ACNS: Episcopal hospital in Nablus occupied by Israeli Troops

[regnaD kciN]

The following is a press release from the Anglican Communion News Service.

ACNS 3726 | MIDDLE EAST | 3 JANUARY 2004

Episcopal hospital in Nablus occupied by Israeli Troops

by Jim Rosenthal in London

In a phone conversation this New Year's Eve with the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, the Rt Revd Riah Abu el Assal, ACNS learned that the Episcopal Church's hospital has been occupied by Israeli soldiers.

"I am in deep shock and dismay at this news from our priest in Nablus," said Bishop Riah. "The parish priest and the hospital administrator of St. Luke's have been denied access to the building and the priest was warned he would be shot if such an attempt were made".

At the time of this report we do not have details as to the number of
patients inside the building. Bishop Riah said there was "real panic" at the situation and he was deeply concerned for the patients, staff and the local community.

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Revd Canon John L. Peterson, expressed his concern at the news and said he hoped Anglicans everywhere would keep Christians in the Holy Land in their prayers, especially during this Christmas season.


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[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Thanks for this information

I have a Palestinian Catholic friend who said that when she lived in Jerusalem many years ago, the Israelis routinely occupied Christian institutions, including churches. Don't know if this was so, but she was an honest, sincere businesswoman, and I tend to believe her. So many Americans think all Palestinians are Muslim. A large percentage are Christian, and are receiving the same sort of treatment as the Muslims. Wonder what the fundementalist Christians think of that?

[aquart]

2. I'm confused. WHY were the soldiers in the hospital?

Did they prevent patients from getting care? Did anyone in care die as a result of the soldiers being present? Any doctors? Nurses? Orderlies? Any injuries?

And again, WHY were soldiers deployed to the hospital?

There seems to be a lack of information here. Because cell phones are not allowed in the hospital or some other reason?

[Alice Franken]

4. Oh, there's definitely a lack of info here.

Background:

One of the Palestinians had dropped a large concrete block in the direction of a soldier, the spokesman said, while another was seen holding a pistol. A third threw a firebomb in the direction of Israeli troops, he said.

Late Friday in Nablus, a roadside bomb blew up next to an Israeli army jeep, knocking out electricity in the area but causing no casualties. In a telephone call to The Associated Press, Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the attack.

I will google to see about the report as given for this thread.

[Alice Franken]

5. Well, I searched using just about

every search engine there is. I also happen to get news alerts from various media around the world. Even Aljazeera didn't carry this one, although they probably will be picking it up from DU soon.

Common sense would tell one that soldiers were deployed because of the terrorists and their connections leading to concommitant danger to the other patients there.

[mike_c]

3. unless the hospital was being used as a base of attacks against...

...the Israeli military this is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions. Of course, Israel has been in violation of the Geneva Conventions for so long that it likely doesn't give a rat's buttocks, but the rest of the world should.

[MikeGalos]

6. And using hospitals and churches and mosques

as military centers is a common enough practice by Palestinian Terrorists that it should be a reasonable assumption that it was done again.

But, I guess those gross violations of the Geneva Convention aren't worth noting...