Herzog expresses concern over exodus of Christian families from Israel
President Herzog expresses concern over the exodus of young Christian families from Israel, emphasizing the importance of security and peace for all communities in the Holy Land.
President Isaac Herzog expressed concern Monday about the exodus of young Christian families from Israel.
“It is their house as it is my house as it is our house,” he told religious leaders and other representatives of all Christian denominations in Israel at the annual Christmas and New Year reception he hosts for prominent members of the various Christian communities.
He stressed the importance of making members of Christian communities feel welcome and safe.
The President referred to the Abraham Accords as a principle of peace and prosperity for all the children of Abraham and all the children of God. He stressed that the mission of religious leaders is to establish peace and reconciliation throughout the region.
Herzog also mentioned the Iranian people, saying that Israel’s heart goes out to them.
He thanked Christians around the world for their support in helping to shape a better future.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, who heads the Council of Churches in the Holy Land, which encompasses all Christian denominations, said they were encouraged by the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and prayed that it would lead to a conclusive and permanent peace, “healing the wounds of October 7 and the war in Gaza.”
Christians in the Holy Land – working for the well-being of all
He noted that Christians in the Holy Land continue to struggle and work to ensure that humanitarian aid is provided for the well-being of all, especially children, women, the elderly and those who are sick or injured.
In this context, he specifically referred to Gazan children suffering from cancer who are being treated at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.
Closer to home, Theophilos said more effective attention must be paid to the real and growing difficulties in other parts of the Palestinian territories.
“The rise and increasing hostility of radical groups in the West Bank and Jerusalem poses a real challenge, and effective ways must be found to ensure the well-being of communities who must live side by side in respect and security,” he said. “We must not give up until we confront an equally grave threat facing us all, namely the crime and violence faced by communities in northern Israel. »
In conclusion, Theophilus assured Herzog that the patriarchs and church leaders will remain steadfast in their spiritual mission to be messengers of peace and reconciliation and to cooperate with the president and all those who place peace and the fight against all forms of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia above all other interests.
Herzog and Yehuda Avidan, director general of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, assured everyone present that Israel would continue to preserve and protect all holy sites and guarantee freedom of worship for all.
