Catholic Church in the Holy Land says the Israel-Palestine situation cannot be considered normal

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Palestinian protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli troops in clashes on May 15 during a protest in the West Bank town of Bethlehem marking the 69th anniversary of their uprooting. Palestinians call the 1948 uprooting "nakba" or catastrophe. (CNS photo/Ammar Awad, Reuters)

Gerard O'Connell
May 15, 2017

“The local Church in Israel-Palestine has the responsibility of reminding the Universal Church that Israel-Palestine is an open, festering wound and that the situation cannot be considered normal,” the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic bishops of the Holy Land states in a document issued in Jerusalem on May 14.

An informed source in the Holy Land told America that the 1,000-word text was developed to answer questions of the faithful at home and abroad regarding the question of “normalization” of relations between Israelis and Palestinians, given that there is today a variety of responses to the realities of Israeli statehood and the continuing realities of occupation and discrimination. In parts of the Arab world any contact with Israel or Israelis is condemned as normalization, while in parts of the Western world, the cry for justice of the Palestinian people is deemed terrorism, the source said. The question therefore arises, “where should the Church stand and how can she continue to work for justice and peace?”

The document seeks to answer this question from the perspective of the local church in Israel and Palestine. Significantly, it states that “in both societies, Israeli and Palestinian, the life of the Palestinians is far from normal and acting ‘as if’ things were normal ignores the violation of fundamental human rights.” It underlines the fact that “the Church can never ignore injustice ‘as if’ all is well but rather is obligated to speak out, resist evil and work tirelessly for change. Like the prophets of old, the Church, a prophetic body, points out injustice and denounces it.”

The statement is timely, coming as it does on the eve of President Donald J. Trump’s visits to Saudi Arabia and Israel and his meeting with Pope Francis and top Vatican officials. Since the Israel-Palestine situation is one of utmost concern to the pope and the Holy See, it is almost certain to be on the agenda for discussion when president comes to the Vatican.

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/05/15/catholic-church-holy-land-says-israel-palestine-situation-cannot-be