It is already positive that both Palestinians and Israelis sat down around a table in “Peace Center” nearby Nativity Church in order to discuss the crisis of the Basilica, and even if after two rounds of talks they didn’t reach a solution to put an end to this issue, we still hope that we will have a happy end to this story as soon as possible:
It is already positive that both Palestinians and Israelis sat down around a table in “Peace Center” nearby Nativity Church in order to discuss the crisis of the Basilica, and even if after two rounds of talks they didn’t reach a solution to put an end to this issue, we still hope that we will have a happy end to this story as soon as possible: it should be a pacific, rapid and honorable solution so that we can liberate the Basilica without being harmed and save the lives of those who are inside without having a bath of blood or a hunger starvation. Therefore, we think that the matter of time is very important and urgent because they cannot stay any more inside with the precarious humanitarian situation with the lack of food, water, medicine, telephones and electricity for 240 people. The voice of reason should prevail, because it is not logical to keep all these people including 100.000 people who are living in Bethlehem area under siege and strict curfew for more than three weeks without an normal life since they are confined in these homes, don’t work at all, no public services and no schools. Within short time they will have shortage of food and already they depend on humanitarian assistance provided by some relief agencies. But the questions are: until which time they can resist? And why all this collective punishment? Will this resolve the problem of violence or will it increase the hatred and anger in the hearts of these people?
For the third time, our Patriarch with the heads of churches tried to enter Bethlehem and unfortunately they were forbidden by the army and stopped at the checkpoint were they hold a prayer for peace. The idea of ringing bells came out from the fact that the bells of Bethlehem didn’t ring since three weeks and the Sunday mass was not celebrated at the Nativity Church for the first time in history, therefore we decided to keep going to the checkpoint in order to protest and pray until Bethlehem is liberated and the Church returns as a holy place for prayer and pilgrims as the Pope told last Sunday.
