Churches for Middle East Peace Raises Palestinian Christian Issues on Eve of Pope’s Holy Land Visit

Churches for Middle East Peace Raises Palestinian Christian Issues on Eve of Pope’s Holy Land Visit

Churches for Middle East Peace Raises Palestinian Christian Issues on Eve of Pope’s Holy Land Visit

[Washington, DC – May 5, 2009]  Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 22 U.S. church bodies, sent a letter to Secretary of State Clinton today, on the occasion of the visit this week of his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the Holy Land, highlighting the rapid decline of the Palestinian Christian community there.   

Commenting on the letter, James Fine, Chair of the CMEP Board said, “The prospect of a Holy Land devoid of its living Christian community is not just a tragedy for world Christianity but would have serious ramifications for a future Palestinian state, the interreligious nature of Jerusalem, and regional peace and security.  It certainly makes the Obama Administration’s efforts to bring peace, stability and security through a just and lasting two-state solution even more urgent.” 

While recognizing that ultimately only a negotiated agreement can stem Palestinian Christian emigration, the letter cites several specific issues that can be acted on immediately, including: restrictive Israeli residency and family unification regulations in East Jerusalem; visa and permit restrictions that inhibit the movement of clergy and religious personnel; and the need for further efforts to strengthen the rule of law in the West Bank and Gaza.

The letter asserts that efforts to address the situation of Palestinian Christians “will bolster [the Administration’s] comprehensive peace effort and can be acted on in a manner that fully respects Israel’s security needs while helping to build the foundation for a viable Palestinian state with effective governing institutions.” 

It concludes with the hope that persistent diplomacy can help the Holy Land “become a model for good relations – an antidote to rising intolerance and fundamentalism – and a place where all the children of Abraham can live together in peace with dignity and security. “

Click here to read the full text of the letter.