Il Pontificio Consiglio per il Dialogo Inter-Religioso e il Comitato Permanente di Al-Azhar al Sharif per il Dialogo con le Religioni monoteistiche (Cairo, Egitto) hanno istituito il 28 maggio 1998 un "Comitato per il Dialogo", al fine di promuovere una migliore conoscenza reciproca, un più grande rispetto tra cristiani e musulmani in vista del bene dell’umanità.
Pubblichiamo di seguito la Dichiarazione congiunta diffusa in occasione del raduno annuale del Comitato, svoltosi il 24 febbraio 2001 ad Al-Azhar, Cairo:

The Joint Committee of the Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue with the Monotheistic Religions and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, during its annual meeting which took place at al-Azhar, Cairo, 24 February 2001, equivalent to 1 Dhu al-Hil a 1421, issued the following statement on the situation in the Middle East.

1. The Committee has reviewed the hwnan situation arising from the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land, and has expressed its horror at the increased loss of life, the bodily harm, the damage to property, the destruction of the means of livelihood and other suffering caused to the population, especially in the unjustly occupied territories.

2. The Committee expresses its solidarity with and compassion for all the victims and their families.

3. The Committee expresses the hope that peace based on justice and international legitimacy may prevail, thus bringing an end to these sufferings.

4. The Committee appeals to religious leaders to continue to contribute actively to help promote a climate conducive to peace, by reminding all parties that the true basis of peace is justice and mutual respect.

5. In the light of the situation, the Committee supports the efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Holy Places in Nazareth, welcoming the proposals to resolve the issue and condemning any attempts to exploit the situation to cause division and dissidence between Christians and Muslims.

6. The committee reaffirms the special character of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions, and therefore condemns any breaches of the principle of religious freedom, particularly the blocking of access to the Holy Places, violence and profanation, or acts which would endanger the Holy Sites.

[00368-02.01] [Original text: English]