Well put Peter! Actually its not'lessons learn't from 'Nazi's' but rather Stalins KGB! GDVW+ > > Cruelty is cruelty no matter if it is done by Isreali troops against > Palestinian Christians or done by Nazi SS troopers against innocent > Jews. I see no difference between the Isreali government's pogroms > against the Palestinians and Bedouins and Hitler's "Final Solution." > > When I lived in the Middle East the Palestinians that I knew all said > the Isrealis had learned their lessons well from the Nazis. > > +Peter > > > <cranmer@...> wrote: > Thought y'all might be interested in this article... > Fr. J.+ > > By Sean Hawkey (Editor of Action and Website Manager: "Blessed is the > fruit of thy womb. A real-life, modern-day nativity story") > > (Bethlehem) -- When Nahed Fawaregh became pregnant earlier this year > she > and her husband felt blessed, she was due to give birth in the first > days of December and would travel to the nearby maternity hospital in > Bethlehem. > > Nahed and her family live in a small village called Ma'sarah (meaning > Olive Press) where the countryside is spotted with olive groves and > vineyards. There is no maternity clinic in Ma'sarah so she would travel > to nearby Bethlehem to give birth. While many of the villagers drive > small herds of goats and sheep, Nahed's husband drives a taxi, so > getting to the hospital wouldn't be a problem. > > Nahed, who just turned 20, was the subject of family affection as her > baby grew, friends gave her small gifts, old ladies knitted little > jumpers and everyone made sure she ate what she wanted. Nahed was a > radiant picture of health and happiness. > > At midday on November 27 Nahed went into labour. She had already > prepared a bag and she set off with her husband in the taxi for > Bethlehem. They went on the only road that isn't dug-up and blocked-off > with piles of earth and rubble by Israeli bulldozers. But only certain > people are allowed on this road: Jewish people who live in the heavily > guarded settlements. The innocuous term "settlements" doesn't accurately > describe the expanding colonies: cities and towns built on the highest > land, taken by military force and inhabited by some 400,000 people, many > of them east-european immigrants. The local people are left with the > ever-diminishing gaps between the colonies and the roads that join them > up, the water they need for irrigation diverted to the Israeli-occupied > land. > > The Fawareghs knew they were forbidden to travel on the Jewish-only road > but it was an emergency. They prayed that they wouldn't run into an > Israeli patrol, but they did. > > A jeep with four soldiers of the Israeli occupation forces caught them > and held them at gunpoint. The soldiers said nothing even though it was > obvious that Nahed was in pain. Her waters broke and Mr Fawaregh pleaded > with the soldiers, they told him to shut up. Nahed began to bleed but > the soldiers still said nothing, they just kept them waiting. Finally, > after two hours, they let them go. > > This was neither a mistake nor an isolated case. This is part of the > routine persecution of the Christian and Muslim people of Palestine, it > is Israeli policy. In fact, this is so common that the Israeli > occupation forces are being issued with medical kits to deal with women > who "choose to give birth at checkpoints". > > Bethlehem is under curfew, the streets are patrolled by tanks. "This is > a prison" explains Mitri Raheb, a resident priest: "if you leave your > house you will be shot". Tank crews shout through loudhailers as they > roar past the houses: "don't come out, you animals". The afternoon that > Nahed arrived in Bethlehem a Mr Rabayia, who had gone to get some bread > for his family, was shot dead by occupation troops. He was shot in the > back of the head with an explosive bullet. Often such murders are > reported as crossfire, people here explain in despair =F1 "that means > that we cross and they fire". Helplessly, I watched his mother and wife > gnashing their teeth and tearing at their hair and clothes with grief. > > In Bethlehem, a statue of the Virgin Mary stands above the entrance of > the maternity hospital called the Holy Family, she is riddled with > Israeli bullets. When Nahed finally arrived at the hospital it was clear > that the long delay had been critical. Her baby boy was dead. > > Nahed tells me her story quietly, she is full of grace, "I offer up my > suffering to God" she says. As I look at her I can't help thinking that > you can see the whole story in her face, not just her own story but > Palestine's story. > > Hawkey, Sean, WACC 357 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY, UK Email: > sh@... web: http://www.wacc.org.uk Tel: 44 (0)20 7582 9139 > > > -- > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to > <faithandlife-unsubscribe@...> > > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to > <faithandlife-unsubscribe@...> ----------------------------------------- This Advent Season our sponsors are selling goods and services you don't want to miss! Support our sponsors with your purchase by clicking here. http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/specials.php This email was sent using FREE Catholic Online Webmail. Please tell your family, friends and children about COL Webmail! http://webmail.catholic.org/