The Holy Land Thread

[Del]

Israel Helps Thousands Of Gazans Evacuate After Hamas Tried To Trap Them

IDF forces opened a corridor for Gazan refugees to escape so that Hamas cannot continue to use them as human shields for their military/terrorism.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Title: Israel Helps Thousands Of Gazans Evacuate After Hamas Tried To Trap Them
Source: Daily Wire
Link: dailywire DOT com/news/watch-israel-helps-thousands-of-gazans-evacuate-after-hamas-tried-to-trap-them

IDF forces opened a corridor for Gazan refugees to escape so that Hamas cannot continue to use them as human shields for their military/terrorism.

Although I'm certainly glad to see that Israel didn't violate International Law when it might've been tempted to do so, I'm not sure that refraining from the commission of War Crimes — when given the opportunity to do so — rises to the level (at least, under normal circumstances) of "exercising Heroic Virtue".

Nonetheless, props for not dipping below the minimum requirements.

Keep up the good work, Israel!

[Del]

+JMJ+

Title: Israel Helps Thousands Of Gazans Evacuate After Hamas Tried To Trap Them
Source: Daily Wire
Link: dailywire DOT com/news/watch-israel-helps-thousands-of-gazans-evacuate-after-hamas-tried-to-trap-them

IDF forces opened a corridor for Gazan refugees to escape so that Hamas cannot continue to use them as human shields for their military/terrorism.

Although I'm certainly glad to see that Israel didn't violate International Law when it might've been tempted to do so, I'm not sure that refraining from the commission of War Crimes — when given the opportunity to do so — rises to the level (at least, under normal circumstances) of "exercising Heroic Virtue".

Nonetheless, props for not dipping below the minimum requirements.

Keep up the good work, Israel!

Israel is not tempted to kill innocent Palestinian families and children. Why would you even suggest that?

Israel is conducting this war as morally as any war can be done. Which is reasonable, considering that Israel never wanted a war at all. But the final outcome is set: Hamas will never be able to launch such an unprovoked attack against innocent civilians; raping, killing, burning and taking hostages; ever again.

The Israelis care far more about the lives of Palestinians than Hamas does. Hamas is counting on this.

Hamas has been stacking war crimes upon war crimes. Which is to be expected, as they have been demonically inhumane -- even by the standards of jihadi terrorists. Hamas broke Islam's rules for just war: Murdering women, raping women and girls.

[Hovannes]

The robust antisemitism that's recently raised its ugly head on this side of the world is causing a lot of anxiety for our Jewish neighbors.
I've been encouraging my kids to make the time to speak to their Jewish friends and let them know "I have your back."
The response has more often than not been near tearful gratitude, especially among the elderly.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Source: Vatican News
Link: vaticannews DOT va/en/pope/news/2023-11/pope-expresses-closeness-to-suffering-palestinians-and-israelis.html

Pope expresses closeness to suffering Palestinians and Israelis

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Pope Francis says he remembers every day the suffering Palestinians and Israelis, praying for them, and he offers his "embrace" at this "dark moment." He appeals for a stop to the violence, immediate rescue efforts and humanitarian aid for all.

Vatican City — Addressing the crowds in Saint Peter's Square following the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis addressed the very serious situation in Israel and Palestine, underscoring his closeness to all those suffering, Palestinians and Israelis. He said he remembers and prays for them every day, and he offers them his "embrace" at "this dark moment."

“May the weapons be stopped: they will never lead to peace, and may the conflict not widen! Enough! Enough, brothers! In Gaza, let the wounded be rescued immediately, let civilians be protected, let far more humanitarian aid be allowed to reach that stricken population. May the hostages be freed, including the elderly and children. Every human being, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, of any people or religion, every human being is sacred, is precious in the eyes of God and has the right to live in peace. Let us not lose hope: let us pray and work tirelessly so that the sense of humanity may prevail over hardness of heart.”

[Del]

Word of advice: Never put yourself at the biting end of Jewish humor.

It might be found elsewhere in this thread, but it bears repeating: The Israeli Jews have a secret weapon.... They have no place else to go.

[Biff]

Word of advice: Never put yourself at the biting end of Jewish humor.

It might be found elsewhere in this thread, but it bears repeating: The Israeli Jews have a secret weapon.... They have no place else to go.

Brilliant! Couldn't agree more with the sentiment.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Link: lpj DOT org/posts/statement-on-the-recent-events-in-the-armenian-quarter.html

Statement on the recent events in the Armenian Quarter [Press Release]

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The following statement was issued by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on November 18, 2023.

Statement on the recent events in the Armenian Quarter

November 18, 2023

We, as the Christian community of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, share grave concern over the recent events taking place within the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. In recent days, a contested contract for development on a considerable portion of the Armenian Quarter has been declared canceled. Instead of it being handled through the proper legal channels, the alleged developers have decided to hire armed provocateurs, obstruct parking entrances, and begin demolition work.

We are worried that these events potentially endanger the Armenian presence in Jerusalem, as they set a precedent for similar engagements. The illegal actions taken by the alleged developer against the Armenian Patriarchate and community are not conducive for the social order that the peaceful and law-abiding Armenian community, which is a member of our Christian family in the Holy Land, longs for.

The provocations that are being used by the alleged developers to deploy incendiary tactics threaten to erase the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

As the Heads of the Churches, we express our solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate and community in their decision to take the proper legal procedures in their cancellation of this transaction and urgently appeal to all relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies able to assist in this matter to help us restore the former peace and harmony enjoyed by all those who have used this land in the Armenian Quarter.

We are convinced that matters of this nature should be handled only through legal negotiations and procedures to avoid further escalations and violence.

—The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Source: National Catholic Reporter / OSV News
Link: ncronline DOT org/news/israel-agrees-hostage-deal-hamas-church-leaders-hope-it-will-lead-end-war

Israel agrees to hostage deal with Hamas; church leaders hope it will lead to end of war

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Jerusalem — The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed his happiness at the late-night hostage-exchange agreement reached between Israel and Hamas Nov. 21, and said he hoped it would lead to end to the war which broke out after an Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on 22 southern Israeli agricultural communities along the border with Gaza.

"We are happy with the news and hope that this will lead to further positive development that will bring the conflict to a conclusion," said Pizzaballa in a brief statement released to journalists in Italian and English.

The Israeli government said in a statement it was obligated to return all the hostages home and had approved the outline of the first stage of the goal.

According to the agreement, which was negotiated with the help of Qatar, at least 50 Israeli hostages — women and children — will be released over four days, during which there will be a pause in the fighting. The release of every additional 10 hostages will result in one additional day in the pause, they said.

The truce is aimed to begin at 10 a.m. Nov. 23. In the exchange Israel will also allow fuel, medicine and other humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and will release up to 300 Palestinians — also women and children — held in Israeli prison.

[…]

On Nov. 22, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for prayers for people suffering due to wars in Ukraine and the Holy Land, saying "this is not war; this is terrorism."

The Holy Father recalled his meeting earlier the same morning with two delegations: 12 members of the Israeli delegation at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta and Palestinian delegation in a room in the Paul VI hall.

"They suffer so much. I heard how they both suffer," Francis said. "Wars do that," he stressed, adding that the situation in the Holy land reminded that "here we have gone beyond wars." "This is not war; this is terrorism," he said.

The parents of Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who was among those captured from a desert dance party near the Gaza border Oct. 7 and also holds American citizenship, met with the pope.

"I feel blessed and honored to have had that experience. He was very kind and empathetic," said Rachel Goldberg, who is originally from Chicago. In a video posted on social media, she told the pope: "This is my son," holding up her cellphone to the pope. "No arm — it's been 47 days."

An Israeli television channel read the possible names of hostages to be released Nov. 22, showing pictures of dozens of children — babies, toddlers and teenagers, who could be reunited with their families, but families to whom OSV News spoke say they were told that nothing is for certain until the hostages actually cross the border with Gaza. The list allegedly includes Abigail Mor Idan, the 3-year-old Israeli-American who saw her parents murdered, and was then taken hostage to Gaza.

Abigail's father Roy Edan, 43, a photojournalist, and her mother, Smadar Edan, were murdered Oct. 7. "The one thing that we all hold on to is that hope now that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday," the toddler's aunt Liz Hirsh Naftali told CNN Nov. 21.

"Friday is her 4th birthday. We need to see Abigail come out and then we will be able to believe it."

Hamas is believed to have taken 239 people as hostages into Gaza following their incursion. They are mainly civilians, including Israelis, dual-citizens, foreign workers from Thailand, Nepal and the Philippines and two international students from Tanzania.

Some 1,200 people, also mainly civilians, were killed in the terrorist attack — including Israeli Muslim citizens and foreign workers, which Hamas documented in gruesome videos released of that day's atrocities from the terrorists' bodycams.

[…]

While some reports are heralding the truce as the first step toward the end of the brutal conflict, Israel has insisted that it will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and that it will "complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza."

[Hovannes]

While some reports are heralding the truce as the first step toward the end of the brutal conflict, Israel has insisted that it will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and that it will "complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza."

As well they should.