|
ICAJ persbericht 24 december 2001 Vanuit ons hoofdkantoor te Jeruzalem heeft de Internationale Christelijke Ambassade Jeruzalem de volgende speciale kerstoproep doen uitgaan naar Christenen wereldwijd (Vrijdag 21 december 2001). Speciale ICAJ Kerstoproep!Beste vrienden, Tegelijkertijd dat vele mensen over de hele wereld de geboorte van Jezus herdenken is er weinig om feest te vieren op die plekken in het Heilige Land die centraal staan in het bijbelse kerstverhaal. Wij hebben in de afgelopen jaren een patroon van verstoringen door Moslims waargenomen van de heilige plekken van andere religies in het land, waaronder bekende Christelijke kerken in Betlehem en Nazaret. We kunnen deze Kerst niet voorbij laten gaan zonder de Christenen wereldwijd te attenderen op de voortdurende ernstige schendingen door bepaalde Moslim-autoriteiten van de heiligheid van de kerk van Maria Boodschap te Nazareth - waar de engel Gabriël de komst van onze Redder aan de maagd Maria aankondigde. Velen van u zullen zich bewust zijn van de controverse rondom de geplande moskee, omdat het de afgelopen jaren veel aandacht in de media heeft gehad. De vraag is: "Bent u bereid om hier iets aan te doen?" De Christelijke Ambassade werkt hierin samen met andere Christelijke kerken en bedieningen wereldwijd, samen met enkele Joodse groepen, in een brede alliantie genaamd de "Internationale Coalitie voor Nazaret" om zodoende op te komen voor de unieke Christelijke historie en het Christelijke karakter van deze bijbelse stad. Deze coalitie is niet tegen het bouwen van moskeeën op zich, maar is vastberaden tegen de provocerende locatie van een grote moskee in de schaduw van deze basiliek, de grootste kerk in het gehele Midden-Oosten en het meest universeel herkende symbool van Nazaret. Deze zaak is urgent, omdat Moslim werkers afgelopen maand zijn begonnen met de constructie van de moskee zonder de vereiste vergunningen en hebben reeds een enorme fundering gegraven en beton gestort, terwijl ze vele archeologische schatten in hun haast hebben vernield. Het werk vordert heel erg snel. Hoewel dit gebouw illegaal is, kan dit nooit meer wettelijk afgebroken worden, op het moment dat men gebedsmatjes kan neerleggen om deze moskee officieel in te weiden. Haar torenhoge minaretten zullen permanent de aandacht aftrekken van de statige basiliek en haar aanstootgevende tekst "God heeft geen zoon" zal in de toekomst alle Christelijke pelgrims confronteren. We doen een dringend beroep op Christenen wereldwijd om mee te doen met ons om te pleiten bij de Israëlische autoriteiten om het juiste te doen volgens hun eigen wetten en de illegale bouwactiviteiten aan de moskee onmiddellijk te doen stoppen en het reeds goedgekeurde plan voor een open plein voor pelgrims op deze lege plek nieuw leven in te blazen. U kunt dit doen door te schrijven naar de genoemde officiële instanties die hieronder vermeld staan. Wij zijn ervan overtuigd dat de Israëlische regering het zal verwelkomen en reageren op de steun en de aanmoediging van Christenen wereldwijd door hen te vragen niet toe te geven aan deze vijandelijke Moslim-plannen voor Nazaret. De Christelijke Ambassade is geroepen tot een "bediening van vertroosting" voor het land Israël, wat nu met vele crisissen en moeilijkheden wordt geconfronteerd op dit moment. Wij willen in deze zaak naast haar staan. Israël heeft een ongeëvenaarde staat van dienst wat betreft het veiligstellen van de heilige plekken in het land en de religieuze vrijheid. In deze zaak wensen we niet dat de vijanden van de Joodse staat en het volk enige reden hebben om dat in twijfel te trekken. Mag het "Goede Nieuws" van u zijn deze Kerst.
Malcolm Hedding
U kunt (in het engels) schrijven naar: Christians Worldwide Protest New Mosque Near Church In NazarethBy Julie Stahl, CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief Jerusalem,December 20, 2001 (CNSNews.com) - Christians around the world are banding together to call on the Israeli government to stop the construction of a mosque next to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, which they say is both illegal and is destroying Jewish and Christian antiquities, leaders of an international group said Thursday. The International Coalition for Nazareth, a broad coalition of diverse Christian churches and ministries worldwide, said it is not opposing Islam or the building of mosques, but is opposing to what it called the "provocative placement of a mosque in the shadow of the Basilica." The Catholic Basilica, the largest church in the Middle East, marks the site where tradition says that the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and told her she would bear the Christ child. "The progress made so far by certain Muslim authorities towards erecting this mosque was achieved by intimidation and the promotion of questionable claims," said Rev. Ray Lockhart, spokesman for the ICN. "In addition, the vacant plot where the mosque would be located has already become a rallying point for radical Muslim elements seeking to harass the local Christian community as well as pilgrims from abroad, and to offend our deeply held religious beliefs," Lockhart said at a press conference in Jerusalem Thursday. "If allowed to proceed, we are convinced this mosque will be an intolerable friction point between our faiths for years to come," he added. Christians in Israel's largest Arab town have been attacked several times by the members of the radical Islamic faction. Until recently, residents of the town with its Muslim majority and large Christian minority have lived together in harmony. The 2,000-square-meter plot in question was slated four years ago to become a plaza for Christian pilgrims visiting the church, but radicals from the Islamic Movement erected a protest tent and claimed an Islamic sage was buried there. Two years later, the Israeli government decided that Muslims in Nazareth, Jesus' boyhood town, could build a mosque on the corner of the plot. Critics argued that the move was politically rather than legally motivated. The decision angered church leaders worldwide and prompted Pope John Paul II to threaten to cancel his historic millennium pilgrimage to the Holy Land because of the dispute. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat even called for the mosque not to be constructed on the site. In March, the pontiff called President Bush to ask him to raise the issue with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, on the Israeli leader's first visit to Washington after being elected. Sharon said he would look into the matter. Last month, without proper permits, construction began on the mosque with the digging of a 50-foot-deep hole, prompting a renewed uproar. In a letter to Sharon last week, the coalition appealed for a halt to the building due to what it termed "numerous, legal irregularities." Among the complaints, the coalition charged that the Israel Lands Authority had transferred the property to the Wakf, Islamic religious authorities, "without due process and not in an open, lawful manner." According to committee member Rev. Charles Kopp, the committee has not received a written response to the letter. But last Friday, a day after the letter was delivered, the construction was halted. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Noam Katz, said the construction had been temporarily halted only until the Muslims will go through the proper "planning procedures." According to the coalition, the digging is also destroying archeological artifacts and human remains from the time of Jesus. Archeologist, Father Michele Piccirillo, of the Franciscan Archeological Institute in Jerusalem's Old City, said that bones and at least three pieces of columns had been found during the excavations. But Wakf officials claim no artifacts have been discovered. Professor Rafi Israeli, whose book on the dispute in Nazareth is due to be published soon, said that there is more at stake than just the holy site. Israeli, was asked to be on a four-man governmental committee several years ago, investigating the Muslim-Christian dispute in the area. According to Israeli, he was the one dissenting voice on the committee, advising the government not to allow the construction of the mosque. First, Israeli said, by allowing the construction of the mosque, it will reward the people who broke the law. It will create an "unnecessary rift with Christians worldwide" and the Muslims in the end will not appreciate the sacrifice. It will also contribute to the demise of the Christian community of Israel, he said. Nazareth has the largest Christian community in Israel. Christian communities throughout the Middle East have been in a serious decline during the last century, as many have emigrated westward, fleeing religious persecution and economic hardships. Despite the government's earlier decision, several government ministers are said to oppose the construction of the mosque. Christians speak out against Nazareth MosqueICEJ NEWS - 28 NOVEMBER 2001 - In the latest development in a smoldering dispute that threatens to boil over once again at Christmas time, Christians in Israel and abroad on Monday publicly warned that construction of a large mosque near the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth could be destroying archaeological treasures. The Basilica - the largest and perhaps most beautiful church in the Middle East - is a major Christian shrine marking the spot where the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Messiah to Mary, the mother of Jesus. But for several years now, Muslim militants have been forcibly trying to erect a grand mosque in a nearby vacant lot in order to demean the significance of the site for Christians and flaunt the fact the boyhood home of Jesus has lost its Christian majority and is now Islamic territory. In the run-up to Millennium observances, city officials set aside the cleared corner parcel, just below the Basilica, as a public plaza for pilgrims. But radical elements in the Islamic Movement in Israel falsely claimed the entire area had previously served as a mosque in honor of an obscure nephew of the anti-Crusader hero Saladin, and demanded the right to build a huge mosque to enshrine his nearby tomb. The Muslims rioted against local Arab Christians, burning homes, businesses and cars and beating up worshippers at Christmas 1998 and Easter 1999. They also occupied the contested corner, setting up a protest tent and attracting hundreds of Muslims for Friday prayers. With the dispute threatening to spoil the planned visit of Pope John Paul II in March 2000, Israeli authorities brokered a compromise - a smaller mosque could go up in the shadow of the Basilica, but only after the pontiff's visit. The Vatican criticized Israel over the compromise and later claimed Israeli leaders assured them in private the mosque would never get off the ground. Several weeks ago, Islamic authorities sent construction crews onto the site and began excavating a deep hole for the mosque's foundation, even though they still lacked the proper permits. It was reported last week that the Israel Lands Authority finally cleared the way for the mosque, however, drawing new complaints from the Vatican and other Christian circles. Father Michel Piccirillo, an archaeologist and director of the Franciscan Institute in Jerusalem, said this week that construction crews have hauled away human bones and what appear to be the remains of an early church or ancient synagogue. "They found at least four columns and some bones," he asserted. Piccirillo said he asked the Israel Antiquities Authority to arrange a proper archaeological examination for the finds, but has so far received no reply. Piccirillo also said a cemetery dating to the Roman occupation of the Holy Land was found near the Basilica during the 1960s. Salman Abu Ahmad, leader of the local Islamic Movement, denied the claims of vandalism. "That may be what the Christians say, but I know of no church on that site," he said today. "In a few days we shall have all the necessary construction permits in hand. In the meantime the ground is being prepared." "Building the mosque here will in effect put this holy place in a state of permanent siege and make its gate a gathering place for the most hostile elements," a statement cited by the Vatican news service Fides said earlier this month. US President George W. Bush also reportedly brought up the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during his first visit to the White House last March. The area underneath the Basilica has been carefully excavated, surrendering a treasure trove of antiquities and a wealth of knowledge on the First Century town. Among the finds, the present church sits atop an ancient church, which was built around an earlier synagogue from Jesus' time.
|
| |||||||
