|
News Items:
|
|
Headlines
|
|
News Briefs
|
|
Stories
|
|
Movies
|
|
Word To Life
|
|
Other Items:
|
|
Client Area
|
|
Links
|
|
CNS Stylebook
|
|
Archives:
|
|
Origins
|
|
.
|
|
Did You Know...
|
The whole CNS
public Web site
headlines, briefs
stories, etc,
represents less
than one percent
of the daily news
report.
Get all the news!
If you would like
more information
about the
Catholic News
Service daily
news report,
please contact
CNS at one of
the following:
cns@
catholicnews.com
or
(202) 541-3250
|
|
.
|
|
Copyright:
|
The CNS news
report may not
be published,
broadcast,
rewritten or
otherwise
distributed,
including but not
limited to such
means as
framing or any
other digital
copying or
distribution
method, in whole
or in part without
the prior written
authority of
Catholic News
Service.
Copyright
(c) 2004
Catholic News
Service/U.S.
Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
|
|
|
|
Story of the day:
|
YASSIN-CHURCHES (UPDATED) Mar-23-2004 (1,000 words) With photos posted March 22 and today. xxxi
Church leaders say killing of Hamas leader will spur extremists
By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Middle East Catholic leaders said Israel's killing of Ahmed Yassin, founder and spiritual leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas, will put people at the mercy of extremists.
"There can be no positive outcome from such an act," said Ramze Zananiri, director of the Jerusalem office of the Middle East Council of Churches.
"We are heading toward a very deep slope which will have a negative impact on both peoples. This type of action and reaction does not bring the area to any possibility of peace," he said.
After Yassin's death, Israel closed the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and Palestinians called for a three-day general strike and mourning period.
"I don't want to be in the Israelis' shoes now," said Father Majdi al-Siryani, legal adviser of the Latin-rite Patriarchate of Jerusalem. "I am afraid (of what Hamas') answer will be. This is not the way to make peace. Meanwhile we will keep praying."
He said the Latin Patriarchate schools would be closed during the mourning period.
Father al-Siryani called Yassin "one of the best (Palestinian) leaders" who acted as a "security valve" in that he was able to control the sentiments of the streets, something Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat could not do. Father al-Siryani added, however, that Hamas has "a different mentality, a different way of looking at things."
The priest recalled that last year Yassin told Jerusalem Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah that he (Yassin) realized Christian Palestinians had a "different role" to play in the Palestinian struggle and told the patriarch to continue with his peaceful message.
Father Manoel Musallam of Holy Family Parish in Gaza said he knew Yassin "very well."
He said Yassin was one of the moderate Hamas leaders.
Father Musallam said that Yassin would intercede when Muslim children bullied or threw stones at children attending the parish school.
"If ever there were any difficulties at the school or church or with the priests, we used to go to Ahmed Yassin, and at any moment we would find protection with him," Father Musallam said.
In another instance, Yassin kept Palestinian gunmen escaping from Israeli soldiers from trying to hide in the parish church, school or cemetery in order not to endanger those sites, Father Musallam said.
Yassin often came to celebrate Christian feasts at the church, he said.
Father Musallam said the Christian community was not concerned about the leadership of Hamas becoming more extreme because, he said, "we know all the leaders, they are our friends."
"Hamas is fundamentalist, extreme, against Israel; against our enemies not against our people. They love us. As Christians we are not afraid," he said. "The future will prove how much these Christians are with Muslims and have not suffered from Muslims."
However, in the past, Christians in Gaza have expressed concern over their future if Muslim extremism grows. One elderly Catholic from Gaza said, "If Hamas grows, we will disappear."
Yassin was killed early March 22 by missiles from Israeli helicopters as he left a mosque near his home in Gaza City.
Seven of his bodyguards -- including two of his sons -- also were killed. Palestinians said 15 other people were injured in the attack.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into the streets of Gaza City following the attack, and gunmen shot into the air while others threw pipe bombs, according to press reports. Violent demonstrations erupted elsewhere throughout the West Bank.
Israeli military sources called the killing "a significant strike against a central pillar in the Hamas terrorist organization."
"The perception that Yassin was the 'political' leader and left the management of terrorist activities to others is incorrect," the Israeli sources said. "In fact, there is no differentiation between the 'political' and 'military' wings of Hamas. Yassin, himself, often authorized and encouraged attacks and strongly preached against Israel. Yassin was directly responsible for a long list of terrorist attacks against both Israeli civilians and foreigners, as well as Israeli security forces."
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz called Yassin the "Palestinian (Osama) bin Laden."
Yassin, who was imprisoned in Israel in 1984 and 1989 and received a life sentence for involvement in the killing of two Israeli soldiers, founded Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He was released from prison in 1997 under the framework of an agreement with Jordan, and, according to the Israeli sources, he became involved in Hamas terrorist activities and personally authorized suicide attacks, bombings and missile attacks into Israeli settlements.
Following the assassination and closure, Zananiri said his staff was assessing the situation on the ground, specifically at their numerous health clinics in Gaza refugee camps and at West Bank centers for children.
"Our first concern is for the centers' safety, and we are concerned if people will be able to get there. Some employees will simply not be able to come because of (the closure)," he said. "We have to be considerate of the general climate, but in certain sectors like the health clinics they should be open. We want to make sure the children are OK during the strike and general mourning period."
Palestinian militant groups vowed immediate revenge for Yassin's death not only against Israeli targets but also on all Zionist targets abroad and American targets, according to press reports. They charged the United States with approving the attack and, in a statement faxed to The Associated Press, vowed that all Muslims around the world would be "honored to join in on the retaliation for this crime."
"(Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon has opened the gates of hell, and nothing will stop us from cutting off his head," AP quoted Hamas leaders as saying from mosque loudspeakers.
The United States denied involvement and called for restraint on both sides.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia condemned the attack, saying that it opened the door "wide to chaos." He said Yassin was "known for his moderation" and ability to control Hamas.
END
Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service.
|
|
|
|
