TEXT OF ‘STATUS OF JERUSALEM’ STATEMENT FROM CATHOLIC, CHRISTIAN HOLY LAND LEADERS
Catholic Online, CA
Oct 10 2006
Catholic Online ()
JERUSALEM (Catholic Online) – A new and concerted effort to reach a
definitive agreement that respects and assures the special status of
Jerusalem as an "open city" and that rejects unilateral decisions and
imposed solutions is needed to secure "a total definitive and just
peace," said a Catholic patriarch and other Catholic and Christian
religious leaders representing faith communities here.
Advertisement Decrying the erection of walls that deny access to
"many of our faithful … from the precincts of the holy city" and
security decisions by local authorities that have made the political
and social environment less secure, the 13 church leaders, including
six of whom represented Catholic churches, called on Palestinian
and Israeli government leaders to begin negotiations and draw upon
"needed international collaboration" to assure the rights of "two
people and three religions … to live together in harmony, respect,
mutual acceptance and cooperation."
Among the 13 who signed the Sept. 29 statement, "Status of Jerusalem,"
released here, were: Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem;
Franciscan Father Pier Battista Pizzaballa, who as "custos" of the
Holy Land is in charge of Christian sites there; Maronite Bishop Paul
Nabil Sayyah; Syrian Catholic Bishop Pierre Malki; Greek Catholic
Bishop George Bakar; and, Armenian Catholic Father Rafael Minassian.
Other religious leaders signing the statement represented Greek
Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Syrian
Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Episcopal and Lutheran Evangelical
churches in Jerusalem.
The following is the English text of the Sept. 29 statement "Status
of Jerusalem":
Once more, we have experienced another period of deadly violence in
the war in South Lebanon. We still face more death and demolition in
Gaza, and more insecurity in the Israeli society. Therefore, we say
it is high time to start a serious effort from all parts for a total
definitive and just peace. Moreover, we believe that peace must begin
in this Holy City of Jerusalem.
Therefore, we present the following statement hoping it will bring
a modest contribution to the birth of peace in our Land.
In 1994, we, the patriarchs and heads of the local Christian churches
in Jerusalem, published a memorandum entitled "The Meaning of Jerusalem
for Christians" that insisted on the Christian character of Jerusalem,
and on the importance of the Christian presence in her. It also
discussed the special political status that must be accorded to the
city because of her sacred character.
Since that time, we have witnessed the increasing tendency of the
political authorities to unilaterally decide the fate of the city
and define her status. The access of our faithful and our personnel
to Jerusalem is ever-more difficult. With the construction of the
wall many of our faithful are excluded from the precincts of the
holy city, and according to plans published in the local press,
many more will also be excluded in the future. Surrounded by walls,
Jerusalem is no longer at the centre and is no longer the heart of
life as she should be.
We consider it part of our duty to draw the attention of the local
authorities, as well as the international community and the world
churches, to this very grave situation and call for a concerted effort
to search for a common vision on the status of this holy city based
on international resolutions and having regard to the rights of two
peoples in her and the three faith communities.
In this city, in which God chose to speak to humanity and to reconcile
peoples with himself and among themselves, we raise our voices to
say that the paths, followed up till now, have not brought about the
pacification of the city and have not reassured normal life for her
inhabitants. Therefore they must be changed. The political leaders
must search for a new vision as well as for new means.
In God’s own design two peoples and three religions have been living
together in this city. Our vision is that they should continue to
live together in harmony, respect, mutual acceptance and cooperation.
1. Jerusalem, Holy City and city of daily life for two peoples and
three religions
Jerusalem, heritage of humanity and holy city, is also the city of
daily life for her inhabitants, both Palestinians and Israelis, Jews,
Christians and Muslim, and for all who are linked to them by family
ties as well as for those for whom Jerusalem is the location of
their prayer, of their schools, hospitals and work places. Not only
historical memories and sacred places of pilgrimage, but also living
communities of believers, Jews, Christians and Muslims, make the city
of Jerusalem beloved and unique for each one of the three monotheistic
faiths. Holy places and living human communities are inseparable.
In addition, both the sacred character of the holy city and the needs
of her inhabitants have attracted and continue to attract numerous
religious institutions. These have been recognized by the successive
authorities throughout the centuries and have acquired certain rights
that allow them to fulfill their obligations towards the holy city
and her inhabitants.
Consequently, the fundamental rights pertaining to both individuals
and institutions must be respected. For individuals, these are basic
rights that permit them to exercise their religious, political and
social duties and to meet their religious, educational, cultural
and medical needs. For communities, this is the right to possess,
to freely administer the works necessary for their ministry and
their overall human development – churches, monasteries, schools,
hospitals, social institutions, theological and biblical institutes,
accommodation for pilgrims, etc. It also includes the right to bring in
the personnel and avail of the means needed for the proper functioning
of the institutions.
2. Requirements for a just and durable solution for the Jerusalem
question
The future of the city must be decided by common agreement, through
collaboration and consultation and not imposed by power and force.
Unilateral decisions or imposed solutions will continue to be very
detrimental to peace and security.
Different solutions are possible. The city of Jerusalem might remain
united but sovereignty in this case must be shared, exercised according
to a principle of equality by both Israelis and Palestinians. However,
the city might also be divided if this be the desire of the two
peoples who live here, with two distinct sovereignties, the aim of
which would be to reach a true unity of hearts in the two parts of
the city. The wall, which tears apart the city at more than one point
and which excludes a great number of her inhabitants must give way
to an education that will strengthen mutual trust and acceptance.
Face to face with the inability of the parties involved to find a
just and durable solution up until the present time, the assistance
of the international community is a necessity. In the future too,
this aid needs to continue in the form of guarantees that will ensure
the stability of the agreements reached by the two sides.
We recommend to create as soon as possible, an ad hoc committee
to reflect on the future of the city. In this committee the local
churches of Jerusalem must be a part.
3. Special status – Open city
Jerusalem, holy city, heritage of humanity, city of two peoples
and three religions, has a unique character that distinguishes her
from all the other cities of the world; a character which surpasses
any local political sovereignty. "Jerusalem is too precious to be
dependent solely on municipal or national political authorities" (Cf.
Memorandum, 1994). Jerusalem’s two peoples are the guardians of her
sanctity and carry a double responsibility: to organize their lives
in the city and to welcome all the "pilgrims" who come from around
the world.
The needed international collaboration is not meant to replace the
role and the sovereignty of her two peoples. It is rather needed in
order to help both peoples to reach the definition and the stability
of the special status of the city.
That is why, concretely, and from the political, economic and social
point of view, her two peoples must bestow on Jerusalem a special
status that corresponds to her double character, holy and universal,
and ordinary and local, where daily life unfolds. Once this status
has been found and defined, the international community is required to
confirm it with international guaranties that will assure continuing
peace and respect for all.
The components of this special status must include the following
elements:
1. "The human right of freedom of worship and of conscience for all,
both as individuals and as religious communities" (cf. Memorandum
1994). 2. Equality of all her inhabitants before the law, in
coordination with the international resolutions.
3. Free access to Jerusalem for all, citizens, residents or pilgrims,
at all times, whether in peace or in war. Therefore Jerusalem should
be an open city.
4. The "rights of property ownership, custody and worship which the
different churches have acquired throughout history should continue
to be retained by the same communities. These rights which are already
protected in the status quo of the holy places according to historical
‘firmans’ and other documents, should continue to be recognized and
respected" (cf Memorandum 1994).
5. The various Christian holy places in the city, wherever they are,
must remain united in geography, whatever the solution envisaged.
Conclusion
For Jews, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem is a high place of
revelation and of God’s encounter with humanity. That is why we
cannot remain indifferent to her fate nor remain silent in the face
of her sufferings. "For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest until her
vindication shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a burning
torch" (Is 62:1).
We are launching this solemn appeal to all the religious leaders
in the Holy Land to collaborate together in order to reach a common
vision of the city that might unite the hearts of all believers. We
call on our political authorities to seek out the common points of
agreement and, in co-operation with the religious authorities, to
find a solution which corresponds to the city’s sacred character.
We hope that our appeal might be heard and that the political leaders,
respecting the nature of this holy city, might show themselves
capable of reaching a final and definitive agreement that might make
of Jerusalem a true sign of the presence of God and of his peace
among all.
+ Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate.
+ Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarchate.
+ Patriarch Torkom II, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate.
Rev Pier Battista Pizziballa, OFM, custos of the Holy Land.
+ Anba Abraham, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.
+ Swerios Malki Mourad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate.
+ Abune Grima, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate.
+ Paul Nabil Sayyah, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate.
+ Bishop Riah Abu Al-Assal, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the
Middle East.
+ Bishop Mounib Younan, Lutheran Evangelical Church.
+ Pierre Malki, Exarch for the Syrian Catholics, Jerusalem.
+ George Bakar, Greek Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate.
Rev Rafael Minassian, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarcate.