By NNN-WAFA
Jerusalem : Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah said on Wednesday that peace in the Middle East depends on Israel.
In a Christmas message, Sabbah added that to attain peace, it is necessary to believe that Israelis and Palestinians are equal in all things, that they have the same rights and the same duties.
“The strong party, the one with everything in hand, the one who is imposing occupation on the other, has the obligation to see what is just for everyone and to carry it out courageously,” he said.
Sabbah said Israelis and Palestinians were in a “new phase” after re-launching the peace process in the US city of Annapolis last month.
“There is something new in this Annapolis. That the American administration is decided (to push for peace), though the decision will be taken by those who are here, Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.
“And the one who will make the decision will be Israel. If Israel decides for peace, we will have peace,” Sabbah said.
The patriarch, who oversees Catholics in Cyprus, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories, said the Holy Land was universal to Christians, Jews and Muslims and that any state must recognise those claims.