Kasbary agreed with Alzaroo's take, saying that the Palestinian people "don't want to put up with this anymore," and that "those who can leave do leave."
He posited that the conflict is not a religious one, but a political one, pointing to interreligious cooperation throughout the West Bank, particularly in Bethlehem University. Kasbary said that "we are less than one percent, but that doesn't mean that we are a minority" among the Muslim-majority territory, though he noted that it was "very important for the Catholic Church to keep supporting" Christians in the Holy Land.
Instead, he pointed to checkpoints, laws restricting access to holy sites, even for Holy Days, and the expansion of settlements into Palestine as the root of the problem.
Bitton agreed that settlements "are the biggest obstacle to peace," saying that they promote "religion as extreme," and encourage extreme responses.
Still, even with these difficulties, Bitton encouraged Palestinians to use official avenues to gain access, because he said it would help moderate the perception of Palestinians among Israeli citizens.
He also encouraged Israeli and Palestinian young leaders to reach out to one another to enact change.
"I wish the Imam and the Cheif Rabbi of Jerusalem met when they were 25 – not the first time they saw an Israeli soldier." He explained that if people met younger, they would understand and work with each other more efficiently. Interpersonal change and interaction "can lead to a push" for political action.
"This is the future: think about who has the most interest to change things where they live – the people who are going to stick around for another 60 years."
Adelaide Mena was the DC Correspondent for Catholic News Agency until 2017 and is a 2012 graduate of Princeton University.