From Catholic News Service

Franciscan says Christians must forgive after Nazareth incident

By Judith Sudilovsky - Catholic News Service

JERUSALEM (CNS) - The "custos" of the Holy Land said Christians must forgive the family that set off firecrackers inside the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel.

"Nothing can justify what they did ... they are unfortunate individuals ... but what we need (is) to look forward, and we as Christians have to forgive," Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa said in a brief news conference. "This hurts us, but we are not holding a grudge. As religious Christians we must deliver a message of peace."

Father Pizzaballa, who is in charge of Christian sites in the Holy Land, spoke and issued a statement March 6 after a brief meeting with Haim and Violet Habibi and their 20-year-old daughter, Odelia, who were remanded into police custody March 3 while charges were brought against them.

The Habibis hugged and kissed Father Pizzaballa and asked for his help - and that of the Pope - in getting their three minor children back; their youngest was removed from their home the week of the basilica incident. The Habibis' lawyer said they had not expected things to end as they had.

The three had entered the church with a baby carriage under the guise of pilgrims and set off a dozen firecrackers as local Christians were processing during the Way of the Cross.

Photos taken by the Franciscans in Nazareth confirmed that the Habibis also had taken in detonators and small canisters of gas, said the statement from Father Pizzaballa.

Auxiliary Bishop Giacinto-Boulous Marcuzzo of Jerusalem and Melkite Archbishop Elias Chacour of Akko, Israel, calmed the tempers of the massive number of youths who had gathered outside the basilica immediately after the attack; the bishops were seen walking through the crowd with loudspeakers, pleading for restraint. Dozens of local residents could be seen trying to separate angry Nazareth residents from police sent to safely remove the Habibis.

Thirteen policemen and 13 civilians were injured in riots following the attack, and four cars were set alight by the angry mob. One witness said the firecrackers left some blackened spots on the wall of the basilica.

While Israeli leaders said the attack was carried out by a troubled family with no political agenda, Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah was quoted on Israeli television as saying the incident could not be separated from the atmosphere that incites such attacks against Arab targets.

The patriarch and other Christian leaders joined a March 4 protest in Nazareth.

"The Custody of the Holy Land vehemently condemns all acts committed against a holy place and the faithful who worship there no matter what their religion is," said Father Pizzaballa's press statement. "It extends its thanks to all those who, in the same evening, manifested their support and solidarity, but cannot help but regret that the demonstration of Friday evening had drifted to take a political slant when the country is going through an electoral period. Politics should not cross the threshold of shrines."

Israeli leaders accused Arab leaders of exploiting the incident - which took place just three weeks before March 28 Israeli elections - for political gain.

Israeli authorities note that the family has been known to social welfare workers for about 12 years; social workers claim the couple have deprived the children of proper education, food and clothing.

In an effort to garner attention, the couple have sought asylum with the Palestinian Authority. At one point, Haim Habibi threatened to burn his whole family if social services did not leave family members alone.

"We are in a delicate period in which there is always the temptation to exploit events of this sort for purposes that are not relevant. I call on all elements to show restraint and responsibility and not to drag this regrettable incident, which we are pleased has ended calmly, into scenes of religious-based conflicts that have no relation to what happened," said acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Arab leaders said the attack was carried out because of an atmosphere that permits violence against Arab targets; they said the Israeli media employs one set of rhetoric for Arabs and another for Jews when it comes to such attacks.

During a meeting with Patriarch Sabbah, Opposition Labor Party leader Amir Peretz was quoted by Ha'aretz newspaper as saying: "Even if they were a family of lunatics, they must be dealt with severely in order to send a message to all lunatics - that they should not dare to express their lunacy in a holy place."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni expressed regret over the incident to the Vatican, but Arab leaders said it would have been more appropriate if the apology had been addressed to the Arab community of Israel.

Following the attack, police recommended bolstering security at the basilica by installing closed-circuit television cameras and posting guards at the entrance.

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