Newspaper
Pagina/12
Buenos Aires, Thursday, March 23 of 2000
The visit of the Pope, Palestinian version
A very important progress (view)
By Suhail Hani Daher Akel *
Really
we are highly satisfied with the visit of the Holy Father to the Holy Land
and we consider that this tour is a very important progress in this difficult
peace process. On the other hand, we see a brave determination of the Pope
by signing an accord from State to State with us a few weeks ago. We have
also carefully observed the Holy Father’s “repentance” for
the silence of the Church before the Crusades, the Inquisition and the Holocaust,
and I believe this an important example to follow. I think that all of us
have a repentance and we also expect one on behalf of the Israelis who have
occupied our land.
We expect that the massage delivered by the Pope in the Palestinian refugee
camp in Duheicheh can be really understood because it has to do with the rights
of the Palestinian people to have their independent State. With regard to
the Israeli determination of considering Jerusalem as a unique and indivisible
city, the decent solution is – according to many Palestinian and Israeli
sectors - a Jerusalem which can be capital city for the Palestine State and
for the State of Israel.
We do not desire borders, walls or divisions. We do not want to change the
geography of the Holy city, but we really desire a just decision for both
people.
*Representative of the Palestine Authority in Argentina