Israel: Papal visit offers hope for peace

A nun makes final preparations at the Lady of Peace Church, the first scheduled stop in Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the region, in Amman May 7, 2009 [REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed, courtesy www.alertnet.org]

Pope Benedict XVI’s first pilgrimage of peace to the Holy land gives reason for us "to be optimistic", says the head of our partner Caritas Jerusalem

Bethlehem was dressed in flags of the papal colours – white and gold - and with it came the obligatory security clampdown that meant schools and offices within the zone of the visit had to close and roadblocks put in place for Pope Benedict XVI’s first pilgrimage of peace to the Holy land.

The visit was billed as providing much encouragement for the local Christian community whose numbers are said to have dwindled to an estimated 170,000 in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

And it is hoped that his visits to sites sacred to Islam, Judaism and Christianity will be the start of better dialogue. But there were some Christians and Catholics who disagreed with the timing of Pope Benedict’s visit.

Ongoing instability

It was felt this Holy Land pilgrimage came too soon after the Gaza conflict, which for many Palestinians highlighted the injustice of Israel inflicting disproportionate suffering on the Palestinian people with impunity.

Claudette Habesch, General Secretary of Caritas Jerusalem, summed up some of the strength of feeling about the Papal visit by saying: "The Pope’s visit took place in the context of the War on Gaza, and ongoing political instability.

"As a member of the Mother Church, I welcomed this visit of the Holy Father to the Holy Land. His pilgrimage is reason for us to be optimistic."

The Pontiff was welcomed to the West Bank city of Bethlehem, an administrative city of Palestinian Authority, where he visited the Aida Refugee Camp - home to some 5,000 Palestinians - and experienced the painful history of relations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

There are 4.5 million Palestinians living as refuges throughout the Middle East and attention will be drawn to the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza which Claudette Habesch describes as ‘precarious’ following the Israeli air strikes and incursions at the beginning of 2009.

"Caritas Jerusalem has been able to respond to the needs of the people in the short-term, with funding from CAFOD. The money has provided food parcels, hygiene kits and medical aid.

"But homes desperately need to be rebuilt and at present this is not possible to do because Israel does not allow essential vital construction material into Gaza."

Expectations are high during this pilgrimage, every word and action of the Pontiff will be scrutinised not only by the world’s media but by the faith groups seeking a way forward for peace in the region.

"There is much hope that this visit will make a difference", said Claudette, "The Pope holds moral authority and we hope that he will talk of the need for justice, this is so crucial if we are all to live in peace, if we are to live in dignity."

The Pope has decided not to visit Gaza, where about 2,500 Christians live among 1.5 million Muslims. Some 200 Catholics in the Gaza Strip will travel to Bethlehem to participate in Mass in Manger Square, celebrated by the Pontiff.

Claudette says the Papal visit is an important boost for the small Christian community, but more needs to be done to support young Christian families.

"There is grave concern about the numbers of young families that feel vulnerable and are tempted to immigrate to countries where they can find greater freedom".

The visit comes in the week the United Nations Security Council met for a Middle East debate and the Obama administration in the US wants to push forward a comprehensive peace strategy to end the 60 years of conflict.

Claudette says work towards peace is now critical for the region and the Pope’s visit and message is a timely one. "People of this land need hope, that better days are possible. Hope that peace and reconciliation can become a reality."

The Palestinian people have been living under Israeli occupation since 1967. Under this occupation there have been repeated abuses of International Law, and Claudette says that, without justice, peaceful co-existence will continue to be elusive.

"This Papal visit I hope will push the international community to do more in restoring the peace process and tackle the deep rooted problematic issues.

"And that it has awakened the consciousness of the international community to act and speak out when they see international law and the Geneva Conventions being violated. We do not have the privilege of saying ‘we did not know’.

"If there is no peace in the Middle East, there will be no peace for the rest of the world."

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