Orthodox Priest Supports Suicide Bombers

Gulf News Online ^ | 20 Jun 2002 | Nissar Hoath

[naine]

Church supports martyrdom
Abu Dhabi |By Nissar Hoath | 20-06-2002

Dr. Attallah Hana (right) during his lecture at the Zayed Centre for Co-ordination and Follow-Up yesterday in Abu Dhabi. Mohammed Khalifa Al Murar, Executive Director, ZCCF, is also shown. © Gulf News

Martyrdom by Palestinian men and women is part of intifada, which serves their struggle against Israeli atrocities and cannot be separated from their liberation movement, said a visiting official of the Orthodox Church in occupied Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

Addressing a packed crowd at the Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up in the capital, Father Dr Attallah Hanna, official spokesman of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, said last night he supported martyrdom by Palestinian men and women to fight for their just rights.

Father Attallah said the basic principle of all Palestinian political parties is the continuation of intifada against Israeli atrocities. Therefore, he said, the Church fully supports the uprising to achieve the objectives of freedom from Israel.

Giving his full support to martyrdom, the spokesman of the Orthodox Church in the Holy Land said: "As you know, political parties in Palestine agree to the continuation of the intifada, which includes different approaches of struggle.

"Some freedom fighters adopt martyrdom or suicide bombing, while others opt for other measures. But all these struggles serve the continued intifada for freedom. Therefore, we support all these causes."

He said Palestinian people should be steadfast in their struggle to be heard by the world community.

The veteran prelate said Palestinian people have been forced to adopt martyrdom by Israeli aggressors.

"It is the Israeli Zionist regime that is committing genocide in Palestine by killing innocent women and children. Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves from the Israeli barbarism and atrocities," Father Attallah said.

"We are part of the intifada, so you don't expect us to keep distance and watch. We are in the struggle, whether it's martyrdom or any other means, we are part of it," he said.

Referring to the Christian community in Palestine, he said it was the Israeli conspiracy to show the world that it was a Muslim struggle and Christians and other community members had nothing to do with it.

"Let me make it clear that Muslims and Christians are one and cannot be separated from the struggle for the liberation of Palestine. We are Palestinians and Arabs," he said.

The Orthodox Church official further said Palestinian Christians have suffered under Israeli Zionist rule as much as Muslims. He said Israeli troops have been committing genocide against Palestinian Christians since 1948.

He said an Orthodox Church has been occupied by Israeli settlers for more than 15 years, which itself shows how Palestinian Christians are suffering under Israeli occupation.

"We are one people. Whether Muslims or Christians, we are Palestinians and Arabs and we will continue our struggle till we achieve freedom," he assured the Church supporters.

Referring to the number of Christians in Palestine, he said the number had decreased due to forceful migration by Israeli troops since the occupation of Arab lands.

"The current two per cent Christians in Palestine are an integral part of our Muslim brothers. They are as loyal to the struggle as they are. There have been pioneering leaders in the struggle for the freedom among Christians in Palestine," he said.

"Our main aim is liberation of the occupied land with Jerusalem as the Capital city of an independent Palestine. All the Arabs are Palestinians, whether Muslims or Christians," Father Attallah said.

He said Israel, with its Western allies, portrays Palestinian issue as a conflict between Jews and Muslims. "Let me tell the world that it is not the issue. The conflict is between the truth and Israeli lies. If it was a religious conflict, the Christians would not have come to the picture. Christians are part and parcel of the Palestinian struggle for the freedom," he said.

[rmlew]

Stockholm syndrom meets theological anti-Zionism.

[LarryM]

Why doesn't Israel deport this rat?

[Nachum]

Father Dr Attallah Hanna said this?

I am shocked I tell you. Shocked.

[LibKill]

He is faking it. NO Christian could condone the murder of children.

[Imal]

I have become accustomed to bizarre, semi-coherent and dubious statements emanating from so-called "Palestinian sympathizers", but this one is particularly bad. A self-described Christian advocating the wholesale slaughter of innocent civilians is rare, these days.

But then, such a person isn't really a Christian, because such demoniac barbarism runs contrary to every teaching of Jesus. If this Attallah Hana actually said what this articles quotes him as saying, then he is a priest of Satan, not God.

Imal

[SouthernFreebird]

Hard to imagine what God has in store for these evil deceivers.

[Tennessee_Bob]

http://www.via-dolorosa.net/atallah.htm

Another quote from the same guy:

Hanna argued that the Orthodox Church was an important component of the heritage and identity of the Near East, saying that “the followers of the Orthodox Church are an integral part of the Arab nation.”

“We are Arabs, and what affects the Arab nation, affects us directly and profoundly, our Church has always been on the side of the Arab nation, and it will always be, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people must be restored, and the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital must be established.”


He says that the followers of the Orthodox Church are an integral part of the Arab nation? Wonder how the Moslems running the Arab nation are going to feel about that???

[john in missouri]

This man, IMHO, is not a Christian.

[DTA]

>>>>The orthodox church still call jews christ killers.<<<

Watch it. This is RC line, do not smear Orthodox Church with it.

[dts32041]

successor should be the guy who proceeded him (predecessor SP)

[ELS]

Have you ever heard of this guy? He sounds like a real winner. < /sarcasm >

[lambo]

FormerLib --

Since you've been good enough to ping me to some Orthodox threads, I thought you'd enjoy this and might want to ping everyone else.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Islam is the Religion of SUICIDE

Suicide is for COWARDS

[Walkingfeather]

In the 10 commandments God said...
" Thou shall not take thy Lord God's name in vein"
This is what he ment by that. Do not represent Me and go and do unjustly in MY name.

This guy is going to get it I suspect.

[Pushi]

Me too.

[valkyrieanne]

How many Christians does he think are in Saudi Arabia? In Turkey, even? He needs to get with the CIA Factbook or some other statistical tome and do some elementary-school mathematics. If the Palestinians *did* achieve a state, Christians like this Orthodox priest would be the first to go.

[FormerLib]

lambo:

Thanks for the ping. I think it is very important for Orthodox Christians to be aware of this "individual's" statments and the fact that his statements greatly separate him from the teachings of the Orthodox Church.

Simply put, there is no teaching of the Orthodox Christian Church which supports either suicide OR the murder of innocents. While the Palestinians may have some justified questions about the execution of Israeli authority in the Holy Land, the actions of the homicide bombers can only be resoundingly condemned by the followers of Jesus Christ.

[don-o]

He may be an "official spokesman" but he is not speaking the teachings of the Orthodox Church. He needs to repent of the sin of murder.