Ma'an reports that the rabidly anti-Israel Kairos Palestine issued a statement (not on their website yet) denouncing the trip:
Palestinian group Kairos released a statement on Friday warning Patriarch Beshara al-Rai that his plans to accompany the Pope on a Holy Land visit May 24-26 could be misused by Israeli authorities to "whitewash" the occupation.Mahmoud Abbas disagrees, but of course insists that "normalization" with Israel is an unspeakable evil:
"We as Christian Palestinians are eager to see and meet with our religious guides and leaders," the statement said, but it stressed that the group would prefer to meet with him in "prayer of the spirits, and not in the presence of the Israeli occupation."
The group also expressed its desire to "prevent the formation of any moral, ethical, or religious cover" for the occupation, highlighting their fears that Israeli authorities would misuse the patriarch's visit to distract attention from crimes perpetuated against Palestinians.
"This step may delight the occupation state, not because it believes in the right of religions to express themselves and to practice their rituals, but because it serves its policies and whitewashes its face," the statement continued.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas praised on Wednesday evening the Maronite Patriarch's anticipated visit to Jerusalem, considering that it contributes to “strengthening Muslim-Christian coexistence as well as the Arabic identity” of the occupied Palestinian territories.Israel haters express the fear that Israel will politicize the visit, but Abbas using it as a weapon against Israel doesn't seem to bother anyone!
"We highly appreciate, respect and welcome Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's visit to the Holy Land and meeting with the city's people,” Abbas said in a telephone call with Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, according to a statement published on the state-run National News Agency.
"This visit contributes to preserving the Arab identity and the resistance of Jerusalem and Palestine,” he expressed.
He continued: “We welcome Palestine's great visitor, the head of the Maronite Church which has a history of preserving Arabic language and culture.”
Addressing al-Rahi, the Palestinian leader said: "We welcome you in your second country. Your visit is not a normalization (with Israel) as those with personal agendas are claiming. They seem to be surrendering to reality by rejecting your visit to Palestine and Jerusalem, explaining that these territories are under occupation.”
"This is your city and that of besieged Palestinians. Our hearts and homes are open to welcome you, hoping that we pay the Lebanese back some of their favors in hosting hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, and in supporting the sacrifices of our people.”
The Patriarch is, so far, standing by his decision:
Al-Rahi had however reportedly defended his decision to accompany Pope Francis to Jerusalem and hinted that he would not change his mind, saying that as Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, it is his duty to welcome the Pope in any country in the region.You can be certain that two of the great truths of the Middle East will not be mentioned once by Beshara or by any Palestinian Arab leader who greets him.
"I am the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of regions expanding from Turkey to Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and to Iran,” he stated upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport coming from France on Tuesday afternoon.
"It is my duty to welcome the Pope in any country in these regions,” he explained.
And to those against his visit, the patriarch said they don't have "to accept it."
One is that the Christian population in the Middle East, including under Palestinian Arab rule, has been declining rapidly, and it is all because of Muslim anti-Christian sentiment.
Bethlehem was 60% Christian in 1990, under Israeli rule. Now the percentage of Christians there has plummeted to below 20% today under PA rule. It cannot be because of Israeli policies, because the Muslim population in Bethlehem has been increasing dramatically.
Another is that Christians have been fleeing Lebanon for decades as well. While they used to be roughly one third the population there, those days are long past. However, Christians refuse to allow a new census for fear they would lose the political power they have there by law.
Finally, another salient fact that no one will mention: Palestinian Arabs in Lebanon are treated worst of all, and are discriminated against by law, with severe restrictions on where they can live and work. These "guests" that Abbas says are being so graciously hosted by Lebanon have been fleeing as well; some 200,000 of them have emigrated even while UNRWA still claims them as "refugees" that they are helping.
No, the real problems of Christians under Palestinian and Lebanese rule, and Palestinians under Lebanese rule, will not be the subject of a single statement by Mahmoud Abbas and Patriarch Beshara. All they will talk about is about how Jerusalem and "Palestine" are Arab - and how Jews, from whom the entire claim of Christians and Muslims derive, have no rights in their ancestral homeland.
How inclusive of them.
(Yesterday's Torah reading included Lev 25:38: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God." Such a simple, straightforward verse like this causes Christian antisemites who deny any Jewish connection to the land to jump through hoops to explain how you cannot take God's Word at His word.)