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March 4, 2006
Israel: Nazareth Attack Condemned By Jews, Muslims and Christians
A bizarre incident took place last night in the Christian (Franciscan) Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, in which a couple released fireworks and gas canisters, injuring thirteen local residents, states Xinhuanet and Al Jazeera.
The assailants were a Jewish man, Haim Eliyahu Habibi (pictured), and his Christian wife Violet and their 20 year old daughter. They were treated for injuries sustained when they were beaten by Catholic worhippers inside the Basilica, and early today, they were taken into custody.
Habibi is said to not be an extremist. His daughter claimed that the couple wanted to draw attention to their economic conditions, and also that two of their children were taken into the protection of the Israeli authorities. If they are parents who choose acts of terror to gain attention, perhaps they did not deserve to have their two children kept with them.
Several years ago, the Habibi family tried unsuccessfully to gain political asylum in the West Bank.
The attack last night caused stone-throwing riots, in which two dozen people were injured. 13 of these were Israeli police officers.
Today, Christian leaders organised a march through Nazareth in protest at the assault, which caused light damage to the cathedral.
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzip Livni, sent a message to the Vatican late last night, stating that Israel is committed to protecting Christian holy sites.
The attack has been seized upon by both Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The designated Prime Minister of the upcoming Hamas government, Ismail Haneya, claimed the attack was the fault of the Israelis who are feeding a culture of hate to "its public against the Palestinians, and their Christian and Islamic holy places and believers." The comments were made in a conversation by phone with Nazareth mayor, Ramez Jaraisy.
Today, Islamic Jihad issued a statement saying that Christian and Muslim believers should withstand attacks against their faith.
Last year, Druze (Islamic) villagers at Maghar burned Christian businesses, after rumours spread that Christian youths were showing pictures of Druze girls on the web.
Boulos Rececinto Marcuzzio, a bishop in Nazareth, said that the incident in Maghar and at the Basilica of the Anunciation gave cause for concern.
We reported last September of the way Islamic pressure has led to Christians leaving the Holy Land. 60 years ago, Christians in the region were 20% of the population, and now they only comprise 2%.
Both Hamas' future "Prime Minister" and Islamic Jihad conveniently ignore the attack on the Christian community in Taiba last year, where Muslims ran amok, burning houses and destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary This event took place on 3 to 4 September, and was caused by a Muslim woman having a relationship with her Christian boss. Her family made her commit suicide by drinking poison.
The self-centred and callous couple who initiated the assault last night deserve punishment, or perhaps psychiatric treatment.
But the attempts by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to claim that there is any solidarity between local Muslims and the Christian community are hollow, and ignoring the way their fellow Muslims are engaged in a pattern of systematic persecution of Christians in the Holy Land.
The basilica is built upon the site where the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at March 4, 2006 2:18 PM
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