A Jew who is ashamed to be one and a Catholic pastor's prayers for Gazans

"I am a Jew but am utterly ashamed and disgusted to be one right now!

"My God in the Torah certainly does not stand for oppression, discrimination, injustice or terror," wrote Josh from South Africa as quoted by AlJazeera.

"What the Zionists are doing in my name is totally against Judaism and they will pay for their acts on the Day of Judgement'.

Meanwhile, Father Manuel Musallam, Pastor of the Catholic Church in Gaza, said: "Gaza was suffering prior to the war, it suffered during the war and it will continue to suffer after the war".

"Our people have endured the bombing of their homes, their crops have been destroyed, they have lost everything and many are now homeless.

We have endured phosphorus bombs which have caused horrific burns, mainly to civilians. Like the early Christians our people are living through a time of great persecution, a persecution which we must record for future generations as a statement of their faith, hope and love," Pastor Musallam said.

[The war has affected everyone in Gaza, Muslims and Christians. It is not between Muslims and the Zionists. It is a human tragedy.]

Father Musallam said the world has to find a solution for the Palestinian people and not simply revert to the position they were in before the war began. The borders with Israel must be redrawn and the occupation, which began 60 years ago, has to end.

The Catholic Church of Gaza said that the status of Palestinian refugees must be resolved pursuant to the Right of Return, and East Jerusalem must be the Palestinian state capital.

"We must tear down the Apartheid Wall, open the border crossings, free Palestinian detainees and remove Israeli settlements so the land can be returned to its original Palestinian owners," Father Musallam added.

He said, peace is only possible if it embraces justice. If the world grants the Palestinian people their human rights there will surely be peace in the Middle East.

"From all the people of Gaza we thank you, our friends everywhere, for your constant prayers and particularly for the support which we urgently need and we hope will reach us soon. We thank His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI for his stance in calling for peace in the Midle East and for his generous support to the poor of Gaza. And we thank all bishops, priests, pastors, monks and nuns across the world for remembering us in their prayers".

On behalf of every Gazan, we share your prayers and say to the world: "From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen." (Galatians 6: 17-18)

[This message was received and relayed by Stuart Littlewood, author of Radio Free Palestine.]

Source: aljazeera.com