The Christian presence in the Holy Land is under threat [1], according to Father Bernard Poggi, rector of a Catholic seminary near Bethlehem.
Fr. Poggi made his remarks during a Day of Prayer for Christians in the Middle East, organised by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Germany.
“Nobody has to explicitly order Christians to leave the country,” Fr Poggi said. Rather, it is the cumulative effect of many different pressures that makes staying increasingly difficult: roadblocks, inaccessible farmland, a lack of work permits, intimidation, and a lack of prospects for the future.
Poggi expressed particular concern about the increase in violence by Jewish settlers. Among other examples, he referred to Taybeh, the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank. “When fields, vehicles, homes, or churches are attacked, the consequence is always the same: it becomes more difficult for Christians to remain in their homeland, and the space in which they can live becomes increasingly restricted.”
Christians also face hostility in Jerusalem. Poggi described a recent visit with young seminarians where children approached them and spat at them because of the crosses they were visibly wearing.