Holy Land: Israel blocks peace campaigner from meeting Pope

May 9th, 2009

The Israeli occupational authorities have denied a traveling permit to the peace activist Fuad Giacaman, director general of the Arab Educational Institute in Bethlehem, a member organization of the Catholic peace movement Pax Christi.

Mr Giacaman had been invited by the Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem to represent AEI-Open Windows in an interreligious meeting with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem on Monday, May 11, 2009.

Mr Fuad Giacaman has worked in peace, nonviolence, justice and reconciliation for more than four decades. AEI nor Fuad Giacaman personally have any affiliation with a political party or faction.

The permit was processed through the Palestinian Liaison Office. The refusal, which referred to “security reasons”, arrived on 7 May, 2009.

AEI-Open Windows condemns these restrictions imposed upon Palestinian peace activists and upon others subjected to the arbitrary permit system that is part of the occupation.

Source: Pax Christi

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