"The
recent developments in the Gaza Strip are deeply shocking. This
devastating catastrophe must be ended," Glettler said on Tuesday in a
statement to Kathpress. Glettler visited the International Court of
Justice in The Hague on Monday in his function as the parish bishop for
Pax Christi Austria. In this capacity, he also expressed his opinion
that those responsible on both sides of the conflict must be held
accountable to the International Court of Justice for the crimes they
have committed.
Bishop Glettler said the killing of civilians by
the Israeli military again over the weekend at aid distribution centres,
cannot be justified by anything. Similarly, the mass displacement of
the Palestinian civilian population, which was recently announced and is
being gradually implemented, is a "crime against the fundamental rights
of a people."
The bishop said his thoughts and prayers are with
the "hostages still held captive, who should be released immediately",
as well as all the other victims, the injured and all those suffering
under the inhumane conditions in Gaza. "Solidarity extends to the
diverse religious communities in the area and to all people yearning for
peace, protection and dignity."
Bishop Glettler said the
attacks on all those seeking aid must be condemned most severely. He
also condemned the attack on the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza
City, in which three innocent people were killed and ten people
including the dedicated priest Gabriel Romanelli, were injured. Bishop
Glettler said the attack on the church which was a refuge for around 600
displaced people, Christian and Muslim, many of them children with
disabilities, was "one of the sad highlights of the systematic
humiliation of the Palestinian people and their multi-religious
culture."
He said: "With Pope Leo, we demand an immediate
ceasefire in Gaza and request the international community to invest more
in order to reach a political solution."
The killing,
starvation and the systematic destruction of the livelihood of the
Palestinian people, if not even intended, must be stopped immediately,
the bishop said. Every silence, every looking away and the
criminalization of solidarity demonstrations is a betrayal of our
humanity he stressed.
"All political and civil society responsible are called upon to call for an immediate ceasefire", said Glettler. Addendum: "Silence is no longer an option! "