Giuseppe Federici Study Center – For a new onset
Press release no. 93/18 of the 5 December 2018, San Saba
Holy Land – New abuses against the Catholic Church
Security is a pretext for the Israeli army to occupy lands
The Latin Patriarchate protests against the appropriation of properties in the northern Jordan Valley. From beyond 40 years it is used as a training camp; The appeals in court were of no avail. Vicar of Jerusalem: Rumors of illnesses and deaths among civilians, even children, caused by the weapons used in the exercises.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – The Israeli military, under the pretext of "security and national interest", they act with a sort of "impunity" against which "nothing can be done", not even going to court. This is what Mgr. told AsiaNews. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, patriarchal vicar of Jerusalem, commenting on the decision of the army leaders with the Star of David to persist in the occupation of Church lands in the northern Jordan Valley.
Yesterday the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem officially contested the decision of the military authorities to continue the occupation, after having received an official communication from the army the previous day. At stake are thousands of square meters of land used as a training camp. So far, appeals to the court have been of no avail.
The occupied land is located near the Palestinian villages of Tayasir and Bardala, in the northern area of ​​the Jordan Valley. Inside the camp you can today find masonry buildings used by the military, settled in the area for decades. For Palestinian associations and NGOs, Christian and Muslim, this is misappropriation and violation of international law, as well as a threat to dozens of families in the area, who risk deportation under the pretext of security.
According to the patriarchal vicar of Jerusalem, the land was requisitioned "without any agreement or official rental contract". The Israeli military, he adds, “they occupy the land from 1975, they have taken possession of them and are exploiting them without a bill of sale or a rental contract, renewing its use without paying anything".
"We, as a Church, we want them to go away, but they remain there regardless of our protests. They use the land for military exercises and this is a source of further annoyance. In the area there are villages and families, there is talk of numerous deaths due to explosions and dust contained within the weapons used in the exercises. There are rumors of dispersion of chemical agents and of illnesses and sudden deaths among the population of the area, even children".
“We continue with our protest – assures the prelate – even if our hands are tied and we can't do anything. We have tried in the past, but from beyond 40 years everything is blocked. The court itself cannot decide the dispute, because the military uses the pretext of national security and internal interests that surpass every issue". “We are faced with a clear violation of people's rights – he concludes – and this is the most serious fact”.
http://www.asianews.it/notizie-it/Mons.-Marcuzzo:-La-sicurezza-è-un-pretesto-dellesercito-israeliano-per-occupare-terre-45609.html
source: http://www.centrostudifederici.org/terra-santa-nuove-prevaricazioni-la-chiesa-cattolica/