Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The victims of the earthquake in Haiti, where even today there was a new violent tremor, but where there are also signs of rescue "miracles" (see photo) of some survivors, were recalled by the bilateral commission between the Vatican and Rabbinate of Israel. The final statement at the end of its ninth meeting, held at the Vatican, states that "the committee members have expressed their prayers for the victims and for the recovery of the survivors and applauded the international rescue and aid for the reconstruction of Haiti".

The protection of creation was the focus of the meeting and in relation to this, the document states that "Humankind today faces a unique environmental crisis which is substantially the product of unbridled material and technological exploitation. While this challenge must obviously be addressed through the necessary technical means as well as self restraint, humility and discipline", the commission "emphasized the essential need for society to recognize the transcendent dimension of Creation that is critical to ensure sustainable development and progress in an ethically responsible manner. Not everything that is technically feasible is morally acceptable. It is this consciousness that ensures that every aspect of human advancement promotes the wellbeing of future generations and sanctifies the Divine Name, just as its absence leads to destructive consequences for humanity and environment and profanes the Divine Name".

Referring finally to "historic visit" of Benedict XVI to the synagogue in Rome, the statement underlines that on that occasion the Pope reaffirmed his "unequivocal condemnation of anti-Semitism and" and "categorically confirmed the commitment of the Catholic Church and its will to deepen dialogue and fraternity with Judaism and the Jewish People in accordance with Nostra Aetate, the subsequent teachings of the Magisterium".