Problems From the Orthodox

No, not Orthodox Jews.

Orthodox Arabs.

Really.

Read this:

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Arab Orthodox Central Council in Palestine and Jordan and the Council of Arab Orthodox Organizations in Palestine issued a statement on Tuesday "strongly condemning" cooperation between Greek Orthodox church officials and Israel's Ministry of Tourism.

The institutions organized a joint inauguration of an Israeli road in the Jordan Valley near the Saint George Monastery, in the occupied West Bank, earlier in the day including a press tour to the monastery, and reception along with officials from the Israeli Minister of Tourism, representatives of Israel's Civil Administration and Ministry of Transport.

In its joint statement, the Arab Ortoodox groups called the event and example of the church's "arrogant behavior that has harmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people."...

"The inauguration of an Israeli road in the Jordan Valley is another tool to further consolidate Israel’s settlement enterprise and control the area.

Funny, I had actually received an invitation to attend that event. Here it is:

THE ANCIENT ST. GEORGE MONASTERY IN THE JUDEAN DESERT

IS NOW ACCESSIBLE TO TOURISTS

ON TUESDAY, 30.11.10, THE GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH WILL LEAD A PRESS TOUR OF THE MONASTERY, CARVED INTO THE ROCK FACE AT THE SITE WHERE ELIJAH HID, ACCORDING TO LEGEND.

THE TOUR WILL END WITH A FESTIVE CEREMONY TO OPEN THE NEW ACCESS ROAD TO THE SITE, IN THE PRESENCE OF TOURISM MINISTER STAS MISEZHNIKOV, THE GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH, THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

You are invited to a press tour of the Monastery of St. George, carved out of the rock face in the Judean Desert. In the coming days, tourists and visitors will be able to reach the foot of the stunning St. George Monastery with the completion of infrastructure work that includes a new access road.

The tour of the monastery, which lies deep in a desert canyon surrounded by a lush garden of trees, will be led by His Beatitude, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III. The monastery, built in the Byzantine period at the end of the fifth century, is one of the oldest monasteries in the country, with spectacular rock drawings from the fifth and sixth centuries.

Erosion of the access road over recent years denied tourists, visitors and believers easy and convenient access to the monastery, which, according to the Christian faith, is the site of the cave in which Elijah the Prophet hid from Jezebel.  The Tourism Ministry, in cooperation with the Transport Ministry and the Civil Administration, answered the request of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch to improve tourist access to the site. The access road was renovated, including the laying of drainage pipes to prevent similar damage occurring in the future and the addition of handrails to increase safety at the site.

On Tuesday, 30.11.10 at 10:30, the new road will officially be opened by the Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, His Beatitude, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, the Deputy Head of the Civil Administration Colonel Raed Mantzur, CEO, Department of Public Works Alex Viznitcher  and Transport Ministry representatives.

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