Saturday, December 24, 2005
Messages of Inspiration and Sumud (steadfastness) From the Holy Land
I will update with more messages if time permits. Will start with excerpts from Roman Catholic Patriarch Michael Sabbah's Christmas message and an excerpt from an account of Scot Andrew McDonald's act of resistance against the occupation authority.
May the joy, which comes with God's grace fill your hearts as you endure so many sufferings. To all our faithful, to all those who are afraid, those who have among the family members a prisoner or someone under torture, to those who had to face death and to all those who are inclined to fill their hearts with hatred, we say: Purify your hearts; let the joy of Christmas renew your whole life.
Andrew McDonald, ISM activist:
Andrew Macdonald, a 31-year-old Glasgow native, has
spent the past three weeks in a detention center in
the south awaiting deportation. Police confirmed on
Wednesday that they were unable to deport Macdonald
due to his refusal to board a Scotland-bound plane and
his alleged threats to disrupt the flight.
Macdonald, who is currently being held in the
Immigration Police Tzohar Detention Center, was
arrested on November 3 with two other ISM activists
after allegedly assaulting a group of soldiers
standing at an IDF roadblock in the Tel Rumeida
neighborhood in Hebron. Macdonald was eventually
released but was arrested again in Hebron on November
24 after he was caught in the West Bank city with an
expired visa. Three weeks ago, police escorted
Macdonald to an airplane at Ben Gurion Airport but he
refused to board and according to police threatened to
disrupt the flight.
