Pope Benedict XVI visits Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem

How much the people of this camp, these Territories, and this entire region long for peace! In these days, that longing takes on a particular poignancy as you recall the events of May 1948 and the years of conflict, as yet unresolved, that followed from those events. You are now living in precarious and difficult conditions, with limited opportunities for employment. It is understandable that you often feel frustrated. Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State, remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as so many in this region and throughout the world are trapped, in a spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack, retaliation, and continual destruction. The whole world is longing for this spiral to be broken, for peace to put an end to the constant fighting.

Towering over us, as we gather here this afternoon, is a stark reminder of the stalemate that relations between Israelis and Palestinians seem to have reached – the wall. In a world where more and more borders are being opened up – to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples, to cultural exchanges – it is tragic to see walls still being erected. How we long to see the fruits of the much more difficult task of building peace! How earnestly we pray for an end to the hostilities that have caused this wall to be built!

On both sides of the wall, great courage is needed if fear and mistrust is to be overcome, if the urge to retaliate for loss or injury is to be resisted. It takes magnanimity to seek reconciliation after years of fighting. Yet history has shown that peace can only come when the parties to a conflict are willing to move beyond their grievances and work together towards common goals, each taking seriously the concerns and fears of the other, striving to build an atmosphere of trust. There has to be a willingness to take bold and imaginative initiatives towards reconciliation: if each insists on prior concessions from the other, the result can only be stalemate.

To all of you I renew my plea for a profound commitment to cultivate peace and non-violence, following the example of Saint Francis and other great peacemakers. Peace has to begin in the home, in the family, in the heart. I continue to pray that all parties to the conflict in these lands will have the courage and imagination to pursue the challenging but indispensable path of reconciliation. May peace flourish once more in these lands! May God bless his people with peace!

-- Pope Benedict XVI, Visit to the Refugee Camp Al Aida' in Bethlehem (May 13, 2009)

Day 6 - Pope Benedict in Bethlehem - Mass in Manger Square; Grotto of the Nativity; Caritas Baby Hospital and Aida Refugee Camp

On the Schedule Today (Wednesday May 13, 2009)

This post will be updated with news and commentary on the day's events

• 09.00 - Welcoming ceremony in the square in front of the presidential palace, in Bethlehem
• 10.00 - Holy Mass in Manger Square, Bethlehem
• 12.30 - Luncheon with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, the Franciscan community and the Papal Entourage at the Casa Nova monastery in Bethlehem
• 15.30 - Private visit to the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem
• 16.10 - Visit to the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem
• 16.45 - Visit to the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem
• 18.00 - Courtesy visit to the president of the Palestine National Authority in the presidential palace of Bethlehem
• 18.40 - Farewell ceremony in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace

Spoken words of Pope Benedict

• Welcoming ceremony in the square in front of the presidential palace, in Bethlehem (May 13, 2009)
• Holy Mass on the Manger's Square in Bethlehem (May 13, 2009)
• Visit to the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem (May 13, 2009)
• Visit to the Refugee Camp Al Aida' in Bethlehem (May 13, 2009)
• Farewell ceremony in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace (May 13, 2009)

Coverage and Commentary

• Pope affirms support for Palestinian state, celebrates Mass in Bethlehem, by Cindy Wooden and Judith Sudilovsky. (Catholic News Service)
• In Bethlehem, Pope Laments Israeli Wall, by Rachel Donadio (New York Times)
• Pope urges end to conflict that walls off Bethelehem (Reuters)
• Don't be afraid to break ‘stalemate of fear’ Pope tells Palestinians (Catholic News Agency)
• Today, Benedict belonged to the Palestinians, by John Allen, Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)

Meanwhile, in Aida Refugee Camp, Palestinian construction continues on a stage the Pope may never visit

YNet News reports that despite an Israeli ban, and the high chance the Pope may not even visit, Palestinians continue to place finishing touches on Bethlehem amphitheatre near separation fence:

It is not clear whether, as Palestinian officials here say, the Vatican at first endorsed, then rejected, the site.

"When we started to work on this stage, a group from the Catholic church came to check our work. They told us to raise the eastern side of it, to make it more secure for the pope when he stands on the stage," said Monther Ameera, coordinator of his visit to the refugee camp.

But instead, Benedict is due to meet pupils at Aida's United Nations-run school which stands nearby.

Tom Heneghan (Reuters' FaithWorld) reports on the "Politics of a papal photo op in Bethlehem":

I got a look at the wannabe reception theatre this morning during a pre-papal visit tour of Bethlehem with Doug Hamilton, a correspondent in our Jerusalem bureau, and our Bethlehem stringer Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh. The perspective the Palestinians want is striking. The graffiti-filled wall, which Israel says is for security and the Palestinians denounce as oppressive, runs along one side of the theatre. Behind the stage where the pope would stand is a menacing watchtower. The atmosphere is grim.

However, he adds:

In fact, the wall will appear on television screens around the world even if Benedict doesn’t stop at the small theatre. It is clearly visible from the schoolyard where he will meet teachers and pupils and it would surprising if the cameras didn’t pan across the scene to show the wall. The graffiti, some of which is quite witty, might not be legible, but the image will certainly come across.

Vatican informs Palestinian officials that papal visit will be held at United Nations school; plans scrapped to host pope near barrier

Hopes to politicize the Pope's visit to Bethlehem may hit a snag, with news that the The Vatican has informed Palestinian officials that the papal visit will be held at a nearby United Nations school instead of on the stage they were preparing for him. Ilene R. Prusher reports for `the Christian Science Monitor:

There is no other venue in the world with a backdrop quite like this one. It sits in the looming shadow of the West Bank separation barrier built by Israel, complete with a forbidding watchtower. The massive concrete slabs here are painted with anti-Israeli graffiti, calls for Palestinian freedom, and a white patch on which the camp's community center sometimes screens films. From the point of view of Palestinians who live here, there is no vista which conveys their reality better than this one.

"We want to show the pope the wall, and the big prison that the Israelis have put us in," says Samir Oudeh, head of the Popular Committee of Aida Refugee Camp, as he stands atop the long, narrow, open-air theater that hugs the wall. "This is our catastrophe, and we know that they don't want the world to see it."

Vatican officials made several visits here in recent weeks, but about a week ago, says Mr. Oudeh, he was informed that the pope would speak in a nearby school – and not on the stage. "We learned later that the Israelis put pressure on the Vatican to change the venue," he says.

An Israeli official in Jerusalem rejects the claim that Israel interfered with the decision, but expressed approval of the Holy See's move to avoid "politicizing" the papal visit. [...]

The local welcome committee for the pope, however, has decided to march on with their plans, setting the stage for a less-than-comfortable atmosphere on the eve of the visit.

Read the rest of the CSM report.

• Palestinian lawmaker Essa Qaraqie confirmed that the Palestinian Authority has scrapped plans to receive Pope Benedict XVI during his Holy Land visit next week on a stage next to Israel's West Bank separation barrier. (Associated Press)
• Palestinian advocacy groups on Thursday urged Pope Benedict XVI to speak out during his visit to the Holy Land against what they said are "atrocities" committed against their people by Israel. (AFP)
• Adnan Husseini, special advisor to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, that there is a “war for each piece of land ... every tile in the house”; and he intends on getting the Pope involved (Israel National News)

Aida Refugee Camp expects Pope Benedict to plead their case

Catholic News Service's Judith Sudilovsky interviews various residents from the Aida Refugee Camp and their expectations for the papal visit (April 29, 2009):

When her children were growing up there was an open field opposite their apartment building and she would spend most of her time there, letting them tumble about as they enjoyed picnic lunches. Today, the building -- which has grown by four floors as sons and cousins have married and built apartments for their wives -- overlooks the stage in front of the Israeli separation barrier from which the pope will address the camp's 4,860 residents.

Palestinian workers build a stage next to Israel's separation barrier in the Aida refugee camp near the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Source: AP

While much of the camp is a jumble of narrow, sunless, garbage-strewn alleyways, on his visit the pope will be taken down the wide dusty main road to the stage abutting the wall, which separates the camp from Bethlehem.

"I don't know what he is coming to do," said Mourad Malash, 23, who is unemployed and spends his time between his home and the houses of his friends. "He should ask the youth how they feel. Can he find jobs for the people?"

According to the article, the Pontifical Mission for Palestine -- a Vatican-founded relief agency under the direction of the New York-based Catholic Near East Welfare Association -- is helping provide aid and assistance to the residents of the camp:

"The most important man in the world is coming here. He can bring thousand of journalists with him (to see our life here)," [Salah] Ajaram said. "He can be close to the wall and see how the wall separates our lives between our people. He is the one to talk about justice and peace. We feel there can be no justice without the right of return and the pope can take this message out with him.

"To stay in your country as a refugee is more difficult than living as one outside," Ajaram added.

Salah Ajaram, 36, is general manager of the camp's Lajee cultural center and a member of the coordinating committee for the pope's visit. (Read the rest of Catholic News Service's report).

Fouad Twal confirms Pope Benedict's intention to visit al-Aida refugee camp

According to YNet News, The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal has confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI will tour and preach at the al-Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, asserting that it symbolizes "the right of return and holds a message of peace, brotherhood, and justice".

The report provides further details on this past week's skirmish between Israel and Aida camp workers involved in preparations for the visit:

According to prior agreements the stage hosting the pope at al-Aida was intended to be built in a schoolyard, but Ynet has discovered that the Palestinians violated these agreements by constructing it near the separation fence. A demolition warrant was subsequently issued by the Civil Administration, and the stage must be relocated.

"The camp is a camp that symbolizes the refugees' suffering and their right of return," Twal said. "The fence will be seen from the location of the pope's seat, and in any case he will enter and exit the district of Bethlehem through the fence."

The Latin Patriarch added that he hoped to see cooperation on all sides in order for the tour to be successful.

Palestinian Authority: "Preparations for Pope Benedict to visit Aida Refugee Camp will move forward"

Updating a previous story, Ma'an News Agency reports that Preparations for Pope Benedict XVI to visit Aida Refugee Camp will move forward despite Israeli attempts to interfere in the planning:

The PA issued a statement late Friday night echoing concerns over an Israel attempting to shield the pope and the international community from seeing the oppressive and discriminatory practices meted out on the Palestinians.

Israeli troops stormed Aida camp Wednesday and raided a meeting of the preparatory committee for the Papal visit. Committee members were harassed and questioned then informed that because the camp is in Area C - i.e. under Israeli civil and military control - that organizers must get a special permit to hold celebrations for the pope.

Thus far the only coverage of "Israeli harrassment" has been from Palestinian sources; we'll keep you apprised if we hear anything in terms of reactions, either from Israeli sources and/or the Vatican.

Clash between Israelis and Palestinians at Aida Refugee Camp

There has been a clash of sorts between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian workers involved in preparing the Aida Refugee Camp for Pope Benedict's visit. The Palestine News Network describes "an invasion of Israeli forces":

Some five military patrols stormed the area and sealed it. They stopped all work and began photographing and using video cameras. The Israelis demanded to see “who is responsible for the work.”

Camp director on the subject, Ibrahim Abu Sorour oversees any project, construction or renovation.

However, the Israelis today claimed northern Bethlehem’s Aida Refugee Camp, which is now blocked on one side by the Wall, as Area C, meaning in Oslo terms “under Israeli civil and military control.” Israeli forces said therefore, Palestinians in the refugee camp must obtain an Israeli license before doing any work. ...

According to the Maan News Agency conveys the account of press officer for the official Palestinian committee to welcome the Pope to the camp, Munjid Jado:

[F]ive soldiers entered the camp and stopped the committee from working, questioning them and videotaping them. ...

Camp official Ibrahim Abu Srur then arrived at the scene. He was told by the soldiers that Aida camp lies in Area C of the West Bank, under Israeli military jurisdiction, and that the committee would therefore need a special permit for its activities.

Following this, another Israeli official arrived and attempted to distribute a written order to stop work. The committee workers refused to accept the paper, at which time soldiers posted the order on the walls of buildings near the square where the pope is to be received.

The Palestine News Network cites Bethlehem Governer Salah Ta’mari as responding:

“The Israeli practices are clear evidence pointing to Israel's quest to create obstacles for the visit of His Holiness the Pope to Bethlehem and Aida Refugee Camp. [The Israelis] want to prevent exposure of their repressive practices against the Palestinian people.”

“To this day the Palestinian people face various kinds of repression and torture, which is reflected in Aida Refugee Camp. Murder and displacement are noticeable.”

“Israel is attempting to disrupt the completion of the site which will be the story of the Palestinian people to the world during the visit of His Holiness to Bethlehem, which will include much of the western media.”

A Palestinian earthmover clears the ground where a stage will be built Pope Benedict XVI's May 11-15 visit to the Holy Land on April 22, 2009 in front of a section of Israel's separation barrier in the Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.