Pope Francis in the Holy Land | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis in the Holy Land | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: I suspect that this is primarily a religious trip - a personal one - for the Pope and his traveling companions.  Whether he does anything radical with His All Holiness is an open question.  The fact is that Israel has not been kind to the Catholic Church and the Christian community generally.  An up front visit may lead to the Israelis reversing themselves on this.  As for the religious question in Israel - they have a choice.  They can either begin shedding territory - both in the West Bank and the North to solve their demographic problem or they can treat everyone in their borders (including the Territories) according to Torah - in which case the Holy of Holies may one day be restored to Jerusalem (from Eritrea).  Of course, the other prophesied event is the return of to Isrealites of the Northern Kingdom.  That won't happen until they recognize that the Romani are those people. Most of them are Christian (except those who stayed - who are Samaritans and Palestinians and Arabs of Israealite descent.  That is the sad irony - that most of the Palestinians really are sons of Jacob.  Could Francis help that?  Maybe.  Not sure he has been briefed.