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Pope Benedict XVI leading Pentecost Mass at the Vatican on Sunday. (Reuters)
Last update - 17:32 12/05/2008
Holy See asks Israel to help protect Christians in Mideast
By The Associated Press
Tags: nukes, Mideast, Israel, pope

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI urged Israel on Monday to help the
dwindling Christian community in the Middle East by assuring them of a secure future in the region.

He has also asked that Israel resolve long-standing problems with the Holy See over church land and taxes and to ease visa restrictions for Catholic clergy.
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Benedict raised the issues when he received Israel's new ambassador to the Holy See.

The problem of travel restrictions on Arab Christian clergy has been an
irritant in relations. Israel has rescinded some travel privileges, citing security concerns.

Ambassador Mordechay Lewy told the pope that Israel is committed to
strengthening the ancient Christian communities and wants to settle the
outstanding issues with the Vatican.

Benedict has made concern over the future of Middle East Christians a
priority. Economic problems as well as violence in the Holy Land and Iraq have led Christians to emigrate from the region.

"I pray that, in consequence of the growing friendship between Israel and the Holy See, ways will be found of reassuring the Christian community that they
have a secure future in the region," Benedict said.

He said problems facing Christians are related to Israel-Palestinian tensions.

The Holy See recognizes Israel's legitimate need for security and self-defense and strongly condemns all forms of anti-Semitism, the pope said.

At the same time, he urged Israel to alleviate travel restrictions causing hardships for Palestinians.

The ambassador, in his remarks released by the Vatican, said Israel would do its utmost to help strengthen the Christian communities in Israel as their essential presence in the Holy Land is deeply rooted and historically self-understood.

He also said that Israel is committed to the peace process but warned of
nightmarish perils if the process of proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region is not halted.


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      1.   Israel, Ony Place in ME Where Christian Community Growing 17:15  |  Straight Talk 12/05/08
      2.   Israel MUST protect Christians 17:21  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      3.   Israel needs Christain friendship. 17:42  |  R 12/05/08
      4.   Pope has some chutzpah. Let him help secure Jews in ME 17:43  |  McQueen 12/05/08
      5.   Israel persecutes local Christians 18:09  |  Karl 12/05/08
      6.   Why Israel 18:13  |  COUCOUCOUCOU 12/05/08
      7.   Holy See is ignorant of International Protocol 18:13  |  The Archives 12/05/08
      8.   #5 Karl - Greensboro 18:30  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      9.   The Jews of Europe, Italy and the Americas feel safe 18:32  |  Argentinian 12/05/08
      10.   As a proud Roman Catholic I strongly agree with the blessed Pope 18:40  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/05/08
      11.   #4 Our Christian community needs any help we can get 18:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/05/08
      12.   #5-2 Karl - Greensboro 18:43  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      13.   Protect us: GO AWAY FROM US 18:45  |  Elias Khadra 12/05/08
      14.   How many synagogues in Vatican City? 18:49  |  r 12/05/08
      15.   Now that is a Papal Joke 18:52  |  El-Birawi 12/05/08
      16.   The Holy See: `Jews are the protectors of the Faith`. 18:53  |  Akram Zekaria 12/05/08
      17.   KARL, IGNORANCE IS BLISS, HATING JEWS IS SICKNESS 18:53  |  Jorge 12/05/08
      18.   Bethlehem must be annexed to Israels state jurisdiction 19:02  |  Haldrik 12/05/08
      19.   Indigenous Christians should get special citizenship status 19:05  |  Haldrik 12/05/08
      20.   Too late 19:12  |  Gee 12/05/08
      21.   Turncoat Sullivan the Modern James Bond 19:18  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      22.   #13 Elias Khadra - Pls read my #8 to Karl 19:21  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      23.   r -- Many in Catholic countries! (ROME TOO! ) 19:22  |  Catholic 12/05/08
      24.   #10 Turncoat Sullivan - Would the POP bless you 19:22  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      25.   to ben jabo 19:29  |  karl 12/05/08
      26.   THE JEWS OWED THE HOLY A GREAT DEAL 19:44  |  indrajaya 12/05/08
      27.   Does he want freedom of religion, or freedom to proselytize? 19:53  |  Jon 12/05/08
      28.   #26 Karl - One basic problem with your understanding 19:56  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      29.   #26 Indrajay - You must be reading a different history 20:00  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      30.   #1 Pope is not stupid 20:02  |  Mad Max 12/05/08
      31.   HUH?? 20:03  |  William 12/05/08
      32.   is the pope an idiot,he should be begging muslims 20:09  |  terrornator 12/05/08
      33.   ben jabo again 20:12  |  Karl 12/05/08
      34.   Let`s blame the Jews for Islamic persecutions 20:20  |  Victor 12/05/08
      35.   Israel is a rude country 20:21  |  Wiseman 12/05/08
      36.   Does his Yarmulke make him Reform, Conservative or Orthodox 20:22  |  Just wondering 12/05/08
      37.   to no 13 Elias 20:24  |  Tina 12/05/08
      38.   Karl 20:31  |  Bar 12/05/08
      39.   Yaakov Sullivan 20:41  |  Connie 12/05/08
      40.   To Argentinian - Jews feels safe? 20:43  |  Arie 12/05/08
      41.   Yes Tina, you have the right to your home in Cairo 20:44  |  Elias Khadra 12/05/08
      42.   No Ben Jabo, I live with muslims and they are not as you say 20:46  |  Elias Khadra 12/05/08
      43.   #24 BEN JABO, Relex, i am NOT a turncioat, but a Catholic Jew and 20:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/05/08
      44.   #13 Ben Jabo: Talmud Views Christians as 21:03  |  student of religion 12/05/08
      45.   Ratzinger errs... 21:10  |  Webster 12/05/08
      46.   #18..so that Kahana youths would spit on Christian 21:10  |  American 12/05/08
      47.   Elias Khadra, can you buy a home in Jihadi controlled Bethlehem? 21:23  |  Genuine Tosefta 12/05/08
      48.   Pope : Good Idea, But Israel Does Not Even Protect Jews 21:47  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/05/08
      49.   Arie - Every Catholic country lets Jews worship 21:48  |  Argentinian 12/05/08
      50.   35 foolish man 22:07  |  Is real wise man 12/05/08
      51.   How many synagogues? 22:28  |  hollingsworth 12/05/08
      52.   Thank you, wiseman 22:30  |  hollingsworth 12/05/08
      53.   The point is, as you say 22:33  |  hollingsworth 12/05/08
      54.   student of religion your grade is an F 22:52  |  Gee 12/05/08
      55.   #42 Elias Khadry - You may live with them 23:06  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      56.   #43 Turncoast - No such thing as a Catholic Jew 23:10  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      57.   and where o where was he? 23:14  |  Jewboy 12/05/08
      58.   #28 Karl - Just in case you didn`t know it 23:21  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      59.   #46 American ( Yeah, I`ll bet) 23:24  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      60.   hollingsworth why do you come here? 23:24  |  Gee 12/05/08
      61.   what a stupid statement 23:25  |  george Dickens 12/05/08
      62.   #44 Studen of Religion 23:28  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      63.   #49 Argentinian - I seem to remember a Synagogue 23:30  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      64.   The ignorant condone ethnic cleansing 23:31  |  Charlie 12/05/08
      65.   #49-2 Argentinian - To refresh your memory 23:33  |  * BEN JABO 12/05/08
      66.   Yes, Wiseman, it tells us you peddle antisemitic propaganda 23:49  |  Freethinker 12/05/08
      67.   No 1 23:55  |  Anthony 12/05/08
      68.   tina 37 23:58  |  Anthony 12/05/08
      69.   karl in greensboro,my posts makes ben jabos posts look like a 00:02  |  terrornator 13/05/08
      70.   Gee is almost right 00:04  |  hollingsworth 13/05/08
      71.   christians in me