Saji Mathew Kanayankal CST

QUESTION: During the recent between Israel- Palestine war, I got some extreme messages accusing Palestinian people as the cause of the war and conflict. Some would even say the Christians should stand with Israel at this time. I would like to know more about the position of the Catholic Church in this regard? – Peter Abraham

ANSWER: The world has seen severe and deadly escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine just a few weeks back. The situation in the region was dire and violent from many years and with a small spark of fire it can be worsen. The immediate provocation at this time was the forced displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, the violent raids by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in which hundreds of Palestinian worshippers were injured. On the other hand, there was an outbreak of fighting with the launching of rockets by Palestinian armed groups (Hamas) from Gaza towards Israel. Within a short time, there was continuous disproportionate massive bombing by Israel’s armed forces against Gaza. As per the report, the fighting has tragically claimed the lives of many civilians, including women, children, and infants with at least 245 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 68 children and 37 women, killed by Israel airstrikes on civilian areas. In some attacks the entire families being killed. In Israel 12 persons are killed, including two children, one Indian and two Thai nationals by Palestinian militants’ rockets. Apart from these tragic deaths, thousands were wounded and millions are traumatized. Whatever be the reasons the majority of the victims are innocent civilians including children and unarmed citizens. Unless the previous years, there was had a huge support to Israel from India this time, and in social media many Christian groups (I doubt whether most of them are authentic or fake) attacked Palestinians narrating so many fake stories, describing them as terrorists. It is true that Hamas, the extremist group that occupy Gaza acts with the support of some terrorists and their attacks on Israel is cannot be justified. Before narrating the positions of the Church let me bring the attention to some of the historical developments.

Some Landmarks in History

Even though we can trace back to centuries on the issue between the Palestinian and Israelites, the present problem can be seen as result of the ‘divide and rule’ policy of Colonial British system. The first proposal of Jewish and Arab states in the Palestinian region was the result of the study of the Peel Commission in 1937 which was rejected by the Arab communities, but accepted by the Jews. After some discussions and negotiations, the UN patrician plan was executed in 1947, of which an independent Jewish state was established with the ancient name of Israel and Jerusalem, the holy city was under the international leadership. Though the Arab communities did not accept this proposal, the world in general accepted Israel as a new nation. The entire Arab nations were against having an independent Jewish state in Palestine. Even now most of them do not recognise Israel as an independent nation. In 1948 there was a war between Israel and Palestine that resulted the expulsion of more than seven million Palestinians, from the land occupied by the Israelites. Many inhabitants in the region became refugees in their own native place. It led to a peace agreement signed by Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Apart from many extremists’ attacks on Israel and counter military operations by the Israeli Armed forces in 1950s and 60s, a major war broke out between Israel and the neighbouring states in 1967 and as a result, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution, which called for Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied during the war. It also recognised the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area. However, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) strongly criticised the resolution accusing that the UN reduced the question of Palestine to a mere refugee problem.

Another landmark movement was the acceptance of UN general assembly in 1974 that asserted the ‘rights to self-determination without external interference,’ ‘the national independence and sovereignty’ and ‘the right to return to their homes and property’ of the Palestinian community. In 1975, the UN General Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), and requested it to recommend a programme of implementation that may help the Palestinian people to exercise their rights without any external interference. Among many negotiations the most important was the Oslo Accords which officially divided Palestinian land into three administrative divisions with Israel and Palestine. Jerusalem was under the supervisor of an international committee. After many talks and interventions in 2007, three major parties – the PLO, Israel, and the US – agreed on a two-state solution. This solution envisions an independent state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel. The Arab League have stated that they would accept the proposal. However, the boundary is still a subject of dispute. While Palestinian and Arab leaders insist on 1967 borders, Israel does not accept it. As per the accord, Jerusalem will be the part of Israel.

It is to be noted that majority of people in both lands are in favour of a two-state solution. As per a poll in 2002, 72% of people in Palestine and Israel are in favour of the two-state solution based on 1947 Armistice Agreements, mostly understood as “1967 accords.” In 2013 a Gallup poll found that 70% of the Palestinians in the West Bank and 48% of Palestinians in the Gaza as well as 52% of Israelites are supporting the two-state solution. More than the interest of the people, the political leaders in both countries are not allowing to settle the issue. As years passes there are many rumours and fake stories about the other section and enmity among the civilians increases day bay day. The different polls in different times clearly indicate the growing atrocity and hostility between people on both sides. The different kind of restrictions by the government of Israel, some of their methodical disenchantment and dissolutions as well as the armed attacks by Hamas and the military retaliations by the Israeli troops increase the tension every now and then.

The Holy See and the Holy Land

Vatican has relationship with Palestine since 1948 and, as a sign the Holy See has opened the office of apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine in the same year. From 1967 onwards the Vatican has been an ardent supporter of the Palestinian political struggle. The Catholic Church also gets the support of the Palestinian community in the Palestinian territories under Israeli control. The meeting between Pope John Paul II and Yasser Arafat, then PLO chairman, in 1987 was a landmark event and the relationship between the Holy See and Palestine became more intense followed by the establishment of the diplomatic relationship with PLO in 1994. This was led to entering into a basic agreement on 15 February 2000, which committed the PLO to respect freedom of religion in general, as well as freedom of action for Catholic communities in the establishments under Palestinian control. The Vatican has been referring to Palestine as a state since February 2013 under the leadership of Pope Benedict XVI and thus the Holy See officially recognizes the state of Palestine rather than the Palestine Liberation Organization. A more comprehensive agreement was concluded on 26 June 2015, with effect on 2 January 2016. In the agreement, the state of Palestine affirms its permanent commitment to uphold and observe the human right to freedom of religion and conscience, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other international instruments relative to its application. The Holy See affirms the commitment of the Catholic Church to support this right and states once more the respect that the Catholic Church has for the followers of other religions. Both parties are committed to appropriate cooperation in promoting respect for human rights, individual and collective, in combating all forms of discrimination and threats to human life and dignity, as well as to the promotion of understanding and harmony between nations and communities. The agreement also reaffirmed the urgency to achieve a just and comprehensive society in the middle east so that all nations should live as good neighbours and work for the growth and development and prosperity of the people and all its inhabitants. From the part of the Palestinian authorities, it agreed to keep and maintain the ‘status quo’ of the Holy places, and accepted the freedom of Catholic Church in Palestine and to carry out its ministries in the land tough its ministries.

With regard to the relationship with Israel, the Vatican formally recognized it in 1993, after the signing of the Oslo Accords. The church had the opinion that the holy city of Jerusalem should be run under an international mandate. The church is always in favour of a peaceful solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that ensure peace and security for all peoples of the region on the basis of international law. Whatever be the cost, the legitimate rights and aspirations of the people in both territories should be realised through negotiation and agreement. In order to keep a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, an equitable solution is to be formulated for the issue of Jerusalem based on international resolutions. Any unilateral decisions and actions altering the specific character and status of Jerusalem are morally and legally unacceptable. When Pope Francis visited the holy sites in 2014, he tried to keep a balanced prelateship with both countries and had meetings with all of them and requested both of them to find an accord through dialogue.

The Present Conflict

As most of us are well aware, the terrorist activities of Hamas in Israel are always a threat to the process of the peace making in the Middle East. Moreover, the right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu and his policies are not in favour of the two-state solution. In Israel his popularity is getting down and the government has no majority even after many elections. On the other hand, in Palestine too the extremist group, the Hamas is becoming more popular and powerful. Though we can trace out many immediate reasons for the present conflict, the political scenario of the region is an important factor in this regard.

Unless previous years, the Indian social media took the crisis as an opportunity to create confusion and chaos. There appeared a lot of exaggerated or fake stories narrating one of them as a something danger to the world peace. The support of some terrorists’ groups to the Hamas can be seen as an important reason behind it. Moreover, the growing Islamophobia added oil to the fire. All the more the growing right-wing politics in India and their methodological strategy exploited this occasion to execute their agenda through propaganda and advertising. The people who are not aware of the historical facts can be easily manipulated through the media.

With regarding the position of the Catholic Church in India, I have not noticed any official comments in this regard. However, many social network forums, under the catholic identity have vehemently narrated stories about Palestine, even quoting from some Old Testament sagas. Many of them are neither rational nor relevant to our time. What we need is to look on the gospel messages as well as the teachings of the Church. The Church is always in favour of suffering humanity. It requests to keep the dignity of human person irrespective of religion or nation. Rather than war, the people who are engaged in conflict must find a peaceful way through mutual understanding and dialogue. Pope Francis requested for an end to the conflict in Israel and Gaza and he clearly told that the death of many innocents is not acceptable. He appealed them to end the clamour of weapons and take the path of peace. As he told, the hatred and vendetta will bring only death, destruction and ruin whereas dialogue and peaceful settlement will bring joy, happiness, development and prosperity.