JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) - Israel's government on Tuesday defended its plans to build a mosque in Nazareth next to the Church of the Annunciation, despite objections from Christians.

Israeli Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami said the government's goal is to formulate a compromise that will be palatable to both Christians and Muslims. On Monday, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to Israel, criticized the plan to build the mosque in a square adjoining the church and said it should be built elsewhere.

Christians and Muslims have argued and frequently fought over a Muslim plan to build the mosque in a plaza Christians say is needed to accommodate thousands of pilgrims expected to visit during the Jubilee Year. "We are still trying to integrate the remarks, the reflections of the two parties. We will be very, very careful not to infringe upon the natural rights of each," Shlomo said. "There will be a total separation between the site of the church and the adjacent square from the mosque, which we do not yet see as being erected so soon anyway."

Muslims have had a tent on the site on the disputed land for months, claiming that the property belongs to the local Waqf, or Islamic religious trust (this claim was determined unfounded and was dismissed by the Nazareth district Court). Ben-Ami said the government's solution was designed to satisfy both parties. "Our solution is based on the continuous existence of a very large square that will allow free access to that central element in the religious life in Nazareth, which is the church," Ben-Ami said.

_________________________________________________________

We question the good intentions of the Israeli government and its Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami for the following compelling reasons:

1- They have refused to issue a clear written STATEMENT that they will not permit any Jewish group to erect any tent or "settlement" on the grounds of the Masjed Al Aksa and the Dome of the Rock and that these HOLY PLACES will be preserved and respected FOR EVER by the Israeli governments.  They are making a lot of changes under and around Haram El Sharif, they are making a lot of declarations that can be interpreted as a promise for the building of a Jewish Temple at the site. Some Jewish groups have even displayed a Jerusalem with a Jewish Temple replacing the Harm El Sharif. This preposterous idea is implicitly supported by US fundamentalist Christians. At Disney World they did not even mention the Muslim Holy places.

2- They have ignored all requests for the restoration of the beautiful Safed Mosque that the Israelis have changed into a Gallery. They continue to deny all requests to restore the many Mosques and Churches that they have destroyed in more than 400 Palestinian villages since 1948.  The historic Sharif Hassan Mosque, on the road between Jaffa and TelAviv, lies in ruins, the property is slated for a beach front redevelopment project.

3- They refuse to open Jerusalem without any restriction, as at the time of Jordan, to Muslims and Christians to go and pray at their Holy Places on any day and at any time without permits and ID cards.

4- They refuse to give the RIGHT OF RETURN to all Palestinians so as to come back to their home country, the country of their fathers and their Prophets without restrictions and without selective lists. They have a stronger right of return to their country of birth than do Jews born in Russia, the USA or Poland.

5- They continue to protect the provocation of the settlers against Palestinian Muslims and Christians and they refuse to bring them to trial.

6- They continue to encourage the provocation of the Christian-Zionists against the Palestinian Muslims and Christians and their conversion programs and plans.

7- They have confiscated 4000 Dunums (4 million sq m.) of Latin Patriarchate land near the village of Tayasir and turned it into a restricted military area. They bulldozed the ruins of an important Christian church on mount Abu Ghniem known as Al-Istiraha (resting place) constructed in the fifth century on the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS THREATEN CHRISTIANS IN NAZARETH

20-Dec-99 -- EWTN Feature Story

JERUSALEM (FIDES/CWNews.com) – In the town of Nazareth, fundamentalist Muslims have stepped up pressure to intimidate Christians in the wake of an Israeli government decision allowing the construction of a mosque adjacent to the Basilica of the Annunciation. Now a leaflet is being circulated, threatening the life of Pope John Paul II.

The FIDES news agency reports that the leaflet-- which is written in Arabic, and unsigned--features harsh anti-Catholic   slogans and threatens violence if the Pope "dares to make the 2000 visit." The leaflet, which has been circulating in Nazareth for a week, warns Christians living there that if the Pope visits the town in March 2000, "We will burn down your homes with  our   own hands. The whole world will watch us and the press will write about us." The leaflet announces that all of the religious sites of the Holy Land are rightfully the property of Islam, and "the cross must disappear, and Islam take its place."

Building on the controversy over the mosque near the Basilica of the Annunciation, the leaflet says: "the church of the Annunciation must be purified of the infidels who have sullied it." The unknown authors of the leaflet proclaim that they will turn the basilica itself into a mosque. It is assumed that a Moslem group was behind the leaflet. However, considering how Israeli agents instigated the civil war in Lebanon, this is far from certain.

The Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land, Father Giovanni Battistelli, told FIDES that "there is great sadness and anxiety among the local Christians, despite words of reassurance"  from several Israeli government ministries. "The  leaflet,"  he explained, "has increased tension and already caused violence near the Basilica of the Annunciation."

The Franciscan priest related that several incidents have occurred near the basilica, which has been the focal point of tensions for almost a full year: "On Friday a young  Christian from Nazareth was stabbed, another, wearing a cross and chain around his neck, was slapped; a group of pilgrims were insulted. Days earlier, fundamentalists hurled stones and rocks at the Church of St Joseph,   pilgrims had to take refuge inside, and one of our fathers was spat upon."

Father Battistelli also reported that, in direct violation of an agreement forged by the Israeli government, an Islamic  fundamentalist group has set up a tent in the public square outside the Basilica of the Annunciation. The Islamic group had laid a claim on  the  property in the square, announcing plans to build a mosque there, and setting up a tent to proclaim  squatters' rights. The Israeli government--ignoring repeated Christian pleas and protests--had allowed construction of the mosque, with the proviso that the Islamic group would clear the square. That proviso is now being ignored.

Father Battistelli said that the Israeli authorities, having inflamed the situation, are denying that they are a party in the controversy, even if it relates to safeguarding the Christian community. He reported that when Church officials scheduled a meeting to go over security procedures for the Christmas celebrations in Nazareth, police failed to show up for that meeting.

Father David Jaeger, OFM, one of the architects of the diplomatic agreements between Israel and the Holy See, is now in  Nazareth. He told Fides that the people there are worried. In their view, the decision by the Israeli government to allow  the  mosque construction showed the power of a small fundamentalist group. That group, buoyed by their success in obtaining permission to build the mosque, is now even more aggressive.

However, Father Jaeger has spoken with several more moderate Islamic leaders in Nazareth, all of whom have assured him   that the fundamentalist group is unrepresentative of the Muslims in Nazareth, and that the threats contained in the controversial leaflet are embarrassing to other Muslims. Father Jaeger pointed out that many Islamic leaders-- from Egypt  and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Palestinian Authority-- have opposed the building of a mosque on that particular site in Nazareth, on the grounds that the project will inflame tensions and divide the community.

Father Jaeger holds out the hope that the Israeli government might reconsider its approval for the mosque construction  process,   FIDES reported. From his perspective in Nazareth, Father Jaeger told the Vatican news agency that "a top-ranking  personality-- whose name I cannot reveal--confirmed to me that the government is seriously reconsidering the question."

He said that the Israeli government must carefully reexamine its position. First, they have to take into consideration the displeasure of the Christian leaders, both in the country and around the world. Second, government officials should recognize the dangerous precedent that could be set by bowing to the will of an extremist group.

Vandals destroy crosses at West Bank cemeteries:
Reuters
Dec. 4, 2000

BEIT JALA, West Bank (Reuters) - Vandals damaged tombs at two Christian cemeteries in the West Bank town of Beit Jala, officials said Monday.

The Palestinian police director for the Bethlehem district said police had arrested two Palestinians suspected of smashing dozens of stone crosses adorning family burial sites in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox cemeteries Sunday night. The director, Col. Abu Zeid Hdeib, said four others were being sought by police.

The vandalism came while Israeli troops firing heavy machine guns pounded Beit Jala and two nearby refugee camps, attacks Israel said followed Palestinian fire at a Jewish shrine, Rachel's Tomb, outside Bethlehem. "The timing of the attack on the two cemeteries during the shelling points to an Israeli involvement and to collaborators with Israel aiming to harm our people and its Intifada," Beit Jala mayor Raji Zeidan said, referring to a two-month uprising against Israeli occupation. There was no immediate Israeli comment or independent confirmation of his allegation.

The Christian minority used to be around 25% in Palestine before the creation of Israel. Now they make up only around three percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

17:49 12-04-00

Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited.