Letters from Overseas: Jerusalem: "Peace" breaks out

Notes: The Rev. Robert Assaly, his wife Nancy and their four children, from the Diocese of Ottawa have been serving as Volunteers in Mission in Jerusalem. "Despite 'peace' having broken out here, little has actually improved. The Israeli military is still occupying most of the Left [sic i.e. West] Bank, including where we live. Exclusively Jewish settlements, whose very existence violate international convention, continued to expand on land seized from Palestinians by the Israeli military. The closure of occupied East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank continues and has been tightened. One consequence is that while you are free to come from thousands of miles away to worship at the Church of the Resurrection, the Empty Tomb, many of our friends and neighbours are prevented from entering Jerusalem for any reason, only 500 meters from our home". "While some Palestinian officials ask why they should even have to negotiate to be permitted to hold free elections, the Israeli side refuses to implement even the part of the Oslo accord where they agreed to allow Palestinians to hold these elections last year. Meanwhile, following the massacre by a settler of worshippers in a Hebron mosque last spring [25 February 1994], a new phenomenon emerged and continues -- suicide bombers killing dozens in Israel".

Subjects: Volunteers in Mission - Anglican Church of Canada; Volunteers in Mission - Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. Diocese of Jerusalem; Arab-Israeli conflict; Arab-Israeli conflict - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Jerusalem; Palestinian Arabs - Israel; Palestinian Arabs - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Israel - Politics and government; Terrorism - Israel; Suicide bombings - Israel