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For peace in Palestine : End the occupation Caritas Internationalis believes the current violence in the Middle East between Palestinians and Israelis will continue until the Palestinian people are able to gain control of their own destiny and enjoy the benefits of their own state. This should be the clear, overriding goal in relations between the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Cease-fires are extremely unlikely to hold until reaching an overall solution becomes the key objective. For this to happen, both sides must first truly commit themselves to stopping the violence and enter into negotiations to address their deep, long-standing and legitimate grievances that cannot be overlooked. Stop the violence We call on all parties to cease all forms of violence. Snipers, from either side, are as much a factor in instigating long-term violence as systematic occupation and military action by the Israeli government. Planned suicide bombings, by whichever Palestinian faction, must stop. We condemn all taking of life. Revenge, for whatever motive, will never free this land from struggle, or these two peoples from lives traumatised by domination or insecurity.
There are also other manifestations of violence. The continued demolition of Palestinian houses and ancient olive trees, the destruction of agricultural fields, the multiple check-points, blockades, and interrogation undermine efforts towards peace. The occupation of the West Bank and Gaza over more than three decades has been marked by daily indignities, abuse and violence. Excessive use of force will never ensure Israel's security. Building Israeli settlements is counterproductive to a peace process.
Fear is also another form of violence. It is absurd to believe that suicide bombings of innocent civilians will ever lead to a just solution. As the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, has said : "terrorism is illogical, irrational and unacceptable as a means to resolve conflict." In fact, the extremists behind these killings are doing a great disservice to the just cause of the Palestinian people. Israel's right to exist with peace and security should be reaffirmed by the Palestinian Authority, which must do its utmost to oppose violence and terrorist acts.
Looking beyond the violence
The terms of the Middle East drama are well known: The Jewish people, after tragic experiences connected with the extermination of so many sons and daughters, driven by the desire for security, set up the state of Israel. At the same time the painful condition of the Palestinian people was created, a large part of whom are excluded from their land ... (Pope John Paul II Homily at Otranto, Italy, 5 October, 1980)
In the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, violence is the visible manifestation of something that lies much deeper. The media and politicians often reduce the conflict to a saga of violence, with the implication that quelling such violence would be sufficient to resolve the underlying problem. We need to look beyond the headlines to find a solution. To quote Patriarch Michel Sabbah : "Violence has a cause, and the cause has to be removed in order to remove the violence. That cause is the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land." Today, Israeli territory includes 78% of the former Palestine, which was taken to form the state of Israel in 1948. In 1967 Israel occupied the rest of Palestine, i.e. the remaining 22%. Since the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993 Oslo agreements, the Palestinians have recognised the legitimacy of the state of Israel, thereby conceding 78% of their land to Israel. This recognition has been frequently reiterated publicly. What they are now claiming is 22% of the original Palestine as their rightful homeland.
Land is a gift from God. Caritas Internationalis stands in unequivocal solidarity with all peoples, but particularly the oppressed. The lives of the Palestinian people have been torn apart repeatedly over the last 54 years. Holding onto land at all costs is an innately human reaction. We can never expect people who have land to give it up blindly for those who need land. However, we can expect people in an area to deliberately choose a way of sharing what they treasure. No people should be expected to accept the illegal, hostile and insidious occupation of their homeland by another people or its elected government.
We believe that the proclamation of a Palestinian state is inevitable if peace is to be achieved. This state will need to be a viable one, not just a loose collection of parcels of territory separated from each other and controlled by the Israeli army. Freedom cannot be achieved through imprisoning barriers.
Respect for human rights
A land fit to live in also entails normal, full expression of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to work, to worship, to build, to obtain education, to move freely and to speak openly.
We have seen the shelling of Palestinian city centres and residential areas. Trees, agricultural crops and facilities have been devastated. Thousands of homes have been demolished. The Palestinian territories have been sealed off hermetically, thus fragmenting the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip into isolated, desperate enclaves.
Losses in trade, industry, tourism, and agriculture are pushing ever more families below the poverty line. Unemployment has reached 50%, and in some villages is as high as 70%.
The international community must call for an end to the blockade of the Palestinian territories and a lifting of the measures that are deliberately ruining the Palestinian economy and undermining aspirations for a better life. International sanctions proposed by some against Palestine would further alienate an entire society. We equally condemn all violence against innocent Israelis, many of whom seek peace for themselves and their neighbours.
Other steps towards a real solution
Steps towards a just and lasting solution must also include :
International observers: Caritas Internationalis endorses the call for an international monitoring presence as recommended by UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson after her visit to the region. We see this as a crucial step towards peace. The Mitchell Report encourages the same. A freeze on settlements : We call for an immediate and total end to the setting up of Israeli settlements on confiscated Palestinian lands. We see this as one of the most destructive obstacles to peace. Building attractive new homes literally in front of the oppressed is a belligerent, wilful affront to humanity. We call on the Israeli government to liberate Palestinian lands, first by freezing settlement building, and then by giving back what is left of everything that has been seized. Aggressive Israeli incursions even into remote Palestinian villages, continue to thwart any path toward peace.
An agreement on Jerusalem : an agreement should be negotiated equitably between the Palestinian Authority and Israel in accordance with UN resolutions; the Holy See has consistently advocated protection of the religious dimension of Jerusalem through a special statute that would ensure freedom of religion for all, equal legal status for the three monotheistic religions, and respect for the identity and sacred nature of the city, as well as freedom of access to all the Holy Places. Jerusalem is as much at the heart of Palestinian identity, for both Christians and Moslems, as it is of Israeli and Jewish identity. Palestinian sovereignty over East Jerusalem should be recognised after these long decades of occupation.
A just resolution of the refugee problem: If Israel recognises its responsibility in this matter and accepts the right of return in principle, the modalities of return or cash compensations could be more easily discussed. The Israeli settlements, instead of being a problem, could become part of the solution if they were made available to returning Palestinian refugees.
Involvement by the international community is crucial
The international community has played a role in this conflict from the beginning. It helped bring about the state of Israel. Therefore, it should bear responsibility in helping to resolve this decades-old crisis. The Holy Father has pleaded repeatedly for a return to the respect of international law in the resolution of this conflict. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, is calling on the international community not to make an exception for Palestine and Israel, but rather to apply and enforce international law, including laws on armed conflict.
The cycle of renewed violence we have been witnessing since September 2000 will not cease through the use of force. It is clear that neither side will "win" peace through excessive violence. Only a just and comprehensive solution can bring peace, and this can only be brought about through negotiation and durable confidence-building measures supported by all countries.
Conclusion
Caritas Internationalis is concerned more than ever about the continuing violence on both sides of this conflict. To resolve it, the root cause of the problem - the occupation - must be addressed, as well as the growing social and humanitarian aspects of this tragedy. Until then, more violence will only bring more violence to both communities.
Caritas Internationalis Member Organistations
ALBANIA Caritas Shqiptar - Albania ALGERIA Services Caritas des Diocèses d'Algérie - Caritas Algérie ANDORRA Caritas Andorrana ANGOLA Caritas de Angola ANTILLES Antilles Episcopal Conference - Caritas Antilles ARGENTINA Caritas Argentina ARMENIA Caritas Armenia AUSTRALIA Caritas Australia AUSTRIA Oesterreichische Caritaszentrale AZERBAIJAN Caritas Azerbaijan BANGLADESH Caritas Bangladesh BELARUS Caritas Belarus BELGIUM Caritas Catholica Belgica BELGIUM Caritas en Communauté Française et Germanophone BELGIUM Caritas Secours International Belgique BELGIUM Caritas Vlaanderen - Belgium BENIN Caritas Benin BOLIVIA Pastoral Social - Caritas Boliviana BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA Caritas Bosnia-Herzegovina BOTSWANA Tirisanyo Catholic Commission - Caritas Botswana BRAZIL Caritas Brasileira BULGARIA Caritas Bulgaria BURKINA FASO OCADES - Caritas Burkina Faso BURUNDI CED - Caritas Burundi CAMBODIA Caritas Cambodia CAMEROON BASC - Bureau des Activités Socio-Caritatives - Caritas Cameroun CANADA Développement et Paix / Development and Peace - Caritas Canada CAPE VERDE Caritas Caboverdeana CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Caritas Centrafrique CHAD UNAD - Caritas Tchad CHILE Caritas Chile COLOMBIA SNPS - Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social - Caritas Colombia COMOROS Caritas Comores CONGO REPUBLIC Caritas République du Congo COSTA RICA Pastoral Social Caritas Costa Rica CROATIA Caritas Croatia CUBA Caritas Cuba CYPRUS Koinonia Caritas CZECH REPUBLIC Ceska Katolicka Charita - Caritas Ceska DEMOCRATIC REP. OF CONGO Commission Episcopale Caritas / Développement DENMARK Caritas Danmark DJIBOUTI Caritas Djibouti DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Caritas Dominicana EAST TIMOR Caritas East Timor ECUADOR SENAPS - Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social - Caritas Ecuador EGYPT Caritas Egypte EL SALVADOR Caritas El Salvador ENGLAND-WALES CAFOD - Caritas England and Wales EQUATORIAL GUINEA Caritas Guinea Ecuatorial ERITREA Eritrean Catholic Secretariat ESTONIA Caritas Estonia ETHIOPIA Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat FINLAND Caritas Finland FRANCE Secours Catholique - Caritas France GABON Caritas Gabon GAMBIA Caritas the Gambia GEORGIA Caritas Georgia GERMANY Deutscher Caritasverband GHANA SED - Department of Socio-Economic Development - Caritas Ghana GREECE Caritas Hellas GUATEMALA Caritas de Guatemala GUINEA OCPH - Organisation Catholique pour la Promotion Humaine GUINEA-BISSAU Caritas Guinée-Bissau HAITI Caritas Haiti HONDURAS Caritas de Honduras HONG KONG Caritas Hong Kong HUNGARY Caritas Hungarica ICELAND Caritas Island INDIA Caritas India INDONESIA Institute of Social Research and Development - Caritas Indonesia IRAN Caritas Iran IRAQ Confrérie de la Charité - Caritas Iraq IRELAND TROCAIRE - Caritas Ireland ITALY Caritas Italiana IVORY COAST Caritas Côte d'Ivoire JAPAN Caritas Japan JERUSALEM Caritas Jerusalem JORDAN Caritas Jordan KAZAKHSTAN Caritas Kazakhstan KENYA Kenya Catholic Secretariat - Caritas Kenya KOREA Caritas Coreana KUWAIT Caritas Kuwait LATVIA Caritas Latvia LEBANON Caritas Liban LESOTHO Department of Development - Caritas Lesotho LIBERIA Caritas Liberia LIBYA Caritas Libie LITHUANIA Caritas Lithuania LUXEMBOURG Caritas Luxembourg MACAU Caritas Macau MACEDONIA Caritas Macedonia MADAGASCAR Caritas Madagascar MALAWI CADECOM - Catholic Development Commission in Malawi MALAYSIA NOHD - National Office for Human Development MALI Commission Nationale de Pastorale Sociale - Caritas Mali MALTA Caritas Malta MAURITANIA Caritas Mauritanie MAURITIUS Caritas Ile Maurice MEXICO CEPS - Caritas Mexicana MOLDOVA Caritas Moldova MONACO Caritas Monaco MONGOLIA Caritas Mongolia MOROCCO Caritas Maroc MOZAMBIQUE Caritas Moçambicana MYANMAR Caritas - Karuna Myanmar NAMIBIA NACADEC - Namibian Catholic Development Commission NEPAL Caritas Nepal NETHERLANDS Caritas Nederland - CORDAID NEW ZEALAND Caritas Aotearoa - New Zealand NICARAGUA Caritas Nicaragua NIGER Caritas Niger NIGERIA Nigeria Catholic Secretariat NORWAY Caritas Norge PACIFIC ISLANDS CEPAC - Comm. for Justice and Development - Caritas Pacific Islands PAKISTAN Caritas Pakistan PANAMA Pastoral Social - Caritas Panamá PAPUA NEW GUINEA Caritas Papua New Guinea PARAGUAY Pastoral Social Nacional - Caritas Paraguay PERU Caritas del Peru PHILIPPINES NASSA - National Secretariat of Social Action - Caritas Philippines POLAND Caritas Polska PORTUGAL Caritas Portuguesa PUERTO RICO Servicios Sociales Catolicos - Caritas Puerto Rico ROMANIA Confederatia Caritas Romania RUSSIA Caritas of the Asian Part of Russia RUSSIA Caritas of the European Part of Russia RUSSIA Federal Caritas of Russia RWANDA Caritas Rwanda SAO TOME & PRINCIPE Caritas Sao Tome & Principe SCOTLAND SCIAF - Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund - Caritas Scotland SENEGAL Caritas Senegal SEYCHELLES Caritas Seychelles SIERRA LEONE NCDCO - National Catholic Development and Caritas Office SINGAPORE Catholic Welfare Services - Caritas Singapore SLOVAKIA Slovenska Katolicka Charita SLOVENIA Slovenska Karitas SOLOMON ISLANDS Caritas Solomon Islands SOMALIA Caritas Somalia SOUTH AFRICA Caritas South Africa SPAIN Caritas Española SRI LANKA SEDEC - Social Economic Development Centre - Caritas Sri Lanka SUDAN SUDANAID - Caritas Sudan SWAZILAND Caritas Swaziland SWEDEN Caritas Sverige SWITZERLAND Caritas Schweiz SYRIA Caritas Syrie - Commission Commune de Bienfaisance ( C.C.B. Syrie ) TAIWAN-R.O.C. Commission for Social Development - Caritas Taiwan TAJIKISTAN Caritas Tajikistan TANZANIA Caritas Tanzania THAILAND CCHD - Catholic Commission for Human Development - Caritas Thailand TOGO OCDI - Organisation de la Charité pour un Développement Intégral TUNISIA Services Caritas de la Prélature - Caritas Tunisie TURKEY Caritas Turquie UGANDA Uganda Catholic Secretariat - Caritas Uganda UKRAINE Caritas Spes - Caritas of Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine UKRAINE Caritas Ukraine - Caritas of the Greek Catholic Church UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Catholic Campaign for Human Development (USCC - CCHD) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Catholic Charities USA - Caritas USA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Catholic Relief Services - Caritas USA URUGUAY Caritas Uruguaya UZBEKISTAN Caritas Uzbekistan VENEZUELA Caritas de Venezuela YUGOSLAVIA Caritas Yugoslavije ZAMBIA ZEC - Catholic Commission for Development-Caritas Zambia ZIMBABWE Catholic Development Commission - Caritas Zimbabwe |