Caritas Jerusalem: 'collective punishment' of Palestinians must cease
With each passing day the people of the Holy Land "are losing any sense of empathy, any sense of mutual understanding of our common humanity and common future", Caritas Jerusalem states, ahead of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people which takes place next Sunday.
The message, signed by Fr Raed Abusahlia, director general of Caritas Jerusalem, states: "peace must be built on rights for all and protection for all" because "the collective punishment of the Palestinians must cease immediately. Detention without charge or trial, home demolitions, closures at checkpoints and other methods that punish indiscriminately have devastating effects on the daily life of Palestinians and only increase animosity and intolerance."
Caritas Jerusalem denounces "the violations of the basic human rights and calls upon the international community to intervene and end the ongoing worsening situation that is taking lives day in and day out."
On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Fr Raed calls on everyone to pray so that "God may give wisdom and courage to the leaders of the world", so that they can make "right choices and end the occupation."
The international day of solidarity for the Palestinian people is a celebration convened by the United Nations and takes place every year on November 29, to mark the anniversary of the adoption of resolution 181 of the UN General Assembly, which proposed the establishment of two states - Jewish and Arab Palestinian - in Palestinian territories originally under the British Mandate
Beginning at the UN headquarters in New York tomorrow, events will be taking place around the world all this week to mark this day. For more information, see: www.facebook.com/UN.palestinianrights
Read about Caritas Jerusalem here: www.caritasjr.org/
Source: Fides