wfn.org | ACNS3362 A message from the Rt Revd Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal,

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3362     |     MIDDLE EAST     |	  20 MARCH 2003

A message from the Rt Revd Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal, the Anglican Bishop in
Jerusalem

Dear Friends,

Salaam and grace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and blessed greetings
from Jerusalem.

As I begin this message I want to first thank all who are supporting us at
this time in Jerusalem, in aid of our schools, hospitals, and service
institutions, together with all the support we offer throughout the church
to those in need at this time of crisis locally. The support we receive is
much appreciated, and helps to alleviate the pain of many in our Land.

This message also comes out as further escalation in international affairs
begins with the war in Iraq today. With increasing uncertainty with regard
to the future, I want first and foremost to thank all who have been
relentlessly working for peace, and firmly standing against the use of arms.
I want to say thank you for all church people and churches around the world
who have been concerned with the prophetic message and calling of the church
to pose the question of Christ before all who claim power and order in the
world. We live at a time when many who claim to be Christians are
Christ-less Christians. I continue to believe that whoever thinks that they
can bring about a new world order with the power of the gun will be
defeated. Whoever said that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts
absolutely" poses this question of Christ, who becomes the victim of the
powerful. True it is that we are to reach out to those who are in need.
However, those in need these days are those who think they know the truth.
They are in need of facing the poor Christ, who reminds them of their
poverty.

The war has begun, and we will begin counting the dead, the victims, and the
injured. The aggressor bears the responsibility of those innocent lives. Is
it not enough that Iraq has lost 1.7 Million children over the last 10
years, over the use of Uranium, and the spread of leukaemia? I call upon you
to remember the victims, who will be unnamed.

For us here it seems that the party that is benefiting from this conflict is
Israel. Israel has secured US$10 billion as part of a massive war budget.
US$1 billion of this will be in military aid, to buy more bulldozers, and
more weapons. The rest will be for what they claim to compensate Israel's
loss, which we believe will be used to crush the hope in a Palestinian State
by adding to Jewish Settlements in the Occupied West Band and Gaza. This is
not to mention the cost of the whole operation, which is estimated earlier
by Pentagon at close to US$95 billion.

On the other hand, the Palestinian side is going to suffer as much as the
Iraqis, if not more. That has been the case in the past, and it is going to
be the case again. We already have lost 2000 people. Tens of thousands have
been injured, with about 15% handicapped as a result. Thousands of homes
have been demolished, and tens of thousands of trees uprooted. Among those
whose lives have been claimed in recent days is an American activist: Rachel
Corrie from Olympia. She seems to have been murdered with clod blood
according to her colleagues who work with the International Solidarity
Movement, and who were present at the time of her killing. Eyewitnesses say
that there is no way she could not have been seen by the soldiers in their
elevated cabin, when she was 10-20 metres away. Sadly, with all that
suffering, and all these deaths and losses, we hear of no compensation to
the Palestinians.

The Church in Jerusalem will continue to work and fulfil its calling in the
midst of all this chaos. We remain where we are, trying to cope with the
situation, through our hospitals, schools and other services. We call upon
our people to open themselves in prayers to the mercy of God, and like
Christ be firm and courageous even in their silence before those who torment
the body. Our presence will have to be preserved, and our calling
accomplished. We cannot flee, we cannot claim neutrality. Many do that, but
that is not the way of Christ. It is the way of Pilate. May God deliver us
from those temptations.

It is always good to know that we are upheld by the prayers of the Church
around the world, and we ask you to be in touch with us, in as much as we
ask you to be at prayer for the people of Iraq, for the people of Palestine,
and all who suffer in the world.

Know that this comes with my prayer, and best wishes for a blessed Lent.

In Christ,

+The Rt Revd Riah Abu El-Assal
Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem

___________________________________________________________________

For details about the Enthronement of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Most Revd Rowan D Williams, visit http://www.anglicancommunion.org/

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