May 2014
Roman Catholic popes do not visit Jerusalem very often. But
Pope Francis I is coming to town—and many right-wing Jews are none too pleased.
Last week the Israeli Shin Bet security agency ordered an undisclosed number of
Jewish activists to stay out of parts of Jerusalem during the pope’s visit. The
order said the activists were thought to be planning “disruptions” and “provocative
illegal acts,” including what the Israeli newspaper Haaretz called a possible “major hate crime.”
This follows a recent trend of right-wing efforts to call for “death to Arabs
and Christians and all those who hate Israel.”
Jews and Christians revere the Tomb of King David in
Jerusalem. But for Christians, Jesus’ Last Supper supposedly took place in a
room above David’s Tomb, according to tradition—although archaeologists doubt
the traditional site is the actual site. In any case, Israel permits Christians
to perform services in the room only one day a year.
During the pope’s visit, the Israeli government might sign
an agreement to give Christians access a few more days per year. According to Haaretz, this could anger many far
right Jews, though no change of ownership or managerial responsibilities would
occur. If the government makes such a move, it would bolster Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that Israel upholds religious freedom.
Author and Economist
correspondent Nicolas Pelham contrasts many aspects of Christians living in Israel and those
living in the Palestinian Territories. He says some Christians in Palestine
have high political or economic position. Nine Palestinian towns, including
Bethlehem, are obliged to have Christian mayors. And Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas has attended three Christmas worship services.
Similar trends in Israel exist little or not at all.
Yet Pelham and others admit that whatever support Christians
find in Israel or Palestine may just be politically motivated. Author and journalist
Ray Hanania is a Palestinian-American Christian, and often blames Israel for
the troubles of Christians there. But Hanania cares more about aiding Christians than attacking Israel:
“To survive, Christians need friends in the Middle East. And
if Israel is willing to extend its hand to help us, I am not sure that as a
Christian Palestinian I can say no.” Hanania doubts any chance of dialogue with
Jewish extremists, such as those who created flyers
condemning the pope’s visit because “the pope is responsible for the continued
deception of millions of people who believe in false G-d’s [sic]” and because of
“the lies perpetrated by the Christian faith for 2,000 years.”
But he puts no hope in radical Islamists, either. In fact,
in an open letter to the pontiff, he asks for action against all extremists, since
“Christians are not treated well by any side.” In a recent report on Mideast Christians, the Pew Research Center states the percentage
of Christians in the region has cut in half since 1900.
So far the pope is on day one of his Middle East trip—Jordan. For three days in three nations, he
will meet with kings, prime ministers, and patriarchs, Muslims, Jews, and
Christians. Already he is discussing peace and religious freedom with whomever
will listen.
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(Originally published by Yahoo! Voices.)
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