News Update

From: Development Office, Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
January 27, 2003

Update on the bombing of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church & Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza

Dear Friends,

Salaam and grace in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ and blessed greetings to you from Jerusalem.

My heartfelt appreciation for the many telephone calls, faxes and emails expressing your support and solidarity over the bombing attack on St. Philip ’s Episcopal Church and Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, on Friday January 24th. Your prayers are very much appreciated and truly make a difference in these difficult times.

Many of you have asked how you can help. I encourage you to write letters to your congressmen, senators, members of parliament and other elected officials, as well as to the Israeli ambassador in your country. Denounce this barbaric attack on our Church and Hospital. At present the Israeli military has not admitted to perpetuating this heinous act, much less apologize. We insist on a claim of responsibility and full restitution for damages to both St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and Ahli Arab Hospital. I am in the process of filing a court case over this event, and hold the government of Israel responsible for all damages. This is not only a violation of the IV Geneva Convention, but a Grave Breach as stipulated in Article 147, and therefore a war crime.

Simply, the Ahli staff remains in shock. We have discovered that many of their major pieces of equipment have been harmed in the attack, especially the x-ray equipment. Damage has come from both the electrical surge and penetration by a multitude of glass shards, which struck with great force.

Friday night was another difficult night for the patients and staff of Ahli. A large number of Israeli tanks came within thirty meters of the entrance to the hospital, making it impossible for either staff or those seeking health care to enter or leave the hospital, for over four hours. In addition, movement within the hospital compound was impossible due to the presence of Apache helicopters directly overhead, and fears that movement would be traced and answered with shooting.

The hospital gateman, Mounir, sustained a bullet wound to his head during the night, and remains hospitalized in a coma. Please keep him, and his family in your prayers.

Dr. Araxi sits on the board of Ahli Arab Hospital and is the only Anglican in Gaza. She has attended St. Philip’s since she was three years old, and has fond memories of the church services. She recalls attending Sunday school as a child and latter attending Bible studies, when the Baptist Church ran the church and hospital for a few decades. Dr. Araxi tries to attend services at St. Philip’s whenever possible, which also attract an ecumenical mix of Catholic and Orthodox Christians. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has not succeeded in obtaining the necessary permit from the Israeli authorities that would allow a Palestinian priest to travel to Gaza from either Israel or the West Bank; consequently worship services are sporadic and occur only when a foreign priest is visiting Gaza. Dr. Araxi choked back tears as she expressed her disbelief over the bombing. Despite her sadness, she was happy that the missile did not harm doctors, or patients in the hospital next door. ‘The church was a sacrifice for the people’, she said.

Many of you have further asked how you can assist us financially with the rebuilding of St. Philip’s and in repair of the damage to Ahli, until the time that we have the compensation in hand. The Gaza municipality is working with Ahli Arab Hospital in calculating a precise estimate of the damages. There is great concern that cracks evident in the walls of the administration building will render the foundation of the second story unstable. The roof of St. Philip’s remains in a critical position. As soon as the evaluation of damage is complete, I will share the results with you. Even now, we are certain that the cost of repair will be significant.

Five years ago, the municipality of Gaza built a market complex to bring together many small-scale merchants that were spread over the city. Israeli forces have also burned this to the ground, destroying five hundred shops and all their contents. Consequently, five hundred Gazan families have now lost their savings and means of support.

I ask that you continue to stand with us in denouncing all acts of violence, and in condemning the intentional bombing of both Ahli Arab Hospital and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Please join us in our ever-vigilant prayers for peace and justice, for all people of this troubled land.

Know that this comes with my prayers and best wishes,

In Christ,

+ The Rt. Rev. Riah Abu El-Assal

For further information, contact: Nancy Dinsmore Development Office Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

Email devedjer@netvision.net.il