Custody of the Holy Land

3.12.2005: The new alliance Peres- Sharon , a “post-modern tragedy”
For some the new centre-right alliance will support the peace camp; for others it will be useless. Perhaps the Catholic vote will go to Sharon. (AsiaNews)

2.12.2005: Passport stamp puts priest at risk
A Church leader from Sherborne was forced to abandon his flock on a pilgrimage last month, following fears that he could be arrested. Vicar of Sherborne Eric Woods was in Lebanon, intending to travel into Syria, when his tour guide raised concerns about a six-year-old Israeli visa stamp in his passport. (westgaz)

2.12.2005: Bethlehem’s Christians appeal to all pilgrims to visit Nativity
The town where Jesus was born has become “an open-air prison” in which the number of Christians is ever dwindling. A new Israeli checkpoint makes it even harder to visit the town. (AsiaNews)

1.12.2005: Eu Report on east Jerusalem
East Jerusalem is of central importance to the Palestinians in political, economic, social and religious terms. Several inter-linked Israeli policies are reducing the possibility of reaching a final status agreement on Jerusalem, and demonstrate a clear Israeli intention to turn the annexation of East Jerusalem into a concrete fact: (amin)

1.12.2005: Catholic Patriarchs of the East open 15th conference
Catholic Patriarchs of the East opened their 15th annual conference at the Latin Church in Feheis about 20 kms west of Amman on Monday. (Petra)