The Greek-Melkite rite priest, director of St. Joseph’s School in Nazareth, made his proposal for 150 Christian Arabs, 150 Jews and 150 Muslim Arabs.
If he cannot find enough Muslim Arab pilgrims, Father Shoufani will invite 150 Muslims of France, where he is well known, in part for his book «Le Curé de Nazareth» («The Parish Priest of Nazareth»).
In statements published today in the Italian newspaper Avvenire, Father Shoufani said that with «the Palestinian intifada, almost a total break has been created between the Israeli and Arab peoples. It is necessary to break the cycle of violence and hatred, and to rebuild a climate of trust.»
Explaining why he decided on the pilgrimage to the site of the Nazi death camp in Poland, he said: «I think that such a step could help. It is a trip to get to know a place in which the Jewish people lived a reality that has not been understood, and on which many of their reactions today depend.»
