The Israeli president reassures the Christian Churches of the State of Israel

(To Maria Grazia Labellarte)
29/12/18

On Thursday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted Christian leaders at his traditional New Year's reception. 

The meeting was attended by the Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the representative of the Armenian patriarch, custodian of the Holy Land and the head of the Franciscan Order in Israel, beyond to the head of the Greek Catholic Church of Haifa and Galilee.

"Our sovereignty over Jerusalem will never compromise the freedom of worship and religion of all peoples of faith in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. Today it is a place of pilgrimage for a growing number of Christians from all over the world. As you know, the State of Israel is working to eradicate landmines still in the area and to return the neighboring monasteries to their owners " Rivlin would reiterate.

The president would have remembered the project "Land of monasteries" that will allow "every Christian" to "be able to easily follow the route from Jerusalem to Nazareth through Jericho and bathe in the waters of the river Jordan".

"Turning this dream into reality will allow us all, Christians, Muslims and Jews, to express our faith in humanity and in our ability to work together." Even more, this project allows us - Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians - to express our faith that we are not condemned to live together, we are destined to live together " Rivlin would have concluded.

"We are advocates of freedom of religion and worship in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel It is no exaggeration to say that there has never been a time when Jerusalem enjoyed more religious freedom than it is in the State of Israel. peace in this small country, more holy than any other.Peace is not an extravagance, it is a requirement.We have to work hard for this.We open the way to peace in daily life with small steps " - this is the speech of the Minister of the Interior.

Rivlin would also have addressed the question of the proposed law on the legality of church properties in the state.
"The State of Israel has no intention of damaging the property rights of the churches or their ability to realize their assets to support their activities.We will never do so.The legal representatives of the churches have been invited to take part in the legal process and to make sure that the agreement under discussion does not damage the churches later. I hope that the discussion and the dialogue will produce a solution ".

"We are concerned that attempts to bring this discriminatory bill that threatens the humanitarian mission of the churches will continue.We are grateful for your wise intervention, and reaffirm our readiness for dialogue, but let us remember that we are united in our opposition". This is the conclusion of Theophilus III, the current primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. In charge of the 2005, he holds the titles of patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and of all Palestine, Syria, Arabia, the Beyond Jordan, Cana of Galilee and the Holy Zion.

(photo: Twitter)