▁ther apy , ▁and ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁At zat ▁N ef esh ▁organization . ▁Despite ▁the ▁Israel ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Health ' s ▁re jection ▁of ▁conversion ▁ther apy ▁as ▁pseudo - s cience , ▁the ▁ra bbi ▁has ▁said ▁he ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁coun sel ▁hom osex uals ▁to ▁the ▁process . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁visit ▁by ▁Pope ▁John ▁Paul ▁II , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁Beth le hem ▁that ▁the ▁V at ican ▁had ▁always ▁recognized ▁" Pal est in ian ▁national ▁rights ▁to ▁a ▁hom eland ". ▁Rab bi ▁A vin er ▁said ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁po pe ' s ▁goal ▁was ▁simply ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁fo oth old ▁in ▁Jerusalem ▁for ▁the ▁Church . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁in ▁an ▁article ▁about ▁Bar uch ▁Mar zel ' s ▁thre ats ▁over ▁the ▁sett ler ▁movement , ▁A vin er ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁ID F ▁was ▁sin cer ely ▁ev acu ating ▁the ▁renew ed ▁Hom esh ▁sett lers ▁and ▁other ▁demonstr ators ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁abandoned ▁village ▁to ▁protect ▁from ▁future ▁terror ist ▁attacks . ▁A vin er ▁further ▁distinguished ▁between ▁the ▁ID F ' s ▁responsibility ▁to ▁protect ▁settlement s ▁versus ▁its ▁responsibility ▁for ▁protect ing ▁demonstr ators , ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁ID F ▁should ▁do ▁whatever ▁is ▁necessary ▁to ▁protect ▁a ▁settlement ▁to ▁keep ▁it ▁int act , ▁including ▁armed ▁forces , ▁but ▁demonstr ators ▁may ▁be ▁ev acu ated