Boutros Mouallem

Boutros Pierre Mouallem is the retired Melkite Greek Catholic archbishop of Acre, Haifa and the Galilee, in Israel. He was born in 1928 and consecrated eparch of Brazil on June 29, 1990. He is active in seeking interfaith reconciliation and for championing the rights of Palestinians.

His appointment as archbishop of Galilee was actively opposed by the government of Israel, who said that he favours the Palestine Liberation Organization, resulting in a row between the Holy See and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [ cite book | | title = "Vatican Rebukes Israel Over Comments On Palestinian Bishop " | publisher = Catholic World News | date = 1998-08-07 |] The Holy See noted that selection of a bishop was matter reserved for the Church, "free of all external pressure," and that the Fundamental Accord between the Holy See and the State of Israel "provides for the autonomy of Church and State, each one in its own area." [ [http://www.zenit.org/english/archive/9808/zw980816.html#a5 Israeli Prime Minister Challenges Pope on Appointment of Bishop] . Zenit, August 8, 1998. Retrieved May 2007] Sources close to Netanyahu said that he wanted to make a "courteous persuasion" in favor of the competing candidate after the PLO began to insistently intervene in favor of Mouallem.

Later, in October 2002, Archbishop Mouallem was prevented by Israeli airport guards from leaving Jerusalem to attend an interfaith meeting in London. [ cite book | last = Solheim | first = James | authorlink = James Solheim | title = "Christian Leaders from Jerusalem Blocked From Attending Interfaith Meeting in London" | publisher = Episcopal News Service | date = 2002-10-23 |]

External links

* [http://www.zenit.org/english/archive/9808/zw980816.html#a5 Israeli Prime Minister Challenges Pope on Appointment of Bishop] , Zenit News Agency

References