NEWS AND VIEWS

"As leaders of the Christian churches in Jerusalem concerned at the present situation in the Palestinian Territories we feel we must voice our anxiety for all our people -- Christian and Muslim alike -- at the deteriorating relations between Fatah and Hamas leaders and the armed forces," they said.

In a statement made available on January 15, 13 church leaders noted that "all kinds of mediation and attempts at reconciliation have so far failed, resulting in a deadlock in the situation." They said the latest accusations and threats made known through the media had triggered "some large-scale fighting which soon will be very difficult to stop."

They warned: "Fighting and kidnapping opponents will not bring down the Separation Wall or end the embargo on the Palestinian people."

News agencies have in recent days reported fighting of an unprecedented ferocity between Fatah and Hamas, the two major Palestinian factions, noting that more than 30 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah and president of the Palestinian Authority, said at the end of 2006 there should be fresh elections.

The church leaders noted: "The threatening language of the last few days by representatives of both movements and other related parties are both unprecedented and very aggressive. Such occurrences can only bring a civil war nearer by the hour. The outcome would be so drastic that it will obscure the real priorities of the whole Palestinian issue."

Among the signatories of the statement are: the most senior Roman Catholic leader in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah; Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III; Patriarch Torkom II of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church; Anba Abraham of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate; the leader of the Anglican community in the Holy Land, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal; and Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

"The time has come for an all-out effort to unite our people and so concentrate on working for independence together," they said, to offer "the opportunity for all people in this Holy Land -- Christian, Muslim and Jew -- to know security and peace."

The Jerusalem church heads called for a removal of arms from the street, a government of national unity and an Israeli-Palestinian return to the negotiating table, and they pledged to play their part in ending strife and made an offer of mediation. "Bloodshed and violence will not bring peace; it will only further destroy family life and further endanger the economy of our land," said the church leaders.