JERUSALEM, OCT. 27, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- The Latin Patriarchate attacked a Jerusalem Post article reporting that hundreds of Christian Arab families, as well as some Moslem families, have left the region with the help of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and foreign embassies because of the recent violence in Palestinian Authority areas, the newspaper reported.
In a letter to the Post, Father Raed Abusahlia, chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, said that "after checking with various concerned parties, especially the mentioned embassies and among our Christian communities, we are confident that the mentioned report included a lot of fabricated information ... no one reported to us any foreign intervention to 'help' Christian families flee."
Israeli officials, however, expressed concern over the fate of Christian Arabs dwelling in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, who do not hold dual citizenship and are unable to leave, the Post said Thursday.
Shlomo Dror, spokesman for the coordinator of the activities in the territories, said Wednesday that officials hope they will not become the focus off attacks, especially after the Palestinian Authority media broadcast calls to harm them. "The majority of Christian Arabs yearn for peace," he told the Post.
Dror denied the patriarchate's charges and mentioned several documents he had received from the Foreign Ministry concerning Christian families from Bethlehem and Gaza who left for Canada 10 days ago, the Post said.
ZE00102720
27. oktober 2000