Cautious welcome for renewed relations with Israel Govt , CathNews.com, Jerusalem, June 30, 2004

Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land head Fr Pierbattista Pizzaballa has described the resumption of diplomatic talks between Church leaders and Israeli government officials as a "positive sign", but warned that "serious problems" remain.

Speaking to the Italian daily Avvenire, Fr Pizzaballa said that he had seen clear signs of good will in his first official talks with Israeli officials. He voiced some optimism that those talks would soon produce a resolution to one problem that has worried Church leaders: the government's failiure to renew visas for Catholic missionaries working in the Holy Land.

But Catholic World News says the Custos, as he is known, cited further unresolved problems, such as the construction of a subway system that will block the "New Gate" to Jerusalem, closing off the only direct vehicle access to the Christian quarter of the old city.

Fr Pizzaballa said he hopes the resumption of talks on an economic agreement between the Holy See and the Israeli government would lead to progress in other areas as well. The diplomatic talks are scheduled to resume next week following months of diplomatic stalemate that arose when Israeli negotiators abruptly pulled out of the talks.

SOURCE Hopes, fears for Christians in Holy Land (Catholic World News 29/6/04)

Hopes, fears for Christians in Holy Land , CWNews.com, Jerusalem, Jun. 29, 2004

Jerusalem, Jun. 29 (CWNews.com) - Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who heads the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, sees a "positive sign" in the resumption of diplomatic talks between Church leaders and Israeli government officials. But the Franciscan leader also sees serious problems remaining in relations between the Catholic Church and the Israeli regime.

Speaking to the Italian daily Avvenire , Father Pizzaballa-- who assumed his current post on May 15-- said that he had seen clear signs of good will in his first official talks with Israeli officials. He voiced some optimism that those talks would soon produce a resolution to one problem that has worried Church leaders: the government's failiure to renew visas for Catholic missionaries working in the Holy Land.

However, the Custos cited other problems that remain unresolved, such as the construction of a subway system that will block the "New Gate" to Jerusalem, closing off the only direct vehicle access to the Christian quarter of the old city.

Father Pizzaballa said that he hoped the resumption of talks on an economic agreement between the Holy See and the Israeli government would lead to progress in other areas as well. "I hope that the climate of collaboration will bear fruit," he told Avvenire . The diplomatic talks are scheduled to resume on July 5, after months in a diplomatic stalemate that arose when Israeli negotiators abruptly pulled out of the talks. Speaking to Avvenire on a different topic, Father Pizzaballa denied reports that his selection to head the Franciscan Custody represents a political shift away from the previous leadership, which had been widely regarded as sympathetic toward the Palestinian cause. (Father Pizzaballa, who studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, had previously worked with the Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem, providing pastoral care for the Hebrew-speaking Christians of the Holy Land.) However, he pointed out that the proportion of non-Arab Christians in the region has grown steadily in the past decade. And he argued: "It is extremely important-- not just for Jerusalem but for the universal Church-- to have a Christian community with Hebrew roots in Jerusalem." He explained that this small group helps other Christians to recall their own spiritual origins.

While the Franciscan Custody is heavily involved in charitable work, the new Custos stressed that the primary purpose of the Franciscans in the Holy Land will always be evangelization. Their mission, he said, involves "helping Christians to understand that their presence in the Holy Land is a mission."

The Christian population of the Holy Land is still rapidly decreasing. Today about 2 percent of the population is Christian-- of which roughly half is Catholic. In 1947, that figure was about 20 percent.

SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANS OF HOLY LAND URGED, Zenit.org, VATICAN CITY, JUNE 24, 2004

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 24, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II made an urgent appeal for aid to Christians in the Holy Land, who face a life of violence and social and economic unrest.

The Pope expressed this concern today when receiving the participants in the annual meeting of the Assembly of Organizations for Aid to the Eastern Churches (ROACO), which is under the Holy See.

"It is necessary to persevere, praying intensely for the peace of the peoples who live in Jesus' land," the Pope said.

"May those Christians, who suffer so much from the enduring violence and other numerous problems that cause economic impoverishment, social conflicts, and human and cultural humiliation, not be lacking in the support of the whole Catholic Church," he said.

The Holy Father mentioned the importance of the collection taken up in all Catholic churches on Good Friday for the Catholic communities of the Holy Land.

With this initiative, "it is possible to attend to urgent needs and to promote the spirit of mutual acceptance and respect, fostering the maturation of a common will of reconciliation," he added. "This will contribute to build the much desired peace."

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CARITAS-JERUSALEM DECRIES MILITARY ATTACKS NEAR SCHOOLS, U.N. Aide Criticizes Israeli Operations, Zenit.org, Jerusalem, 10 June, 2004

JERUSALEM, JUNE 10, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Caritas-Jerusalem is deeply concerned about military actions that result in schools being targeted by weaponry.

One such incident took place June 1 in the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza, Caritas said in a statement sent to ZENIT.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, "Around 4 p.m. a tank stationed on sand dunes several hundred meters from UNRWA's Al-Umariye Elementary Boys' School opened fire on the Tel Sultan district of Rafah. The school stands on the main road to Tel Sultan. Several shots hit the school building and one hit the window frame of a second-floor classroom."

"The bullet, or shrapnel from the window, entered the classroom where it struck two 10-year-old boys," the Caritas statement said. "One was lightly injured in the head. The second, Mahmoud Nathmey Hamad, was struck in the neck. After being rushed to hospital he received emergency surgery. His condition is still serious, but is now improving."

Peter Hansen, UNRWA commissioner-general, said: "This is the second time in a little over a year that a child in a U.N. classroom has been struck by Israeli fire. Such indifference to the sanctity of schools and the U.N. flags flying above them violates all humanitarian norms and is absolutely deplorable."

Claudette Habesch, Caritas-Jerusalem's secretary-general, also voiced strong opposition to the targeting of schools by any party. "All children have the right to have access to schools and education," she said. "Schools and war do not mix."

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The Custody of the Holy Land is against the closure of the New Gate , AsiaNews, Jerusalem, 2 June, 2004

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, is opposing Israel’s intention of closing the New Gate. “We will accept neither to be buried alive, nor to be restricted in our movements” writes Fr. Giovanni Battistelli, the Custos, in a letter sent to the Israeli Minister of Transport, Mr. Avidgor Liberman. Although Fr. Battistelli will be replaced by Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa today, the Franciscan Fathers of the Custody do not surrender objections to Israel’s plan.

The closure of the New Gate will irremediably affect the traffic. The reason behind this decision is the construction of a metropolitan train that should travel around Jerusalem’s city walls. The railroad should be built so close to the walls that there will be no more space for the road that goes through the New Gate. This road, the main entrance to the Christian quarter of the old city, will become a simple footpath.

The Custody of the Holy Land is strongly against the closure of the New Gate. In the letter sent to the Israeli officials, an signed by all the Council of the Custody, the Fathers say: “We have already discussed this matter with the authorities. We have met twice and we explained them the capital importance of the place where we reside. We have even suggested other solutions to the problem, but we have received no answer”. The Franciscan friars proposed to modify the original plan by moving the railroad towards the center of the existing road. In this way the traffic would not be affected by the new train.

The Franciscan monastery of Saint Saviour, which is situated near the New Gate, has been the headquarters of the Custody of the Holy Land since the 15th century. The Custody is in charge of churches, convents, monasteries, parishes, schools, hospitals, etc., in the whole Middle East. It is the residency of the Custos of the Holy Land. It is easy to understand that the closure of the New Door would have terrible repercussions for the Church in the Holy Land. In particular, it would negatively affect the Christian area in Jerusalem, by limiting the efficiency of parish activities, of the eight Christian schools, of the emergency services and of the facilities for pilgrims. Moreover, all the patriarchs and leaders of the Christian churches live within the Old City. The closure of the door would inevitably restrict their movements.

Fr. Battistelli questions the legitimacy of Israel’s new plan. “We wonder if the closure of the Door, with all the negative consequences that it entails for the Christian area, marks a new political strategy or just a prejudice against Christianity”.

Catholic representatives also complain about the interruption of the dialogue between Holy See representatives and Israeli authorities about ecclesiastical properties. Israeli authorities unilaterally decided to quit the negotiations. Unfortunately, they have still to fulfil their promise of re-starting the dialogue.