Middle Eastern Christians Send Letter To President Trump Against Jerusalem Being Given To Israel

The argument that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel is rejected by many of the Christians who live there or in the neighboring territories. Most are ethnic Arabs, and they may feel less kinship with Jews. In a joint letter to Trump before he announced the policy change on Jerusalem, leaders of local Christian churches cautioned that it could bring "increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering."

PATRIARCHS AND HEADS

OF LOCAL CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM

 ___________________________________________________________________________________

President Donald J. Trump

President of the United States of America

 Jerusalem on December 6, 2017

Dear Mr. President,

We are fully aware and appreciative of how you are dedicating special attention to the status of

Jerusalem in these days. We are following with attentiveness and we see that it is our duty to

address this letter to Your Excellency. On July 17, 2000, we addressed a similar letter to the leaders

who met in Camp David to decide the status of Jerusalem. They kindly took our letter into

consideration. Today, Mr. President, we are confident that you too will take our viewpoint into

consideration on the very important status of Jerusalem.

Our land is called to be a land of peace. Jerusalem, the city of God, is a city of peace for us and for

the world. Unfortunately, though, our holy land with Jerusalem the Holy city, is today a land of

conflict.

Those who love Jerusalem have every will to work and make it a land and a city of peace, life and

dignity for all its inhabitants. The prayers of all believers in it—the three religions and two peoples

who belong to this city—rise to God and ask for peace, as the Psalmist says: "Return to us, God

Almighty! Look down from heaven and see!" (80.14). Inspire our leaders, and fill their minds and

hearts with justice and peace.

Mr. President, we have been following, with concern, the reports about the possibility of changing

how the United States understands and deals with the status of Jerusalem. We are certain that such

steps will yield increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering in Jerusalem and the Holy Land,

moving us farther from the goal of unity and deeper toward destructive division. We ask from you

Mr. President to help us all walk towards more love and a definitive peace, which cannot be

reached without Jerusalem being for all.

Our solemn advice and plea is for the United States to continue recognizing the present

international status of Jerusalem. Any sudden changes would cause irreparable harm. We are

confident that, with strong support from our friends, Israelis and Palestinians can work towards

negotiating a sustainable and just peace, benefiting all who long for the Holy City of Jerusalem to

fulfil its destiny. The Holy City can be shared and fully enjoyed once a political process helps

liberate the hearts of all people, that live within it, from the conditions of conflict and

destructiveness that they are experiencing.

Christmas is upon us soon. It is a feast of peace. The Angels have sung in our sky: Glory to God in

the highest, and peace on earth to the people of good will. In this coming Christmas, we plea for

Jerusalem not to be deprived from peace, we ask you Mr. President to help us listen to the song of

the angels. As the Christian leaders of Jerusalem, we invite you to walk with us in hope as we build

a just, inclusive peace for all the peoples of this unique and Holy City.

With our best regards, and best wishes for a Merry Christmas.

Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

+Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

+Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator, Latin Patriarchate

+Fr. Francesco Patton, ofm, Custos of the Holy Land

+Archbishop Anba Antonious, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem

+Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Aba Embakob, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarchate

+Archbishop Mosa El-Hage, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate

+Archbishop Suheil Dawani, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East

+Bishop Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

+Bishop Pierre Malki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

+Msgr. Georges Dankaye’, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

A brief history on Israel and Jerusalem

The crisis over Jerusalem is much more complex than it being recognized as Israel's capital.

 This is not a battle of Jews and anti-semites that want Israel removed from the face of the planet.

 Did you know that when Israel was created in 1948 that those that occupied the land were not only Arab Muslims but also Jews and Christians? Those that occupied that land including Jews and Christians were forcabily removed. hundreds of thousands were killed as they were considered weeds on a lawn. 

The native Jews as well as Christians and Muslims all recognize Jerusalem as sacred and holy ground. These groups are protesting because they are losing their equal rights to the city and rightfully so, 

Why is it we criticize and distrust our own Government but give the Israeli government a free pass? 

We confuse politics with heritage and religion. People were considered racist when they criticized Obama when it wasn't his race they didn't like it was his politics. 

Now if anyone criticizes or asks questions about the Israeli government they are considered anti-semetic. So are the Jews that criticize the Israeli government anti-semetic? 

I see many using the wrong analogy saying "well its like other countries telling us New York should be our capital not Washington DC." Well New York or any other city in America does not have the historical or holiness of Jerusalem. 

Before everyone goes jumping on the band wagon on Trump's move to honor Bill Clinton's signed bill in 1995, more research should be given to study what is actually going on in the middle east.

 As of right now I am agreeing with my Pope, Francis, that this is a wrong move and that we should leave Jerusalem as is till a peace deal is brokered.