Palestinian Christians express anger over Israeli airstrikes

Published: 2006-08-01

TEL AVIV, Israel (CNS) -- Palestinian Christians living in the West Bank and Israel expressed anger after Israeli airstrikes in Qana, Lebanon, left 65 civilians dead in the largest attack against Hezbollah militants since the war began mid-July. Jacob Zakharia, a Palestinian Melkite Catholic living in Jerusalem's Old City, said that Palestinian Christians are most affected by the conflict. "We are sandwiched between extreme Jews and extreme Muslims," Zakharia said. Like many, Zakharia expected an Israeli aerial cease-fire following the July 31 Qana attack. "I heard half an hour ago on the radio that Israel was bombing again," Zakharia told Catholic News Service July 31. Israeli forces carried out aerial attacks in southern Lebanon July 31, hours after the government agreed to a 48-hour halt while investigating its bombing in Qana. But a representative from the Israeli Defense Forces said, "This was not a cease-fire. There was a partial suspension of certain aerial activities." Meanwhile, Zakharia said Israel doesn't care about its neighbors in the Middle East. "Israel has very sophisticated bombs and bombardment tactics. They don't care about their neighbors," he said. "They respect only who is powerful."

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