JERUSALEM, Dec 7, 01 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - Father David Jaeger, a Franciscan expert in Vatican-Israeli relations, has told the Fides news service that Israel must negotiate with Yasser Arafat, since the PLO leader is the only authentic representative of the Palestinian people.
"A nation cannot de-legitimate the head of another nation," Father Jaeger told Fides. Acknowledging that Israeli leaders have serious reservations about Arafat, he observed: "Today, Palestine's leader is Arafat-- elected and recognized by the Palestinian institutions, just as Sharon is for Israel."
The Franciscan priest also pointed out that Israeli government policies toward the Palestinian Authority are contradictory. "For example," he said," over the past few days the government ordered strikes on the Palestinian security forces offices-- only to demand that the national Palestinian Authority use these same security forces to arrest terrorists."
Father Jaeger said that some Palestinians are now attracted by more radical groups such as Hamas because they see so little progress in negotiations toward a peace agreement. "There is no doubt," he insisted, "that as soon as light is seen at the end of the tunnel, followers of Hamas and similar Israeli extremists will soon diminish."
Catholic World News Service - Daily News Briefs
7. desember 2001