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.
Kasper was speaking to reporters in the course of a visit with President Moshe Katsav to whom he conveyed the greetings of Pope John Paul II, saying: "Jewish-Christian relations are very close to his heart."
Kasper also reminded Katsav that all forms of anti-Semitism and violations of human rights had been condemned by the Second Vatican Council.
Kasper is a regular commuter to the Holy Land where he meets with patriarchs of the different churches as well as with the Chief Rabbis. "It's normal to meet face to face," he said. "Otherwise you can't develop human relations."
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.
On the issue of Christian emigration from Bethlehem and the gradual Muslim takeover, Kasper acknowledged that the Church is worried, particularly because Christians have lived in the Holy Land throughout the centuries and have made important contributions to cultural developments. Christians have also come on pilgrimage for centuries he noted, stating: "We don't want dead stones; we want living communities."
Even if Bethlehem's Christian community continues to diminish he said, the Church is determined to remain.
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.
Though pained by the suffering of innocent Palestinians, Katsav asserted that Israel had no option when Palestinian terrorists are dedicated to shedding Israeli blood. "If the Turks had been forewarned about attacks on the British Consulate and the synagogue in Istanbul, they would not have acted differently," he opined.
Responding to a question about the population exchange proposal put forward by National Union leader Avigdor Lieberman, Katsav said that he is opposed to both transfer and population exchange.
On the issue of the arrest of British journalist Peter Hounam, Katsav said that he had every confidence in the decisions made by the General Security Services. He would not say whether he knew the exact reason for Hounam's detention.
Acknowledging that the Hounam incident did not place Israel in a favorable light, Katsav was hopeful that investigations would proceed swiftly so that the whole unpleasant episode could become history.