Christian exodus from Israel troubles Vatican

[Gimel]

Increasing Christian emigration from the Holy Land in general and Bethlehem in particular is troubling to the Vatican, Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews said in Jerusalem on Thursday.

<snip>

Remarking on the Church's work towards reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians, Kasper said: "The Church is suffering with the innocent victims on both sides. We would like to do all that is possible to achieve peace."

Kasper made it clear that peace means more than the mere laying down of arms. Peace also means justice, dignity, and the right to survive and co-exist, he emphasized.

<snip>

Katsav when questioned over a possible rift with Turkey as a reaction to Israeli policy and IDF operations in Gaza said that the Turks must realize that Israel does not deliberately set out to destroy people's homes. When terrorism is being fought, innocent people are often caught in the crossfire, he said.

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Full Article

[izzie]

1. I can not think who would want to live in that country.

We see from the Human Rights report yesterday who gets killed the most but I still would not wish to live there.Poor people.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I have a friend

who was born in Jerusalem to Roman Catholic parents. She told about Israeli troops occupying the Church of the Holy Sepulchur and leaving after hanging a huge Israeli flag. According to her, Christians have been denied access to their shrines from time to time.

If this is true, no wonder they want to leave.

[Classical_Liberal]

3. The Israelis don't deliberately destroy peoples homes?

Then how come the asked for and got a ruling from the supreme court to do precisely that?

Israel's top court approves razing Palestinian homes

By MARK MacKINNON
Monday, May 17, 2004 - Page A1


TEL AVIV -- Despite the opposition of the White House and thousands of peace demonstrators, Israel said yesterday that it will intensify its operations in the Gaza Strip and demolish "hundreds" more Palestinian homes in an effort to stop arms smuggling and attacks against its troops.

Yesterday, Israel's Supreme Court gave its approval to the plan, which is expected to leave thousands of people homeless, by lifting a temporary injunction on the demolition of homes in the Rafah refugee camp.

The court rejected an appeal by Palestinian families, ruling that the demolitions could be justified as a self-defence measure.

"Hundreds of houses have been marked for destruction," aides quoted Moshe Yaalon, Israeli army chief of staff, as telling a weekly cabinet meeting......

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040517/ISRAEL17/TPEntertainment/TopStories

Does anyone seriously believe that the destruction of homes in Rafah was a battlefield fuckup?

[Djinn]

4. I'm amazed that anyone wants to live there

Christian, Jew, Muslim or otherwise. Who they hell would choose to live in -place that's basically been a war zone for 50 years if they had an alternative option