Kassis: Israeli occupation army incites against Christians

[ PIC 11/02/2013 – 09:15 PM ]
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NAZARETH, (PIC)– A Palestinian Christian group accused the occupation army of promoting cheap propaganda against Christians in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948, after broadcasting a picture showing a Christian officer in Maintenance Corps of the occupation army.

The picture was broadcasted by the Israeli occupation army spokesman Ovijaa Adraei.

The coordinator of the Palestinian Christian Initiative, Rifat Kassis, stressed to Quds Press the Christians’ rejection of conscription in the occupation army, calling on churches to raise awareness within their respective congregations so that “the occupation army does not use them as tools to violate the rights of the Palestinian people.”

Kassis considered the Israeli stunt as a cheap attempt to give the impression that they have managed to penetrate the Arab Christian community.

He stressed that “the Christians’ position is consistent with the Palestinian National position, insisting that they are an integral part of the nation, and they had their share of captives and martyrs.”

He pointed out that there are not only Christians in the occupation army but also Druze and Muslims who join the IOF, but that these people are “rejected in their communities despite the Israeli attempts to exaggerate their positions and numbers,” he said.

The Palestinian Christian Initiative had earlier launched a charter entitled “Kairos Palestine” in which it rejected Christian conscription in the occupation army and called on Christians to be steadfast and struggle against oppression and occupation till liberation of the Palestinian land.

The spokesman for the occupation army, Ovijay Adraei, has posted on his Facebook page an image of the first Arab Christian soldier, recruited in the Maintenance Corps.

Adraei has been working for some time on posting images of Arab soldiers, whether Muslims or Christians, recruited in the Israeli army.

The occupation army has launched, several months ago, a campaign to encourage the Christians in 1948-occupied Palestine to join the occupation army, but the Christian community and clergy have rejected such steps.

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Related: Israel’s crimes against Christianity | Christianty – in pictures

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