Vatican City – Bishops from the Middle East who were summoned to Rome by the pope demanded Saturday that Israel accept U.N. resolutions calling for an end to its “occupation” of Arab lands.
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In a final joint communique, the bishops also told Israel it shouldn’t use the Bible to justify “injustices” against the Palestinians.
The bishops issued the statement at the close of their two-week meeting, called by Pope Benedict XVI to discuss the plight of Christians in the Middle East amid a major exodus of the faithful from the birthplace of Christianity.
The Catholic Church has long been a minority in the largely Muslim region but its presence is shrinking further as a result of war, conflict, discrimination and economic problems.
During the meeting, several bishops blamed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for spurring the flight — a position echoed in their final paper. While the bishops condemned terrorism and anti-Semitism, they laid much of the blame for the conflict squarely on Israel.
They listed the “occupation” of Palestinian lands, Israel’s separation barrier with the West Bank, its military checkpoints, political prisoners, demolition of homes and disturbance of Palestinians’ socio-economic lives as factors that have made life increasingly difficult for Palestinians.
They said they had “reflected” on the suffering and insecurity in which Israelis live and on the status of Jerusalem, a city holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims.
“We are anxious about the unilateral initiatives that threaten its composition and risk to change its demographic balance,” they said.
They called on the international community to apply U.N. Security Council resolutions adopted in 1967, which called on Israel to withdraw from Arab land conquered in the Six-Day War that year.
“The Palestinian people will thus have an independent and sovereign homeland where they can live with dignity and security,” they said, while Israel will be able to enjoy peace and security.
Y’mach Sh’mom to the whole bunch. Did they ever complain before 1967 when they had zero access to any of their so called holy places. Do they complain of the mistreatment of the christian Coptics in Egypt. Zero. Its the Jews that are to blame for everything. Oh I forgot, and it was the church that defended us from Hitler Y”MS.
This is a family blog, otherewise you should clearly write where they should go!
isnt it unbelievable how two religions, enemies for centuries, make peace just for the sake of antisemitism?
Foreign Minister Lieberman should give the Pope the same response that he gave the foreign ministers from Europe. “After you take care of all your own problems (eg the priests and bishops should keep their hands in their own pockets) then be concerned to solve Israel’s problems. Until then Shut Up.
A German who was part of the Nazi Youth is condemning Israel…I’m shocked
It seems like these church leaders are looking for an excuse to explain the changed demographics and decreased size of their flocks. By and large, the Middle Eastern Christians are more educated and have more money than their Muslim neighbors. Many of them have emigrated to the West in search of better opportunities for their children and themselves. It almost sounds like these bishops and other middle managers are trying to justify the lack of growth of the customer base to their boss.
is this coming from the same faction that spearheaded the numerous crusades; which were a sweeping international attempt to overthrow the Muslim regime in Palestine & wipe out Judaism רחמנא ליצלן?!
How about giving us back the kelim kodesh from the Bais HaMikdash, which have been spotted in the Vatican’s catacombs?
The church kept its mouth shut during the holocaust. Now it opens its mouth. Apparently, when Jews are murdered en masse, the church is acquieces. When Jews defend themselves, the church protests.
Who is the Vatican to complain?? They should be the last to open their mouth!! What they have done throughout the ages — is indescribeable!! Who are they? Now!!
VIN forgot to mention the following shocking antisemitic statement from one of the Greek archbishops…..
“Asked about the passage at a news conference, Greek-Melchite Archbishop Cyrille Salim Bustros, said:
“We Christians cannot speak about the promised land for the Jewish people. There is no longer a chosen people. All men and women of all countries have become the chosen people”
Hashem Y’rachem
I think that the Catholic church shoudl abjudige their land at the Vatican. after all, the hedonistic Romans might want their land back. And while we are at that. Perhaps the vatican can return all of its land in the southern american lands to the Aztecs, Incans and other tribes who lived there before. And those people might have more rights than the palestinians who are squatters on land that was REALLY in Jewish Hands since the Exodus. Maybe the church can give back all its conquests in North America to the Apache tribes. Hey kids, the bagel rolls both ways right?
That’s it! The leaders of the dominant western religion have demanded that the obstinate Jews do what they demand so we have no choice but to listen to them.
DearNo. 11: Why do you have to be a vatican apologist. The vatican never responded that they don’t have the keilim. They either didn’t respond or gave an obfuscated answer to the jews demands.
If they didn’t have it a simple “Oh! we would gladly give it to you if we had it” would suffice.
Every time I just hear anything from those in roam my blood starts moving really quick. And now they are giving Israel musar? After they literally helped Hitler yms? And after hundreds of years of being rodef us? Shame on you just keep to yourselves and to to your garbage! (and yes return all the antiques you stole from us including the clei hamikdash). Thanks and good night!
I wonder what the Christian Bible says about priests raping little children…
They had better put their house in order before giving lessons to others. I remember that during a class run by “Jews for Judaism,” the Rabbi told us that Yoshke reportedly said, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” but he never followed his own advice.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East that does not kill Christians (infidels), does not ban people from praying, is the center of all religions and the only democratic, civilized, educated society in the region and these people admonish Israel for being so liberal, don’t they realize that they are easily beheaded too!
To the Fatican: u low lifes, mushchasim , telling your victems how to be humain. YSV