Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January/February 2000, pages 65-66

Christianity and the Middle East

Holy Land Church Doors Closed: Nazareth Dispute Continues

By Fred Strickert

On Nov. 22 and 23, church doors in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth were closed to protest recent events in a politically divided city of Nazareth. The result:

• numerous disappointed pilgrims;
  
• charges by the Vatican that the situation has been mishandled by the Israelis;
  
• accusations by an Israeli foreign minister of Catholic anti-Semitism;
  
• doubts about a scheduled papal visit to Nazareth for March 2000;
  
• an expanding wedge between Christians and Muslims;
  
• growing frustration among Christians as a dwindling minority in the Middle East.

Yet, reflecting upon recent events, Latin Patriarch Michael Sabbah, himself a native of Nazareth, said that it was necessary to take a stand. "We closed the churches so the world can hear, and the world did," he announced to Associated Press correspondent Karin Laub.

A Disputed Mosque

At dispute is a plan by Muslims of Nazareth to build a mosque adjacent to the Basilica of the Annunciation (see June 1999 Washington Report, p. 51).

The site is central to Christians as the place where the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary her upcoming miraculous pregnancy and subsequent birth of Jesus. Muslims, of course, remind the world of Mary's prominence in the Qur'an.

Nazareth Christians, however, note that their city (of 40,000 Muslims and 20,000 Christians) is not devoid of mosques. Ten others already exist. The issue is one of location—adjacent to the prominent Christian Basilica—and of size. At one point plans called for a $20 million structure with a 325-foot-tall minaret which would, in fact, dwarf the Christian building.

Timing is also an issue. The conflict did not surface until plans were revealed for an $80 million refurbishing of Nazareth including a new Venetian-style plaza for pilgrims who come to visit the Basilica for the year 2000 festivities. A section of the half-acre plot for the plaza includes the grave of Shehab ed-Din, nephew of the 12th-century hero Salah-ed-Din, who led the final defeat of the Crusaders. When adjacent buildings were razed two years ago, Muslims erected a prayer tent at the grave and have been there ever since.

The conflict moved into the realm of politics a year ago, when the Islamic Movement party for the first time won a majority of the 19 seats in the city council. The Christian mayor, Ramez Jeraisi, was barely retained in office.

Since Christians are a minority in Nazareth, Jeraisi has interpreted this as a vote of confidence. But the Islamic Movement party has interpreted the vote as a call to change. Its members responded by suing for the right to block the plans for the plaza and to build the mosque.

The response was unprecedented violence for Nazareth last Easter. This was followed by a Muslim strike and the closure of Nazareth church doors by Christians.

Statement by Church Leaders

On Nov. 4, church leaders from Jerusalem issued a statement announcing the planned closure of church doors throughout the Holy Land to call attention to the deteriorating situation in Nazareth. It was signed by four leaders:

Diodoros I, Greek Orthodox Patriarch

Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch

Torkom Manougian, Armenian Patriarch

Giovanni Battisteli, Custos of the Holy Land

These ecclesiastical leaders emphasized the symbolic role of Nazareth, where Christians and Muslims have been a model of peaceful coexistence for centuries, and called upon their Muslim brothers "to support us in this action so that what befalls us today will not also befall them tomorrow." Taking care not to alienate the majority of Muslims, the Christian leaders pointed to "a small group of fundamentalists who are intent on building a mosque only a few meters away."

The brunt of criticism was directed not at the Muslim community, but at the Israeli government, which has demonstrated "a clear discrimination against the Christian community in Galilee" and has brought about "an abandonment of the rule of law by the government."

With Muslims making up 85 percent of the Israeli Arab electorate, the statement charges the Israeli government with "an attempt to promote electoral interests at the expense of the national unity of the Palestinian people across the land." The letter notes that the Israeli ministerial decision to give the go-ahead for the laying of the cornerstone came "despite numerous and repeated interventions by different ecclesiastical and secular bodies."

The Israeli Government's Role

The government of Israel clearly has an interest in the goings-on in Nazareth. With three million pilgrims expected in the year 2000—including the March papal visit—the financial dividend for Israel is evident. Thus Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami has repeatedly spoken out to reassure tourists of government protection.

At the same time, political interests have complicated the matter. Already last spring there had been suspicions that the Likud party was exploiting the situation in Nazareth to divide the Arab vote in the Israeli election. With Labor now in power, the Christian leaders question the Israeli motive in favoring the Muslim majority among Israel's Arab citizens. AP reporter Karin Laub has suggested that the Nazareth conflict may have serious repercussions for upcoming discussions on the status of Jerusalem.

There is no question that the closure of churches was precipitated by recent decisions in the Israeli government. It was on Oct. 7 that the Nazareth district court ruled on the matter in favor of the Christian position. The half-acre plot of land in question was in fact state land and could be designated for the planned plaza for the Church of the Annunciation. Only a corner of the land where the grave was located, comprising 135 square yards, belonged to the Islamic Waqf.

While this decision would seem to favor interests of tourism, a committee headed by Ben-Ami met with Nazareth officials a week later on Oct. 13 to work out a compromise. The agreement allowed for a smaller mosque on one-third of the land to be separated from the plaza by a wall. Building of the mosque would be postponed until after millennium celebrations. However, the go-ahead was given for the laying of the cornerstone on Nov. 8—later postponed to Nov. 22.

Thus the protest of closing church doors. In reporting this event the press has been of one voice in noting the peaceful nature of the protest, unlike events last spring.

The cornerstone-laying was for the most part a local affair, with outside government and ecclesiastical representatives staying away. However, the ceremony did take place with a degree of fanfare: children displaying posters of the proposed mosque, prayers, and fireworks with five thousand in attendance.

Appeals from the Outside

The Vatican has not hidden its displeasure at the developments in Nazareth. This is especially noteworthy in view of the recent normalization of relations with Israel in 1994 and with plans for a March pilgrimage by Pope John Paul II.

A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, emphasized that the decision to close churches was ultimately a local one, voiced most strongly through Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah. However, the Holy See was clearly in support.

Joaquin Navarro-Vallis, also speaking for the Vatican, told Reuters correspondent Christine Hauser that "political authorities in this case have a great responsibility, because instead of favoring unity, they create the foundation to foment division." There have been numerous hints that Pope John Paul II may now postpone his millennial visit or at least cancel the Nazareth part of his stay.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy issued a swift and harsh rebuke of the Vatican. Declaring the Vatican charges utterly untrue, he claimed, according to Sarah Delaney in The Washington Post, that the Israeli government was sincere in wanting to facilitate a compromise. Referring to old charges of Roman Catholic anti-Semitism, Levy stated that the Vatican "unfortunately recalls the ancient practice of pointing the finger at the wrong cause."

At the same time, Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Cohen told an Israeli business newspaper that the decision was a mistake and that the mosque must not be permitted to go up near the church. It appears that Israelis, on the whole, question the handling of the situation. In a Jerusalem Post survey, less than one-third of the respondents gave an affirmative answer when asked, "Do you think Israel was correct in permitting the construction of a mosque alongside Nazareth's Basilica of the Annunciation?"

Through the intervention of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Muslim leaders have appealed for restraint from the Nazareth group building the new mosque. In asking that the cornerstone-laying ceremony be delayed, the Islamic Trust or Waqf from Jerusalem stated, "We pray to God that He will help the Palestinian people avoid conflict among themselves." Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah offered to pay to build the mosque on a different site "in order to enhance Islamic-Christian brotherhood."

Nevertheless, such efforts were not received with total enthusiasm from all sides. Speaking for the Israeli government, Ben-Ami said that the Palestinian Authority should keep out of the dispute. He told it "not to interfere in the internal matters of Israel."

 

SIDEBAR 1

A Letter to Tourists

With churches closed throughout Israel and Palestine, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem's Old City—a gathering spot for many American tourists—posted the following letter on its closed church doors.

"This action is taken with our companion congregations in this building to express our heavy hearts over the process by which the Israeli government decided to allow the building of a mosque to commence on the plaza adjacent to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

"We regret deeply that an opportunity for interfaith understanding has become a point of tension. Our joining with local Christian churches in closing our church on these days is not to be interpreted as an anti-Muslim action, but of solidarity with our Palestinian Lutheran sisters and brothers.

"We pray for God's reconciling presence in this unhappy situation."

SIDEBAR 2

Timeline of Events in Nazareth

Summer 1997: Plans for refurbishing Nazareth for year 2000 celebrations include Venetian-styled plaza adjacent to Church of the Annunciation.

December 1997: Old school demolished to make room for plaza.

January 1998: Muslims erect tent at grave of Shehab ed-Din on corner of land; announce plans for $29 million mosque with 325-foot minaret.

November 1998: Municipal elections: Islamic Movement party wins majority on city council; Ramez Jeraisi—a Christian—is re-elected mayor.

March 22, 1999: Israel announces that Pope John Paul II will visit Nazareth on March 25, 2000—The Feast of the Annunciation.

April 4, 1999: In Easter Sunday violence 12 injured, 11 arrested, 30 cars damaged.

April 5, 1999: Muslim leaders call for strike.

April 6-7, 1999: Doors of Nazareth churches closed in protest.

April 11, 1999: Israeli Interior Minister Eli Suiss launches inquiry.

April 14, 1999: Avi Blustein, director general of Religion Ministry of Israel, is stripped of power for inflammatory comments.

May 17, 1999: Israeli elections.

June 10, 1999: Violent protests at City Hall concerning mayor's failure to call city council meetings; mayor's driver beaten.

Oct. 7, 1999: Nazareth district court of Israel rules that only 13 percent of disputed land (135 square yards) belongs to Waqf, the rest being state land.

Oct. 13, 1999: Israel announces compromise decision to allow a small mosque on a portion of property adjacent to new plaza.

Nov. 22-23, 1999: Church doors closed in Nazareth, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Nov. 23, 1999: Cornerstone laid for new mosque.

Dr. Fred Strickert is professor of religion at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa and co-author with Mitri Raheb of Bethlehem 2000: Past and Present, available through the AET Book Club.

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