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MIDEAST-REACT (SECOND UPDATE) Jul-18-2006 (1,080 words) With photos posted July 14, 17 and 18 and graphic July 18. xxxi
Church leaders pray for peace, dialogue as Mideast violence escalates
By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Catholic leaders prayed for peace and dialogue as Mideast violence escalated, and churches and local government buildings opened their doors to the displaced.
Father Michael McGarry, rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies in Jerusalem, said he did not know why the radical Shiite militia Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and was firing rockets on Israel, but he said the force of Israel's retaliation was "not appropriate."
"I think Israel has to react. They can't tolerate the taking of soldiers, the Katyushas," said Father McGarry, referring to the rockets Hezbollah has been firing into Israel. "They have to do something in response, but killing civilians is not appropriate."
Lebanese officials said the number of civilian deaths had passed 200 by early July 18, while Israeli officials reported 12 civilian deaths since the cross-border attacks began July 12.
Vacationing in the Alps July 16, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of his "serious concern" for the escalating violence and said that "neither terrorist acts nor reprisals can be justified, especially when there are tragic consequences for the civilian population."
The United States considers Hezbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, a terrorist organization. However, the Lebanese government regards Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement fighting Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories. Israel withdrew from South Lebanon in May 2000, but it did not relinquish the disputed "Shebaa Farms" border area, where the borders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria converge, so Hezbollah kept up the resistance.
In Beirut, Lebanon, July 14, the Middle East Council of Churches urged regional powers to pressure all sides to stop the violence and start dialogue. The council "raises high its voice, calling on the international community, especially on the (U.N.) Security Council and international powers, for an immediate intervention to cease fire," it said in a statement.
Lebanese Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, was visiting the United States as the attacks began. Speaking July 16 at a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon in Brooklyn, N.Y., he said, "These days have been tragic for us in Lebanon. It seems that the world has lost its peacemakers. It is more desirable to fight and wage war than to make peace."
Three days earlier, at a press conference in Lawrence, Mass., the cardinal said the Lebanese understood war on their soil.
"We have had enough. We need the help and support of all our friends in the world, especially the United States. We are determined to work together through dialogue for peace and justice in the region," said the cardinal.
On July 18 he was scheduled to meet with Vice President Dick Cheney and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the White House to discuss the situation in Lebanon. The cardinal told Catholic News Service that in the evening he planned to leave for Cyprus and hoped the United Nations would help him return to Lebanon.
Israel blockaded Lebanese ports, repeatedly bombed the Beirut airport and hit cities it considered Hezbollah strongholds. It also bombed major roads and bridges.
At a church rectory in Sidon, Lebanon, a man who asked not to be identified said all Catholic churches were opening their doors to people who needed refuge, but that church officials did not know how long they could hold out. He said churches were seeking relief supplies and food.
Rosie Akl, an American married to a Lebanese, e-mailed from Lebanon to let her American family and friends know that her family members were safe on the mountain where they lived, but said the situation was "extremely serious and critical." She spoke of long lines for food and groceries and said the Lebanese were moving en masse from the south and from parts of Beirut up into the mountains to seek some semblance of safety.
"The Lebanese have nowhere to go," she wrote. "Soon there will be no fuel. The damage to the roads will prevent food supplies being delivered.
"The Lebanese army is a joke and everyone knows it," she said. "After the (1989) Taif accord," which ended Lebanon's civil war, "they were not allowed to rearm. They have no warplanes.
"The Israelis have the latest F-16s. They have nuclear warheads. They have military satellite capabilities. Lebanon has nothing. What does the Lebanese army have? A few U.S.-built helicopters from the Vietnam era," she said.
Hezbollah sent rockets into Israel, particularly targeting the port city of Haifa July 16 and 17. The attacks sent residents of northern Israel streaming along roads heading south.
On July 17, Hezbollah rockets also hit areas around Nazareth.
Eisam Abu Nasser, a Catholic lawyer from Nazareth and the father of three young children, said residents had their eyes glued to the TV and ears glued to the radio.
"Until last night we didn't feel scared," he said July 17. "We felt very safe. But (the Katyushas ) fell very close to our area.
"There is war and destruction everywhere, and there are innocent civilians (on both sides). The religion and nationality of the person isn't important. We worry about humans. My father's cousin and my mother's aunt live in Beirut," he said.
"We have more culturally in common with Lebanon but we live in Israel. After all, we are Israelis," he said. "It is difficult. We want this to end once and for all and for there to be peace in our region."
The Melkite Catholic village of Mi'ilya in Upper Galilee was under a state of emergency. Regional council head Fathi Assaf said the village shelters were ready in case they were needed, and people were told to stay in their homes.
Yousef Assaf, who had just opened his butcher shop July 14 in Mi'ilya, said that while Israel's reaction needs to be harsh in order to deter Hezbollah actions Israel has to take care not to hurt innocent civilians.
"You can't punish all the citizens for the actions of Hezbollah," he said.
In Washington, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem to express concern about escalating Holy Land violence.
"The cycle of violence must be broken in order to open up the path to justice and peace in the Holy Land," Bishop Skylstad said.
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Contributing to this story were Cindy Wooden at the Vatican and Doreen Abi Raad in New Jersey.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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