JERUSALEM – An official delegation of the JCPA, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs from the United Sates, paid a visit to the Latin Patriarchate, Thursday, December 11. The Patriarch, Archbishop Fouad Twal, with two other bishops, presented their difficulties and progress, with reference to the Christians in the country, with the hope of advancing some projects on a dead-end track for a long time.
It was a ceremonial visit. Every year, a delegation of the JCPA travels to the Holy Land to meet with Christians, Jews and Muslims, to listen to their voices of suffering and hope. Led by Rabbi David Rosen, the delegates come from a dozen American Jewish associations.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, welcomed the visit by a “strong organization, influential on policy in Israel.” It was therefore in the presence of a potentially effective interlocutor that the Patriarch, accompanied by Bishop Younan of the Lutheran Church and by Bishop Aris Shirvanian of the Armenian Church, presented the current situation of Christians, their difficulties and their reasons for joy.
The construction of the Wall, the difficulties for the reunification of families, the housing problem and the exodus of Christians leaving the Middle East were among the problems presented to the delegation.
JCPA has accepted the task of being a witness in the United States and confirmed its desire to do all that is possible to work with the Israeli government for the defense of the rights and freedoms of Christians.
By: Pierre Loup de Raucourt – LPJ
