Holy Land: Salesians 'deplore' decision to build Separation Wall in Cremisan Valley

Beit Jala

The Superior of the Salesians of the Middle East, Fr Munir El Rai, issued the following declaration on 2 May, regarding the Verdict of the Israeli Tribunal regarding the dividing wall in the Cremisan area.

The Salesian Province of the Middle East strongly deplores the verdict given by the Israeli Commission for Objections on 24 April 2013 regarding the dividing wall in the Cremisan area. The above mentioned commission has approved the route indicated for the wall in the plans drawn up by the Israeli Authorities, rejecting the position of the said Salesian Province and of the families of the town of Beit Jala.

The Salesians of the Middle East continue to support the position of the families of the town of Beit Jala, remaining firm in their position regarding the question of the wall, as they have already stated many times and repeatedly in previous press releases and before the Israeli Tribunal.

Herewith is a summary of the situation:

1. The Salesians of the Middle East reject the imposition of a wall that divides the people of the Holy Land and divides the various religious institutions.

2. The Salesians have asked of the aforementioned Tribunal that the dividing wall should not separate the property of their convent in Cremisan from the town of Beit Jala, and that all the properties of Cremisan remain joined to the town of Beit Jala.

3. The Israeli Authorities have fixed the route of the wall in unilateral decisions, without taking into consideration the legal opinion given by the International Tribunal of Justice, regarding the building of the wall, given on 4 July 2009.

4. The Salesian Province of the Middle East expresses its full and continued solidarity with the Palestinian families of Beit Jala whose rights and whose property have been damaged because of the building of this wall. Moreover, it affirms its intention to continue to support the legal case of these families against the wall, reserving the right to begin legal action to protect its property which was not defined in previous agreements between the two States.

We pray that peace and justice may come in the Holy Land.

Fr Munir El Rai

Salesian Provincial of the Middle East

See also: ICN 1 May 2013 Petition in support of Sisters in Cremisan Valley  www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=22450