Jerusalem: The Pope in Search of Christians

Pope Benedict XVI has completed his eight-day pilgrimage of the Holy Land, preaching peaceful coexistence between the peoples of the region. He urged both Israelis and Palestinians to put aside their grievances and divisions.

"Just and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the Middle East can only be achieved through a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect, in which the rights and dignity of all are acknowledged and upheld," he said.

Before arriving in the region, the Pope declared that he was coming as a "pilgrim of peace." The Vatican billed the visit as spiritual rather than political. In fact, from day one his trip was mired with political controversies.

On the Israeli side, Pope Benedict XVI failed to clearly confront the dark history of his native Germany despite attempts to ease tensions with Jews after his recent decision to lift the excommunication of a Holocaust denying Catholic bishop. Two high-ranking officials at Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust memorial) blamed the Pope for not apologizing or using the words "murder" or "Nazis" during a speech at the site.

Many Palestinians were also not thrilled by the papal visit.

"Nicht Willkommen" -- "not welcome" in Benedict's native tongue German, read a banner across the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, reflecting the resentment among some Muslims at what they regard as Benedict's insults about the prophet Muhammad.

"This Pope does not respect Islam," Nabil Shehadeh, an East Jerusalem resident, told me.

Many Palestinians had wanted the Pope to stand next to Israel's Separation Wall and condemn it. Several thousands of them, mostly living in Diaspora, had petitioned the Vatican urging the Pope to travel into Gaza to witness first hand the destruction left behind by Israel's "Operation Cast Lead". Instead, the Pope opted to visit the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem and speak to the press outside a UN school at a refugee camp within meters of the wall. He acknowledged Palestinian suffering and the destruction of Gaza but attributed it to "the turmoil that has afflicted this land for decades".

Meanwhile, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal warned the Pope about the shrinking numbers in the Palestinian Christian community because of emigration due to the "unjust occupation" of Palestinian land by Israel and "all its humiliation." Israelis attribute this to economics and Muslim extremism.

In 1948, Christians represented 20 percent of the population of historic Palestine. Today, they only represent 2 percent of the population residing between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Discounting all the foreign born priests, nuns, and clergymen living in close proximity to the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem, the oldest Christian community in the world, Palestinian Christians represent only 1 percent of the inhabitants. According to Palestinian Jerusalemites, this falls into the grand scheme of transforming a big portion of the Old City of Jerusalem into a large theme park.

The Israeli government has been quietly implementing a 165 million dollar eight-year development plan that aims at transforming the area known as the "Holy Basin" -- land both inside and just outside the walled Old City -- into a major "Biblical Kingdom." Much of the plan has been put under the control of ultra-nationalist Israeli settlers groups, who are simultaneously at the forefront of a land acquisition policy geared to taking over as many Palestinian homes in the area as possible. The next time the Pope comes to Jerusalem, its Latin Patriarch may have to point towards where the Christians used to live in the ancient city.

Jamal Dajani produces the Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV.

Comments

[joz22]

For those who think that Jerusalem is a united city, I recommend the Association of Civil Rights in Israel:
http://www.acri.org.il/camp/jerusalem/index.html

[zorba2009]

I like to add to JerryLevy's post in regards to city of Jerusalem.
Up and until June 1967, the old city of Jerusalem was a derelict and neglected city. Jews were forbidden by the Arabs from worshiping at their holiest site of the Wailing Wall. In fact, it was used by Arabs as public urinary place.

This is the first time during the last 2000 years that, Jerusalem is at its glory. Since Israel had liberated it on June 7th 1967, this ancient and sacred city to Jews (who actually built it) and the place where the prophets of both Jews and Christians had ACTUALLY walked, worship, and died (Muhammad never ever set foot there) in this city. Today Jerusalem is a vibrant, civilized where each religious denomination has an absolute religious sovereignty and freedom to warship his / her religion without impediment from the Israeli authorities.

All throughout its 3000 year history, Jerusalem has been a capital city of only one nation - Israel, ancient and modern alike.

No need to divide this city.

[justice2008]

Please let's stick with the facts and not just mythlogy:

1. After the 1948 war, Israelis were forbidden from East Jerusalem and Palestinians were forbidden from West Jerusalem.

2. Jerusalem was built by the Jebusites and Canaanites before Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

3. Religious freedom? Israel prevents Palestinian Muslims under the age of 40 from entering the Old City and praying at Al Aqsa on Fridays and Holidays.

4. The City is vibrant? Have you been there? East Jerusalem falls asleep at 7 PM. Young Israelis have been abandoning West Jerusalem for Tel Aviv.

5. Muhammad never set foot there? Not according to Islam. If you believe that Abraham lived for more than 200 years, Sarah got pregnant at 90, and Jesus walked on water, then it is plausible that Muhammad (according) to Muslim belief made his night Journey to Jerusalem on a winged horse called Burak.

[JerryLevy]

The departure of Christians from the West Bank has nothing to do with Israeli occupation. In fact, from 1967 until 1990, Christian population increased. The departure of Christians living under Palestinian rule is the same reason for the departure of Christians in Egypt, Pakistan, and Lebanon........fear and intolerance. These people face much danger from the majority Islamic governments they live under. Churches have been vandalized and Christians attacked in the streets. The Christians in E. Jerusalem are desperate not to be put under Palestinian rule. Can you blame them?

[jad114]

This is total nonsense.

Why then the number of Christians in Jerusalem was much higher during Jordanian rule from 1948-1967? There is systemic campaign by the Israeli government to rid Jerusalem of its indigineous Palestinian inhabitants. The problem facing Christians in Jerusalem is that they are Palestinians and not just Christians!

[JerryLevy]

You are factually incorrect. Israel's Christian population has grown from 34,000 in 1948 to nearly 130,000 by 2006. Meanwhile, the Christian population of the West Bank and Gaza which was 20% of the total population after WWII, is now less than 1.7% (under 50,000). The decline has accelerated sharply since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1993. The London Daily Telegraph, hardly a friend of Israels printed a dossier of incidents of violence and intimidation by Muslim extremists to Church leaders in Jerusalem. Bethlehem was 80% Christian before the PA took over in 1993, it was 20% by the end of 2006.

[joz22]

Why not a theme park? Everyone will make money and stop killing each other.

[justice2008]

It's really more complicated than this:

1. It is called a Biblical Kingdom which might be problematic to Muslims.
2. It is done at the expense of Palestinians whose lands and homes are being demolished and confiscated to make way for it.

[joz22]

Moslems believe in the bible and Jewish prophets.

[almazza98]

Why would the term biblical be a problem to Muslims? The Bible is considered a holy book in Islam, as is the Torah.

[jad114]

You guys (Palestinians & Israelis) are plain mean!
The Jews are not happy with the Pope. The Muslims are angry. The Christians complain. What the heck do you want from an 80 year old man?

[justice2008]

If you can't stand the heat...don't get into the kitchen.

[newsjunkie5]

The Pope is not a poor helpless man. He is in a position of great power and has used that power to make very strong statements against Muslims worldwide!

[joz22]

What "great" power does he have? He is just a religious leader.

[alexa07]

"Much of the plan has been put under the control of ultra-nationalist Israeli settlers groups, who are simultaneously at the forefront of a land acquisition policy geared to taking over as many Palestinian homes in the area as possible."

Biblical land grab for profit? Yes, the Pope has missed an opportunity to call the world's attention to yet another series of crimes against the Palestinian people.

[cohen238765]

This is not a crime. Jerusalem is in Israel and it is up to Israel to decide how to handle the future of Jerusalem.

[almazza98]

Um not that part of Jerusalem. East Jerusalem is not part of Israel, its part of the occupied territories. Didn't they teach you anything in school?

[moflard]

Well in that case the houses of Jews prior to 1945 was in the Reich, so it was up to the Reich to decide how to handle it.

Bet you don't like that : although it's parallel to what you think for Palestinians.

[newsjunkie5]

Of course he has...as has the rest of the world for the last 60 years!

[leonardox1]

The key phrase is indeed "land grab." Any excuse to get rid of palestinian Jerusalemites.

[cohen238765]

It's not an excuse and no one is "grabbing" land that does not rightfully belong to them. It's Israel's land and they have the right to take back what is theirs. Any country would do the same. Many countries have gone to war for this very reason. Why is it an issue when Israel is holding on to what is rightfully theirs?

[cohen238765]

Israel should think about its economic future and boosting its tourism industry. Jeruslaem is a part of Israel and should be able to be used in whichever way Israel deems profitable to sustain the country.

[jad114]

Don't know what your talking about?

[cohen238765]

I think I do...the world is just in denial. Jerusalem belongs to Israel and ultimately the world will see that. Palestinian Muslims will eventually leave just as the Christians did. Soon there will be no need for peace agreements and political deals. There will be no "Palestinian territories" carving out Israeli land.

[newsjunkie5]

Do the Israelis have any respect for the history that is found in the Holy Basin? I have been to Jerusalem and of course visited the Old City and I would be devasted to see it turn into a Disney-like theme park?

[justice2008]

Jerusalem without Christians? This is not a far fetched possibility. I've met more Palestinian Christians in the States than during my travels in Israel and the West Bank.

[newsjunkie5]

The reason why most Christian Palestinians have emigrated out of their homeland is clear. Just because it is the present reality doesn't make it right and we (the collective outsiders looking in) should not normalize this in our minds.

[leonardox1]

Btw, this is not exclussive to Palestinian Christians, Iraq is being emptied out of its Christians.

[cohen238765]

No one is emptying the Christians out from anywhere...they are LEAVING on their own accord!