Jerusalem Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan has appealed to leaders of churches in Europe to stand by Christians in the Middle East in their struggle for justice and peace.

Although the Vatican is emphasising that Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Holy Land in May 2009 is a pilgrimage, Jerusalem Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan said the political aspect of the visit can not be ignored, and can help promote justice and peace.

Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church has said Christians need a stronger voice in Jerusalem in order to prevent tensions spreading there, and that Muslims and Christians should work together on ecology issues.

A leading regional church figure says Christians in Palestine-Israel are living in a difficult situation, with some cases of Muslim-Christian tension. But talk of 'persecution' is exaggerated and the real task is to combat injustice.