King Abdullah of Jordan warns of danger of emptying Middle East of Christians

AMMAN — In a television interview with CNN, King Abdullah II of Jordan warned of the danger of diminishing the Christian presence in the Middle East and attempts to empty the East of its Christians. He stressed that Christians are the past and present of the East and they must be part of its future as well.

During the interview, King Abdullah spoke about the efforts Jordan is making to protect and care for Christian sanctities and to protect the Christian presence in the Middle East. The country is also making efforts to protect the Baptismal Site and develop the area adjacent to it.

In response to a question about the dangers facing the Christian presence in the region, the King Abdullah stated:

“Jordan and Jerusalem represent the oldest Christian gathering in the world. Christians have been here for 2,000 years, but they are under great pressure. There are challenges facing the Churches because of the policies imposed on the ground, therefore their numbers are decreasing. I think this is a wake-up call for all of us.”

King Abdullah stated that Iraqi and Syrian Christians, during the past few years, went to the Kingdom of Jordan to escape the war in their countries following the control of the Islamic State (ISIS) in some areas.

He concluded by saying, “Emptying the region of the Christian presence would be disastrous for everyone, as Christians are part of the past and present of the East, and they must be part of its future as well.”