Catholic legislator visits shelled towns, lobbies for Israeli Arabs

Published: 2006-07-21

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- A Catholic member of the Israeli Knesset said she has spent most of her recent days visiting Arab villages in northern Israel that have been hit by Hezbollah rockets. The legislator, Nadia Hilou, said she also has tried to take Jewish legislators to visit the villages and has negotiated with Israel's Welfare Ministry to provide assistance where there is starting to be a shortage of food and essential supplies. "It is not easy," she said July 20 in a telephone interview after a day in Nazareth, where she met with city officials, residents and the family of two children killed in Hezbollah rocket attacks July 19. She said she was angry that many of the Arab villages hit by missiles have no early alarm system in place or public bomb shelters for the residents, and she said she had spoken out about that to the Israeli government. "I am sure if the mother of the (dead) children had heard the siren, she would have brought her children inside, and this tragedy could have been averted," she said.

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