Pope John Paul II telephones Bethlehem

Pope John Paul II in a telephone call on Monday with Ibrahim Faltas, who is responsible for Franciscan Clergies in the Nativity church in Bethlehem has expressed his great concern over the war and violence taking place in the holy lands and his support for the Palestinians.

The Patriarch of occupied Jerusalem for the Latin community Michael Sabbah told the Vatican's news agency that the Pope also expressed his concern over the conversion of the holy sites by the Israeli forces to a battlefield and cordoning it by Israeli forces. The Pope also expressed his pain over what is going on for all workers of the religious men in the Nativity Church, the Church peace.

Al-Sabah explained that the Pope on Monday held a meeting to discuss the situation in the holy lands and seemed clearly very affected and asked for contacting Bethlehem by telephone.