King Abdullah urges Christian leaders to stand together to protect Jerusalem  

His Majesty King Abdullah receives a delegation representing Christian religious leaders from Europe and the US on Tuesday (Photo by Yousef Allan)

AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday called for a unified stance between churches in the Holy Land and their Western counterparts in order to face up to the challenges facing Jerusalem and its Christian Arab residents.

At a meeting with a delegation representing Christian religious leaders from Europe and the US, the King urged the churches to meet regularly to assess ways to protect Jerusalem and its Christian Arab citizens, warning against attempts to depopulate the Holy City of its residents and strip away its identity.

Over 50 Catholic bishops and other church leaders from North America and Europe are currently in the region on a solidarity mission with Christians in the Holy Land.

The senior clergymen, who represent a bishops' council that coordinates the affairs of Catholic churches in Europe and the US, arrived in Amman yesterday from Palestine where they engaged in several activities related to their mission.

King Abdullah acquainted the religious leaders with Jordan's efforts to promote religious tolerance and coexistence, citing the Amman Message, which Jordan released in 2004 in an effort to spell out the true spirit of Islam.

Bishop William Skylstad, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, praised King Abdullah's peace efforts and his persistent endeavours to launch and support dialogue between the followers of the three monotheistic religions.

He also commended Jordan's Constitution, which guarantees religious freedoms in the Kingdom.

Skylstad renewed the council's commitment to support churches in Jordan and the Holy Land and its efforts to promote peace and understanding among the faithful from the three religions.

Also Tuesday, the bishops visited Christian holy sites in the Kingdom.

The bishops were also scheduled to meet yesterday with key local Christian figures for a briefing on the history of Jordanian Christians' contribution to the political, cultural and economic life of the country.