An SOS for Christians in Galilee

Today, in midst of a general conflagration between the resistant movements in Lebanon and the Israeli authorities, Melkite Catholic Archbishop Elias Chacour of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth and all of Galilee launches an SOS to Aid to the Church in Need: “The whole Galilee region is practically paralysed: no jobs, no circulation and people stay at home waiting for deliverance and sometimes receiving a rocket or a cachucha instead. This is the case in the villages: Jish, Buqaia, Fasuta, Tharsheeha, Miilya and also Haifa and Shefa’amr, where people were hit directly or indirectly, some are hospitalised”.

He further explains “most of the Jewish brothers and sisters have shelters against bombs which the Arab villages have not, other escape to Tel Aviv, which is not possible for us Arabs”. Whereas people need support, especially those directly affected with their homes or with their health, Archbishop Chacour asks for help for 30 families. These Arab Christians are denied any compensation from the State of Israel. “I never imagined that a day will come that I have to make an appeal, he writes, a kind of SOS for us Christians in Galilee. We wish to wipe away the tears of the children and parents in these difficult times”. Aid to the Church in Need has promised to send 15.000 Euros for the most needy.