JERUSALEM: Mideast peace efforts are being “hampered” by Israeli settlement construction, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said yesterday in his traditional Christmas message.
“The Israeli-Palestinian talks resumed in late July, after three years of interruption, but the efforts are hampered by the continuous building of Israeli settlements,” said Fuad Twal, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land. “As long as this problem is not resolved, the people of our region will suffer,” he said.
Twal stressed that, “while the world’s attention has shifted from the situation in the Holy Land to the tragedy in Syria, it must be stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains crucial to the region and is a major obstacle in the development of our society and stability in the Middle East.”
Shifting to the Syrian conflict, he called to “immediately establish” a “sustainable” ceasefire and to “prevent any entry of outside weapons.”
“As the Syrian problem cannot be resolved by the force of arms, we call on all political leaders to assume the responsibility for finding a mutually acceptable political solution that will end the senseless violence and uphold respect for the dignity of people,” he said.
Twal noted that instability in the Middle East “affects everyone, but especially our faithful who are tempted to emigrate.”
Referring to Pope Francis, set to visit the Holy Land in May 2014 in a trip yet to be officially announced, Twal said: “He cares about the Holy Land and the Middle East.” Both Israeli President Shimon Peres and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, have invited the pope to visit the Holy Land.
Meanwhile, Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, demanded yesterday that Israel remove surveillance came ras at the city’s sensitive Al Aqsa mosque compound.
“Jordan rejects Israel’s installation of surveillance cameras on December 8 to monitor waqf officials and worshippers, particularly women,” Information Minister Mohammad Momani told state news agency Petra.
Agencies
