2023-10-12 08:44:27
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizza ball, responds to the interview request with a somber face and warning that he does not have much time. The unexpected outbreak of war violence between Israel y Hamas has broken again the fragile balances of religious coexistence in Israel and Palestine, and now one of its main activities is trying to keep safe the around 280,000 Christians who live there. A juggling act that is not always easy since the vast majority of Christians are Palestinians and in recent months Christians have had disagreements with the Israeli authorities due to various episodes of harassment and attacks on this community by settlers. “Yes, but this is not the time for controversy,” warns in this interview this religious man who has lived in the area since 1990 and has recently been named cardinal by the Popeby emphasizing that right now the most important thing is that “the guns remain silent.”
What is the situation of Christians at this moment? Have there been any deaths after the Hamas offensive? Are there Christians kidnapped?
The local Christian community is doing well, but some foreign workers, at least five Filipinos, have died. We have also lost track of two others, who have probably been kidnapped. They worked in those kibbutz where there were massacres. But we don’t know more, or why [los habrían secuestrado]. There is a lot of confusion.
A small community of Christians lives in Gaza. Do you know how and where they are?
Christians in Gaza number around 1,000, most of them are Orthodox but there are also about 150 Catholics. Of these, about 50 families are now in the Latin parish complex [de la Sagrada Familia] where there is also a school. The others are scattered around, they can’t move because right now there is a total siege, and there is a total curfew. They are sold out.
Most Christians are Palestinians, right?
Yes. About 130,000 live in Israel and about 45,000 are in Palestine. These are the premises. To this figure we must add another 100,000 who are migrant population.
And the churches are still open?
Yeah.
The Israeli embassy to the Vatican accused the Jerusalem patriarchs of maintaining an “ambiguous” stance in a statement issued after the Hamas attack.
It was probably a mistake to send a statement so quickly, when we were not yet fully aware of the atrocities committed. [por Hamás]. That said, the Palestinians were also very angry with us, they considered it too biased in favor of Israel. What I want to say is that this is not the time for controversy, but I also think that we will have to be clearer in condemning Hamas, there is no justification for what they have done.
You have been here since the 90s. Have you seen the extreme violence of these days before?
No never. And I never thought we would see the same violence that Syria or Iraq suffer.
Very complex question: how did we get here?
It is difficult to answer because there are many causes that have led to the current situation. First of all, it must be said that the Palestinian people have been waiting for an answer for 70 years. This response has not arrived and the population [palestina] He lives in very poor conditions, also socially and economically. In addition to this, religious fundamentalism is growing and there has been a lot of shortsightedness on Israel’s part in not truly committing to giving the Palestinian people the perspectives to which they are entitled. There are also many other international causes.
What do you see on the street right now?
I see deep hatred, distrust, fear that is perceived in every moment of daily life, even when shopping, when driving the car. You perceive this deep hatred, this distrust between Israelis and Palestinians, a mutual fear, it is what is determining everything at this moment.
In the weeks and months leading up to this war, Christian community leaders warned of continued attacks by Israeli settlers. Do you fear that this war will further radicalize that type of fundamentalism?
Unfortunately, the risk of this happening on both sides exists and is very high, including a hunt for the Arab or the Jew. It is a danger that exists, yes, unfortunately.
Could it affect Christians?
As I said, most Christians are Arabs.
What is your biggest concern?
The after, when it will be necessary to rebuild what has been destroyed, not so much the material, but these relationships destroyed in a very marked way.
What can the international community do?
Help de-escalate, to the extent possible.
And Pope?
The same, although the margins are very limited. What we can do is try to keep the dialogue open, talk to the different diplomatic and political authorities, reason with them.
Has an attempt been made to open a channel of communication with the parties involved in the conflict?
I can’t answer that.
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