NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) - The Latin-rite Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Holy Land on Tuesday called for Palestinian Christians and Muslims to put aside their differences for the common good.

      Patriarch Michel Sabbah warned that "a foreign hand" is the source of discord in disputes between Christian and Muslims in Israel and Palestinian areas, especially the town of Nazareth. He did not elaborate on who or what the "foreign hand" was. In his annual Christmas message, the Patriarch also warned Israel that any delay in the implementation of the peace accords would cause a growth of fear and destruction.

      Patriarch Sabbah also condemned the recent US and British air strikes on Iraq last week. "In Iraq, a whole people remains hostage to political world conflicts ... We affirm that no reason whatsoever can justify and tranquilize the conscience of those who impose death upon a whole people," he said.

      In Nazareth, city elections this year brought several Islamist candidates into power in the city's council. The town already has a Christian mayor. The election tensions erupted into street battles between Christians and Muslims earlier this month.