Giuseppe Federici Study Center – For a new onset
Press release no. 99/18 of the 19 December 2018, San Dario
Holy Land – Christians in Gaza prison
“Gaza Christians should not need permits to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem”
GAZA – Every year, during the Christmas period, Bethlehem becomes the pilgrimage destination for Christians from all over the world to celebrate the Nativity of the Savior. For the Christian community of Gaza, celebrating Christmas and visiting the family where Jesus was born is a privilege that half of them don't have.
Il 27 November, during the Christmas celebrations, Israeli military authorities approved 500 permits for the access of Christian Palestinians from Gaza to East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
“Last year, 300 Permissions were granted to Christians from Gaza to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, but only to people over the age of 55 years", said Fr. Mario da Silva, parish priest of Gaza. “This year, 500 permits have been approved by Israel. But until now, we only received approx 250 permits for people over the age of 55 years and between 16 and i 35 years. However, children below 16 years were not included”. “Israel is using a policy of separation between parents and children. It would give the father a permit but deprive the mother and children of the same document. As, the family decides not to go to be together in Gaza".
For the Palestinian Christians of Gaza, obtain a permit to celebrate Christmas and Easter in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, rappresenta un’opportunità per sfuggire alla loro terribile realtà; un atto che Israele teme e rifiuta ponendo maggiori restrizioni ai loro viaggi.
Un privilegio o un diritto naturale?
Secondo il Ministero del Turismo israeliano, there were 3,8 milioni di ingressi turistici che sono stati registrati in Israele dal gennaio al novembre 2018. In November 2018, ci sono stati circa 389.000 ingressi turistici, with an increase of 35% rispetto al novembre 2016. Si prevede che le iscrizioni raggiungeranno i 4 milioni entro la fine dell’anno.
Mentre questi turisti, per lo più cristiani, si godono i pellegrinaggi ai santuari religiosi in Terra Santa come diritto umano innato, i palestinesi locali, per fare la stessa identica cosa, sono ancora penalizzati da “privilegi restrittivi” sotto forma di permessi militari. “The Christians of Gaza should not need permits to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem,” said Fr. Mario “Traveling and praying without restrictions is their right”.
In the Gaza Strip they live approximately 1.100 Palestinian Christians out of a population of around two million people. Their mobility to and from Israel, in the West Bank or abroad is regulated by a military permit regime, established by Israel in 1991 to “control the civil affairs of the Palestinians, including travel, work and healthcare activities", and was further complicated by the construction of the separation wall and the creation of military checkpoints.
https://www.lpj.org/padre-mario-i-cristiani-di-gaza-non-dovrebbero-avere-bisogno-di-permessi-per-festeggiare-il-natale-a-betlemme/?lang=it
source: http://www.centrostudifederici.org/terra-santa-cristiani-nella-prigione-gaza/