wfn.org | Palestinians Grieve over USA Tragedy

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

ACNS 2645 - MIDDLE EAST - 12 September 2001

Palestinians grieve over USA tragedy

With deep sorrow and profound grief we write this message to offer our
heartfelt condolences to the mothers, fathers, children, friends and
families of the thousands of innocent people who have been the victims of
the terrorist attacks yesterday morning on the USA. We would like to reach
out to all of our American friends to assure them that we stand by them at
this difficult and tragic time. Constantly, for the past eleven months, we
have received many massages from our friends from America expressing their
solidarity and sharing with us our grief. Never in our worst nightmares did
we imagine that we would be witnessing such a horrendous event and human
tragedy inflicted on our American friends. We care for every life and we
pray for all those who are mourning the loss of loved ones taken away by
this indiscriminate act of organized terror.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

We are aware that the media has shown President Arafat's shocked reaction to
this act and his strong condemnation of it. Unfortunately, the media has
also shown scenes of a few Palestinians celebrating this tragedy. We want
you to know that these few do not speak for or represent the entire
Palestinian people. What the media failed to acknowledge was the majority of
Palestinians who were shocked, saddened and mournful. We believe that this
media campaign is biased and aims at dehumanizing the Palestinian people.
Such a campaign follows the same logic of the terrorists, since it
deliberately attempts to punish innocent people indiscriminately. In our
grief, we are asking ourselves why did the people immediately associate us
Palestinians with the perpetrators rather than the victims.

As Palestinians, we can very well understand the pain of our American
friends. We know what it means when political leaders are targeted and are
not safe in their own offices. We understand what it means when planes
attack security headquarters. We know how it feels when the backbone of the
economy is assaulted. We do not want to compare suffering, since every
suffering is unique and this particular tragedy has such hideous dimensions.
Yet, never before have Americans and Palestinians shared so much.

We express our solidarity with the American people. We invite people all
over to:

Hold vigil prayers for the victims and their families.

Raise awareness and sensitivity to the brutality that the media perpetrates
through the images projected.

Monitor the way that certain nations and peoples are stereotyped (The
Americans, The Palestinians, etc.), thus inciting hatred and legitimizing
aggression.

Develop alternative media that will set new ethical standards in reporting.

Actively participate in the WCC's "Decade to Overcome Violence" so that
future generations will have compassion, do justice and value life.

Commit to prophet Micah's vision that "they shall sit every person under his
vine and his fig tree and none shall make them afraid." So that no American,
Palestinians, Iraqi, Israeli, Japanese, etc. will be afraid to be in his/her
office, home, or airplane, no matter what nationality they hold.

May the peace of Christ be with us all.

Revd Dr Mitri Raheb, Pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church- Bethlehem
Dr Nuha Khoury, The International Center of Bethlehem
Revd Dr Mitri Raheb, General Director

Web: http://www.annadwa.org/.

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