israel's essential interests and the special historic status of the Jewish people in Jerusalem."
According to Haaretz, the ministry is concerned that the treaty between the Vatican and the Palestinians contradicted a similar treaty that already exists between the Vatican and Israel.
The Vatican signed the first accord with Palestine on 26 June, two years after officially recognising it as a state in February, 2013. The treaty covers the life and activity of the Catholic Church in Palestine.
"The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs expresses its regret regarding the Vatican decision to officially recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state," said spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. "This hasty step damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement."
Israel also regrets the "one-sided" texts in the agreement "which ignore the historic rights of the Jewish people in Israel," he added. "Israel cannot accept the unilateral determinations in the agreement which do not take into account Israel's essential interests and the special historic status of the Jewish people in Jerusalem."
According to Haaretz, the ministry is concerned that the treaty between the Vatican and the Palestinians contradicted a similar treaty that already exists between the Vatican and Israel.
Israel’s Supreme Court yesterday issued a decision giving the Ministry of Defense and Israeli army the green light to being building a new section of the separation wall in Cremisan valley near Beit Jala.
The Court overturned its previous decision to halt the construction of the wall in Cremisan and its surroundings, including Alszayan nunnery (represented by Yves Saint Foundation) and the monastery (represented by lawyer Nihad Irsheid), in addition to the monastery’s lands. The army will begin building the wall on family lands in Beit Jala, leaving just a small piece undeveloped at the current time along the edges of the monastery’s lands.
This decision comes after the Israeli Ministry in May notified all concerned parties of its intention to begin building the eastern section of the wall on the lands of Beit Jala families. The Ministry of Defense alleged that the Supreme Court’s decision would make sure that the wall was to be built on unclaimed lands and that it would not separate the monastery from its lands and sheep.
Following this notification, lawyer Gheyath Nasser and his clients from Beit Jala families submitted an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court to prevent this decision from being adopted, demanding that they reinstate their previous resolution to bar the building of a new section of wall in Cremisan valley. Yves Saint Foundation and the other parties joined together to support Nasser’s appeal, however the Court took the same position as the Ministry of Defense and rejected the appeal. The Court indicated that the main point was that the wall would leave the areas surrounding the monastery untouched.
The Israeli Supreme Court had in May issued a resolution rejecting the proposed path of the wall in Cremisan valley due to concerns for the huge impact on the residents’ lives. It demanded that the Ministry of Defense make adjustments to the proposal in order to minimize that impact, stressing that the most important thing was to protect the monastery and its lands, as well as preserve territorial contiguity between the monastery and the residents of the surrounding areas.
Saint Yves Foundation condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to give the green light to the army and Ministry of Defense to build the wall, saying that the decision would lead to Palestinian loss of land and livelihood, and have a long and severe effect on the population’s quality of life despite the amendments made by the Ministry of Defense.
Gheyath Nasser clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision would not end his clients’ appeals in the legal struggle of this cause. He said that if the Court would not reinstate its previous decision in a final manner, his clients would be badly affected by the proposed route of the wall.
Although the Israeli army insists on building the wall, it is the citizens’ right to appeal again to the Court in order to assert their claim. Nasser stressed that they will appeal again in the coming days to the Supreme Court, and will demand that the Court listen to the citizens’ concerns as well as those of the Ministry of Defense.
The Court overturned its previous decision to halt the construction of the wall in Cremisan and its surroundings, including Alszayan nunnery (represented by Yves Saint Foundation) and the monastery (represented by lawyer Nihad Irsheid), in addition to the monastery’s lands. The army will begin building the wall on family lands in Beit Jala, leaving just a small piece undeveloped at the current time along the edges of the monastery’s lands.
This decision comes after the Israeli Ministry in May notified all concerned parties of its intention to begin building the eastern section of the wall on the lands of Beit Jala families. The Ministry of Defense alleged that the Supreme Court’s decision would make sure that the wall was to be built on unclaimed lands and that it would not separate the monastery from its lands and sheep.
Following this notification, lawyer Gheyath Nasser and his clients from Beit Jala families submitted an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court to prevent this decision from being adopted, demanding that they reinstate their previous resolution to bar the building of a new section of wall in Cremisan valley. Yves Saint Foundation and the other parties joined together to support Nasser’s appeal, however the Court took the same position as the Ministry of Defense and rejected the appeal. The Court indicated that the main point was that the wall would leave the areas surrounding the monastery untouched.
The Israeli Supreme Court had in May issued a resolution rejecting the proposed path of the wall in Cremisan valley due to concerns for the huge impact on the residents’ lives. It demanded that the Ministry of Defense make adjustments to the proposal in order to minimize that impact, stressing that the most important thing was to protect the monastery and its lands, as well as preserve territorial contiguity between the monastery and the residents of the surrounding areas.
Saint Yves Foundation condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to give the green light to the army and Ministry of Defense to build the wall, saying that the decision would lead to Palestinian loss of land and livelihood, and have a long and severe effect on the population’s quality of life despite the amendments made by the Ministry of Defense.
Gheyath Nasser clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision would not end his clients’ appeals in the legal struggle of this cause. He said that if the Court would not reinstate its previous decision in a final manner, his clients would be badly affected by the proposed route of the wall.
Although the Israeli army insists on building the wall, it is the citizens’ right to appeal again to the Court in order to assert their claim. Nasser stressed that they will appeal again in the coming days to the Supreme Court, and will demand that the Court listen to the citizens’ concerns as well as those of the Ministry of Defense.
6 july 2015
The Al Maghtas site in Jordan
Designation of World Heritage Site said to prove authentic biblical location does not lie in Israel, as Israeli officials deny existence of controversy.
The announcement of the Al Maghtas site in Jordan – believed by many Christians to be where Jesus was baptized – as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was greeted enthusiastically in that country on Sunday, with Jordanian newspaper Al Rai declaring that the move "put an end to the Israeli claims" that the authentic location is beyond the Jordan River in Israeli territory.
Israeli officials, for their part, insisted that there was no controversy over the site.
In 2011, Israel officially opened the Qasr el Yahud site on the west bank of the Jordan River after a decades-long closure. According to Jewish tradition, this was where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River as they entered Canaan, and supposedly was where Jesus was baptized. Some in Jordan were then angered by the ceremonial reopening, claiming that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the Jordanian location and noting that the Vatican had recognized this when Pope John Paul II was present at the ceremony marking the site's opening in 2000.
These voices accused Israel not only of rewriting history, but also of attempting to attract Christian tourism at Jordan's expense.
Al Rai wrote on Sunday that UNESCO's decision settled the matter. "Since the site was discovered, Israel has not stopped trying to deal it and attribute it to the occupied side of the Jordan River," said the paper. "This despite the religious and historical documents that prove that the baptism of Jesus, peace be unto him, is on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River."
The director of the EcoPeace Friends of the Earth Middle East, Gidon Bromberg, told Ynet that recognition of the Jordanian spot as a world heritage site points to the Hashemite kingdom's astuteness in advancing the issue and being aware of the potential tens of millions of Christian visitors interested in being baptized in the Jordan River.
Bromberg said the heritage site designation could hurt tourism at the Qasr al Yahud site. "As far as we know, around 300,000 Christian pilgrims arrive at the Israeli site every year, while on the Jordanian side the number is around 100,000 pilgrims a year."
However, despite the UNESCO listing, which will certainly boot tourism for the Jordanian site, Bromberg pointed to what he said was the real problem – one shared by Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinians: "Whether it's listed by UNESCO or not, ultimately the quantity and quality of the Jordan River's water is so poor."
Meanwhile, Israeli officials said there was no difference of opinion or battle against the Jordanians on the issue, and that "we are talking about pure anti-Israeli propaganda."
According to an Israeli official, the original Jordanian proposal to UNESCO stated that there were plans to expand the site in the future in cooperation with "the neighboring country". The Lebanese ambassador demanded changing the phrasing to "Palestine", a request that was accepted.
Diplomatic officials said that Israel had no problems with the Jordanian proposal and did not lobby against it – quite the opposite, in fact. The relations between the Israeli and Jordanian delegations to UNESCO are considered strong.
The Jordanian ambassador was one of of the first to congratulate the Israeli ambassador after the recognition Beit She'arim in the Galilee as a heritage site.
The Palestinians are also recognized as a state in UNESCO, so Israel was not in a position to prevent the textual change to Palestine anyway.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which met in Bonn, Germany, declared the national park in Beit She'arim in the lower Galilee as a World Heritage Site on Sunday. Beit She'arim was a thriving village in biblical times, and the site includes 30 burial caves in which the noble class weere buried, including Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, the writer of the Mishnah.
The site in Beit She'arim is one of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel. Among the 21 member states, 17 states voted in favor of including Beit She'arim, including India, Turkey, and Senegal. Four states voted against the move -- Lebanon, Qatar, Algeria, and Malaysia.
Designation of World Heritage Site said to prove authentic biblical location does not lie in Israel, as Israeli officials deny existence of controversy.
The announcement of the Al Maghtas site in Jordan – believed by many Christians to be where Jesus was baptized – as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was greeted enthusiastically in that country on Sunday, with Jordanian newspaper Al Rai declaring that the move "put an end to the Israeli claims" that the authentic location is beyond the Jordan River in Israeli territory.
Israeli officials, for their part, insisted that there was no controversy over the site.
In 2011, Israel officially opened the Qasr el Yahud site on the west bank of the Jordan River after a decades-long closure. According to Jewish tradition, this was where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River as they entered Canaan, and supposedly was where Jesus was baptized. Some in Jordan were then angered by the ceremonial reopening, claiming that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the Jordanian location and noting that the Vatican had recognized this when Pope John Paul II was present at the ceremony marking the site's opening in 2000.
These voices accused Israel not only of rewriting history, but also of attempting to attract Christian tourism at Jordan's expense.
Al Rai wrote on Sunday that UNESCO's decision settled the matter. "Since the site was discovered, Israel has not stopped trying to deal it and attribute it to the occupied side of the Jordan River," said the paper. "This despite the religious and historical documents that prove that the baptism of Jesus, peace be unto him, is on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River."
The director of the EcoPeace Friends of the Earth Middle East, Gidon Bromberg, told Ynet that recognition of the Jordanian spot as a world heritage site points to the Hashemite kingdom's astuteness in advancing the issue and being aware of the potential tens of millions of Christian visitors interested in being baptized in the Jordan River.
Bromberg said the heritage site designation could hurt tourism at the Qasr al Yahud site. "As far as we know, around 300,000 Christian pilgrims arrive at the Israeli site every year, while on the Jordanian side the number is around 100,000 pilgrims a year."
However, despite the UNESCO listing, which will certainly boot tourism for the Jordanian site, Bromberg pointed to what he said was the real problem – one shared by Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinians: "Whether it's listed by UNESCO or not, ultimately the quantity and quality of the Jordan River's water is so poor."
Meanwhile, Israeli officials said there was no difference of opinion or battle against the Jordanians on the issue, and that "we are talking about pure anti-Israeli propaganda."
According to an Israeli official, the original Jordanian proposal to UNESCO stated that there were plans to expand the site in the future in cooperation with "the neighboring country". The Lebanese ambassador demanded changing the phrasing to "Palestine", a request that was accepted.
Diplomatic officials said that Israel had no problems with the Jordanian proposal and did not lobby against it – quite the opposite, in fact. The relations between the Israeli and Jordanian delegations to UNESCO are considered strong.
The Jordanian ambassador was one of of the first to congratulate the Israeli ambassador after the recognition Beit She'arim in the Galilee as a heritage site.
The Palestinians are also recognized as a state in UNESCO, so Israel was not in a position to prevent the textual change to Palestine anyway.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which met in Bonn, Germany, declared the national park in Beit She'arim in the lower Galilee as a World Heritage Site on Sunday. Beit She'arim was a thriving village in biblical times, and the site includes 30 burial caves in which the noble class weere buried, including Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, the writer of the Mishnah.
The site in Beit She'arim is one of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel. Among the 21 member states, 17 states voted in favor of including Beit She'arim, including India, Turkey, and Senegal. Four states voted against the move -- Lebanon, Qatar, Algeria, and Malaysia.
1 july 2015
The Israeli police and personnel of the “Israel Land Administration” invaded, on June 29, the local church in the depopulated Christian village of Eqreth, in ‘Akka (Acre), and confiscated all of its furniture and belongings.
“We will never give up. We will remain here no matter what,” Father Suheil Khoury said. “This is our church; this is our land that we inherited from our fathers and forefathers. We believe in our Right of Return, and we will remain steadfast.”
Father Khoury told Al-Arab News Agency that officers and an official searched the church, confiscating everything, including chairs and tables, in addition to destroying and uprooting plants in the church compound.
He added that the Israeli government is practicing illegal policies meant to terrorize Palestinians and force them to leave their historic land.
“We are here to stay; this is our land, no matter what they do,” he added. “We always hold protest against the ongoing harassment and violations.”
Al-Arab has quoted the head of the Eqreth Residents Committee, Dr. Ibrahim Atallah, stating that the police even confiscated an electricity cable that is used by the church.
“We grew accustomed to these violations, but they cannot terrorize us,” he said. “We will continue our activities; their attacks will never deter us.”
“Our hope is in our youths in Eqreth to remain steadfast and determined in this blessed land,” Dr. Attallah stated. “One day, we will return to our village, our land.”
Eqreth is a Palestinian Christian village, one of hundreds of Palestinian villages and towns depopulated and destroyed by the Israeli forces prior to the establishment of the state of Israel in the historic land of Palestine.
It is located near 25.5 Kilometers northeast of ‘Akka, on a hill 550 meters above the sea level, and only a few kilometers away from the Lebanese border. Its inhabitants largely took refuge in nearby villages, and in Lebanon, between 1948 and 1951, after repeated attacks by armed Israeli groups.
Eqreth had around 50 homes and 339 inhabitants in 1931, and nearly 490 inhabitants in 1945. It is surrounded by two Israeli settlements; Shomra, established in 1949, and “Even Menachem” that was established in 1950. In 1980, Israel established “Gornot HaGalil” settlement on the village lands.
The only building that it still standing in Eqreth is the Roman Catholic Church, while the internally displaced inhabitants continue to hold both repeated protests, demanding their right to return, and annual summer camps to teach the children about their village, history and steadfastness.
“We will never give up. We will remain here no matter what,” Father Suheil Khoury said. “This is our church; this is our land that we inherited from our fathers and forefathers. We believe in our Right of Return, and we will remain steadfast.”
Father Khoury told Al-Arab News Agency that officers and an official searched the church, confiscating everything, including chairs and tables, in addition to destroying and uprooting plants in the church compound.
He added that the Israeli government is practicing illegal policies meant to terrorize Palestinians and force them to leave their historic land.
“We are here to stay; this is our land, no matter what they do,” he added. “We always hold protest against the ongoing harassment and violations.”
Al-Arab has quoted the head of the Eqreth Residents Committee, Dr. Ibrahim Atallah, stating that the police even confiscated an electricity cable that is used by the church.
“We grew accustomed to these violations, but they cannot terrorize us,” he said. “We will continue our activities; their attacks will never deter us.”
“Our hope is in our youths in Eqreth to remain steadfast and determined in this blessed land,” Dr. Attallah stated. “One day, we will return to our village, our land.”
Eqreth is a Palestinian Christian village, one of hundreds of Palestinian villages and towns depopulated and destroyed by the Israeli forces prior to the establishment of the state of Israel in the historic land of Palestine.
It is located near 25.5 Kilometers northeast of ‘Akka, on a hill 550 meters above the sea level, and only a few kilometers away from the Lebanese border. Its inhabitants largely took refuge in nearby villages, and in Lebanon, between 1948 and 1951, after repeated attacks by armed Israeli groups.
Eqreth had around 50 homes and 339 inhabitants in 1931, and nearly 490 inhabitants in 1945. It is surrounded by two Israeli settlements; Shomra, established in 1949, and “Even Menachem” that was established in 1950. In 1980, Israel established “Gornot HaGalil” settlement on the village lands.
The only building that it still standing in Eqreth is the Roman Catholic Church, while the internally displaced inhabitants continue to hold both repeated protests, demanding their right to return, and annual summer camps to teach the children about their village, history and steadfastness.