Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Nazareth deserves better

NAZARETH -- This city of more than 70,000 people is preparing to celebrate the arrival of the millennium next January. A major city improvement has been given a rocky reception by a group of Arab Muslim activists who want to place a large mosque in front of the Church of the Annunciation. Arab Christians have planned to turn this same piece of government-owned land into a plaza to accommodate millions of pilgrims arriving in this boyhood town of Jesus Christ. Among those pilgrims possibly will be Pope John Paul II if the conflict can be settled in the near future.

All of the plans for the plaza were going smoothly until last fall when the Islamic movement won a majority on the city council. This political advantage, despite the re-election of Christian mayor Ramiz Jeraisy, soon transferred a cooperative group of elected officials into a religious power play. Easter Sunday, Muslim hoodlums physically attacked Christians leaving the Church of the Annunciation and damaged more than two dozen cars. Israeli police arrived and did little to stop the widespread beating and smashing for several hours. Eventually they did arrest six Muslim rock throwers and in return the police received a shower of abuse both physical and verbal.

Since that rioting on the most holy Christian day, the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has done little constructive to settle the issue. In the middle of their own unsuccessful struggle to retain power, the government leaders have sent mixed messages to the combatants. That's most of them with the exception of Deputy Housing and Construction Minister Meir Porush, leader of the United Torah Judaism, who has come down on the side of those wanting to build a mosque where the activists have already raised a huge tent and refuse to leave. Since then, Porush has been given several honors by local Muslims. Tourism Minister Moshe Katsav didn't smell much better as he sprayed verbal gas on the flames of this fire.

It doesn't take long for an experienced eye to see the Muslim claim that the entire plaza area belongs to the Wakf is bogus. Records and maps make clear that only one small parcel, the grave site of Shehab a-Din, a nephew of Islamic hero Saladin, belongs to Wakf. The Christians are willing to protect and allow the Muslims to do what they desire with that segment of land. They want to continue the preparation of the remaining land for an open public plaza in this city of stone which has so few open or even level spaces. Much of the area was covered by a school, since torn down, and owned by the government.

The Muslim activists now claim that the entire space also has the bones of other members of their religion. So far, additional human bones haven't been found and the old school's foundation still remains.

Some of the moderate Muslim businessmen are upset with the activists and fear that this latest confrontation will create an atmosphere which will discourage the arrival of large numbers of pilgrims this year and during the coming century. Most of them speak in low voices because some of their group have also been attacked by the extremists. Mayor Jeraisy knows all of them as friends in a city that has had Christians and Muslims living together for centuries.

So what can straighten out this mess in the city where Christ was raised? The new national government coming into power can act responsibly and allow the original plaza plans to move forward. That's the plans made prior to last fall's city election which resulted in a religious conflict both unnecessary and strange to the old time residents of Nazareth. All of the maps and records dating back over many decades make clear that this is government land that can and should be developed for public use where so little open space is available.

In the meantime, other plans for the millennium are moving forward. Among the most interesting is a $60 million plan to begin the construction of Nazareth Village. It will have 35 one-room stone houses much like those which made up Nazareth 2,000 years ago. At that time, the town had no more than 300 residents. The residents of the 35 stone houses will be actors and storytellers in appropriate garb telling about Christ's life and teaching. This will be supplemented with a Parable Walk, restaurant, museum and study center. The entire project has the backing of former President Jimmy Carter, Pat Boone and Green Bay Packer football hero Rev. Reggie White.

The next century can be an exciting experience for millions of Christian pilgrims to Nazareth if the extremists will cool down and the Israeli government leaders do what is right and not continue to play their cheap brand of politics.

Shortly after the last prayers of Mass at the Church of the Annunciation I heard the Muslim call for prayer echo over the area as I reviewed the public records of the disputed land. Following the call for prayers was the sound of a bell from a Christian church. These prayer calls and bells are the comforting sounds of Nazareth that shouldn't be replaced by screams of hate and the sounds of shattering glass.

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