Orthodox Patriarch Atallah Hanna Condemns Israeli Demolitions of Palestinian Homes in Jerusalem

Date: 03 / 07 / 2009 Time: 13:08
Jerusalem – Ma’an –

Patriarch Atallah Hanna at the Orthodox Church expressed anger toward what he called the “inhumanity” of home demolitions targeting Palestinians living in Jerusalem during a visit to a now-homeless Palestinian family there Friday.

Atallah Hanna, also known as Theodosios of Sebastia, paid visits to several families whose homes were demolished over the past weeks in Israeli occupied East Jerusalem neighborhoods.

Many have been forced to self-demolish small additions to their homes after Israeli municipal officials handed down ultimatums threatening exorbitant fines for structures built without permits. The permits are regularly denied to Palestinians as part of Israel’s policy of prohibiting the growth of Palestinian areas inside Israeli annexed areas.

“This is part of Israel’s policy of exile” Atallah Hanna told residents of now-demolished homes, and “you can be assured the Orthodox Church condemns such practices.”

The Church and the whole international community must stand by Jerusalemites during this horrific experience, he said.

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