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Egyptian Copts Denounce Israel’s Detention of Father Attalla
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| Pope Shenoda denounced the detention of Father Attalla. |
By
Hamdi el-Hosseiny, IOL Cairo Correspondent
CAIRO,
Aug 23 (IslamOnline) – Egyptian Christian leaders Friday, August 22,
2002, angrily dismissed Israel’s interrogation of the former
spokesman of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and urged the
Union of World Churches to take a firm stand against Israel’s
unacceptable treatment of religious men.
Priest
Saleeb Matta, member of the board of the Egyptian Orthodox Church,
told IslamOnline that Pope Shenoda III received “the tragic news
with great sadness”, during his tour abroad.
“The
Pope is very sad to hear about the tragic events in the occupied
lands. Massacres against the civilians did not leave out any body.
Even holy men, Christians or Muslims, not an exception,” Matta said.
“The
Pope denounces the detention of Father Attalla, despite his
release,” he added.
Matta
added that the position of the Pope and the Egyptian Church is well
known, as far as the Israeli occupation is concerned.
“Pope
Shenoda will never enter Palestine unless it is liberated. He will not
seek permission from the Israelis to visit Jerusalem,” he added.
Pope
Shenoda is currently touring foreign countries to meet with Egyptian
minorities abroad. The aim of the tour, to end September 10, is to
explain Egypt’s stand on the Palestinian issue, and to rally support
for the courageous Palestinian resistance.
For
his part, the press spokesman of the Egyptian Catholic Church, Rafiq
Girees, told IslamOnline that “the Israeli racism is directed to
every body in Palestine.
“They
(the Israelis) hate every one, attack every one, kill every one. They
do not care whether you are Christian or Muslim, a religious man or
just any one… To them, we are all Arabs, that’s all,” Girees
said.
He
urged the Union of World Churches to do something to protect religious
men in Palestine, to denounce the detention of Father Attalla, and to
warn the Israelis to stop chasing holy men generally, whether Muslims
or Christians.
On
Thursday, August 22, 2002, Israeli police abducted the former
spokesman of the Greek Orthodox church in Jerusalem for questioning,
claiming that he was lending support to “terrorist organizations,”
then released him five hours later.
Father
Attalla Hannah is an Arab Israeli from the northern Nazareth region
known for his public support for the Palestinian resistance as well as
his criticism of Israeli atrocities.
The
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) condemned his detention saying
it was aimed at "silencing a man who fights for human rights and
a fair solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict."
The
PLO's committee on religious affairs said in a statement that
"the detention was an unacceptable interference in Christian
affairs."
Israeli
Superintendent Gil Kleiman told Agence France-Presse (AFP) Hannah was
suspected of “having given help to terrorist organizations.”
Israel dubs the Palestinian legal resistance against occupation as
“terrorism”.
Hannah
was questioned about trips he made to Lebanon and Syria, with which
Israel is still officially at war, and during which he apparently met
with Hassan Nassrallah, Secretary General of the Lebanese movement
Hizbullah, Kleiman claimed.
The
Israeli police also said that the Orthodox priest was arrested
following his statement in which he supported the “suicide”
attacks against Israel.
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