Israel Goes All Bonkers

Maybe Israel is the US' best ally in the Middle East.

But some days they are wacko.

For 125 years the Salesians of Don Bosco have been producing wine to support pastoral and educational work among the poor of Bethlehem. The proceeds from the Cremisan winery, located in a suburb of Bethlehem support the work of the order and upwards of 30 families according to the Independent Catholic News.

But for the past several weeks, Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron refuse to let the wine through.

This means that not only Christian churches, but also pilgrim houses, hotels and restaurants in Jerusalem, Nazareth and other parts of Israel are being deprived of Cremisan wine this Christmas.

Because the wine is shipped from the Israeli port of Haifa, the sudden embargo has also made it impossible for the wine to be exported to Europe. The soldiers have told Cremisan that the wine constitutes "a security risk."

This is not the first time that Israel has played hardball with Christians and Catholics in Palestine--but it should be the last.

HT: Creative Minority