"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church". -St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Monday, June 1, 2009

Who are the Palestinians we had supported?

When Israel's offensive attack in Gaza that killed hundreds and misplaced thousands, the world seemed so united that rallies in major cities filled the major streets.

In Muslim countries, fund raising booths were erected and posters were found almost every corner of the cities and leading newspapers printed uncensored photos of dead and wounded children being carried by their grieving parents to show the world how "barbaric" are the Israelites.

That was when we thought we are fighting for Palestine and the Palestinians themselves. Have we been wrong in supporting them?

(All walks of life for Palestine! Will they still stand for Palestinians fighting against Palestinians?)

But here's the twist. Today 6 Palestinians died after Palestinians ruthlessly fired their rifles against their fellow Palestinians, the same people we have shared our thoughts and our efforts:

QALQILIYA, West Bank – Forces loyal to the moderate Palestinian president stormed a Hamas hideout in the West Bank and set off a fierce gunbattle that left six dead Sunday, the worst violence since the factions fought a pitched battle over Gaza two years ago.
Militants lobbed grenades and fired automatic weapons to push back the raid in a two-story building in Qalqiliya, a West Bank town known for its strong Hamas presence. That drew dozens of President Mahmoud Abbas' forces to the hideout.

When it was over, pools of blood, tear gas canisters and hundreds of spent shell casings littered the floor. Walls were partly burned down during the battle.

Qalqiliya, which elected a Hamas mayor in 2005, was tense Sunday. Women gathered near the scene heaped insults on policemen. Sporadic gunfire erupted in other areas of town, and police said the shots came from Hamas loyalists targeting officers, though there were no reports of injuries.

The two factions have made intermittent attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized Gaza in 2007, leaving rival Fatah in control of only the West Bank. But Sunday's bloodshed showed just how little progress has been made.

The split has complicated Mideast peace efforts because the Palestinians cannot negotiate with Israel in a single voice and Hamas refuses to recognize the Jewish state.

Abbas has backed Washington's peace efforts, and the raid underscored his determination to rein in militants as part of his obligations under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. Last week, Abbas met at the White House with President Barack Obama and renewed a pledge to crack down on militants and honor other commitments under the road map.

The U.S. has been training Abbas' elite forces to help him affirm his control of the West Bank and prepare for eventual statehood. Many of the security men involved in the shootout had undergone U.S.-supervised training in Jordan, police said.

Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh said going after militants is key to one day setting up a Palestinian state.

"To build our country and our state, we need to have one authority, one gun, one law," he said." (Read more in Yahoo!News)

When we talk of Palestine and the Palestinians, we should understand the Political factions such that Hamas never recognizes the legitimacy of the Presidency of Abu Mazen who happen to belong to the Fatah Movement.

The USA, UE, and other states consider Hamas (in Palestine which is linked to Hezbollah in Jordan) as "terrorist" groups which is supported by Iran according to PressTV.

As the rift divided Palestinians more deeply, the world suddenly realized who are the Palestinians they have been fighting for?

"Tens of thousands of backers of Hamas and other militant groups marched in several places in Gaza City, protesting the raid and calling Abbas a "collaborator" with Israel. Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Hamas military wing, threatened "tough and harsh reprisal."

This is a serious threat from Palestinians against Palestinians in Palestine. Had not Hamas ignited the Israeli Government to offensive attack after they fired rockets into Israel itself?

I feel ashamed I had supported people unworthy of it.

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