Letter: Have you verified the Palestinian grandmother's letter?

Hello,

I am an American Catholic who was very concerned about a letter that was online yesterday regarding the abusive treatment by Israeli soldiers of a student, Shadi Koury, in Ramallah. I was concerned about the inflammatory nature of the information. Are you sure it is true and have you verified this with his school, Quaker Friends School?

The grandmother's letter is being used here to create even more anti-semitism and anger.

My peace group at Church prays unceasingly for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. We try to support any group or effort that works toward that end. We are aware of the very unfair treatment given to the Palestinian people but also aware of the grip Hamas and Hezbollah have on the population that interferes with the progress of peace. We believe as mediators we must be able to show love and concern for all parties, not create a villain or " pose an enemy" on either side of an issue. The very nature and location of that dispute is heartbreakingly complicated and requires a great deal of restraint. As Catholics we can contribute a great deal but must be very careful not to make things worse.

We will pray for Shadi Koury and continue our efforts to end these kinds of things.

Prayerfully,

Kate Greene

Dear Kate,

Thanks for your message. Yes we have verified this letter with the school. We would not publish such a letter without verification. Please see the statements which we are publishing today.

God Bless

Editor ICN