Catholic leader: Israel discriminates against non-Jews

A top clergyman in the Catholic church challenged Israel's self-definition as a 'Jewish state', saying that it discriminates against non-Jews.

Catholic Patriarch Michel Sabbah

Arab lawmakers inside Israel have long pointed to nineteen specific laws that favor Israeli Jews over Israeli non-Jews inside Israel.  In addition, the Israeli military has maintained a military occupation over the two Palestinian territories, the West bank and the Gaza Strip, since 1967.

 

Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, a Palestinian himself, made the statement in Jerusalem Wednesday during a pre-Christmas press conference.  Sabbah stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been perpetuated by Israel's "unwillingness to make peace".

 

He added that all religions should be allowed to share the Holy Land.  ''If there's a state of one religion, other religions are naturally discriminated against,'' said Sabbah.  He said that this is a Holy Land for Christians, Muslims and Jews, adding, "God made this land for all three of us, so a suitable state is one who can adapt itself to the vocation of this land."

 

The Catholic clergy in the Holy Land have an annual press conference leading up to Christmas.  In recent years this has come to be a forum whereby Catholic clergy have voiced their concerns over Israeli policies, particularly regarding the effects of these policies on Christians.