www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Catholic Response to Palestinian Suffering

Dear Yuhannon,

For many years, I sincerely believed that the Israeli's were to blame for the suffering of the Palestinians. I'm older now, much wiser, and know better.

That is not to say that the Israeli's cannot be insensitive to the needs of others. Believe me, I've been in contact with a crude and obnoxious Israeli soldier.

I happen to be of Greek descent, and I know my history. In 1923, two to three million Greeks were forced out of Asia Minor. In the 1950's, Nassar kicked the Greeks out of Alexandria and Cairo, with all the other foreigners. In 1950, the Greeks left Istanbul pennyless, fearful of their lives. Again in 1950, Albania took over Northern Greek Epirus, and the people ran out.

When this Greek majority, were forced out of their 3,000 year old homeland, Greece didn't tell them to remain in refugee camps to regain their land.

Actually, if one were to look at the maps of Europe during the last century, they would see populations moving with each change in boundaries, before wars, during wars, and especially after wars. Yet, it is Christian, Jews, and what not, that leaves, never the Muslim, for the Muslim religion teaches that once a land has been Muslim, it must remain Muslim.

Today, there is talk in Jordan of Spain becoming Muslim again, and that they, having evolved from the original Arian heresy, are the true inhabitants of Spain. I've heard that the Saudi's are buying up quite a bit of land there.

Zenovia

Dear Yuhannon,

Forgive me if I appear insensitive in my former post. I do know that you are suffering dearly, but I also know that the sufferings are caused by the mind set of the Palestinians.

If the Palestinians were to accept Israel as a state, and not insist on the right to return, then there would be peace.

What is wrong with the Arab Muslims doing what millions upon millions of Christians have done throughout the centuries... Leave!

Do you realize that Arafat has been given millions by Saudi's, etc. in order to keep the Palestinian people in poverty and bondage. That way they will resent the Jews, and the religious/ political state of Islam can expand by exploiting the sympathies of the World, as well as by using terrorism to scare the Jews to leave. What he hasn't counted on, is that Israel is an immovable object. They have sufferred too much in the past, and they will never again leave themselves without a homeland.

As for Arafat, can you imagine someone doing such things to their 'own' people.

Shame on him...the murderer!

Zenovia

I am sorry, I cannot let this pass without comment.

What you are advocating is ethnic cleansing.

I could not possibly disagree more.

Dear Yuhannon,

may I suggest that, instead of posting articles in their entirety, you provide URL to the articles you wish us to read and consider. This would comply with the appropriate copyright laws. Excerpts from with articles or summaries with the link would be more in conformity with the rules of this discussion board.

Islam does teach this, but that's beside the point in this circumstance because of the simple fact that not all of the Palestians are Muslim. Of course, the majority are, but the fact is that there are Palestinian Christians who are as ardent in their desire for the return of their homeland as any Palestinian Muslim.

Sadly, not surprising. I'd bet on Spain becoming a largely Muslim nation again in the next few decades. Apparently the rate of conversions to Islam in Spain is very rapid, for plethora of reasons. On top of that, the country's formerly "Catholic" government has pretty much abandoned all/many Catholic ethic principles (for example, the recent legalization of homosexual mariage).

Logos Teen

Actually, at one time Christians were 100% of the population in the Middle East. Ethnic Cleansing has been going on for over a millinium. Actually, it still is going on throughout the world, and it is for that reason it is referred to as the 'bloody borders of Islam'. In other words, terrorism is going on in every land that borders Islam; in Africa, in Kashmir, in Kosovo, in Israel, etc.

When I said why don't the Palestinians just leave, I meant how can the Arabs in other lands, stand to see their people suffering like that. I cannot imagine something happening to Canada, and the Canadian people sitting in refugee camps for forty years, simply because we are not willing to help them get settled. Yet these same Arabs, are willing to give Arafat millions to keep them in that condition.

In Kosovo, when the Muslims tried to leave, they were hindered by other Muslims, (mostly Iranian). Now this was not mentioned in our newspapers, but rather CNN for propaganda purposes, showed the Kosovan Muslims, or rather paid them five dollars for each time they left...in front of the camara of course.

Yet today, the Serb minority is forced to leave. So much for Clinton's word that they will be protected and not leave.

Talk about a failed war.

Zenovia

Talk about Ethnic Cleansing and Clinton's failed policies...the same policies that Kerry wants to emulate.
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Subject:
Week Ending October 22, 2004 - From Washington, DC

Organization:
Religious Freedom Coalition
To:
"RFC" <support@rfcnet.org>

KOSOVO

On Thursday of this week I had lunch with Serbian Orthodox Bishop Artemije of Kosovo, Prince Mihajlo
Karadjordjevic of the Serbian royal family and some pastors and Orthodox priests to discuss the continuing
deterioration of the rights of Orthodox Christians in Kosovo. This is the fourth trip to the United States this
year for the Bishop who met with officials at our State Department on the abuses of human rights in
Kosovo by the Albanian Muslim majority. Also present at the lunch were some of the members of the fact
finding mission to Kosovo in August, Pastor Michael Faulkner of New York and Episcopal priest, Father
Keith Roderic and Colonel Fred Peterson, USMC ret. Discussions centered on means of enforcing UN
resolution 1244 which called for the creation of a "multi-ethnic"
society in Kosovo. As reported earlier, more than 35 churches and seminaries were desecrated and
destroyed in March of this year by Albanian Muslim mobs. The Albanian government has set aside about
five million dollars for reconstruction of the churches at the demand of the United Nations. The Cathedral
of Saint George in Prizren alone will cost that much or more to repair as even its foundation was damaged
when it was set on fire by mobs.