If anyone thought that Benedict XVI had backed off after the furor kicked up earlier this month by his comments on Islam, yesterday’s remarks by the pontiff, delivered to nearly two dozen Arab and Muslim ambassadors, should set things clear. The pope quoted his predecessor, John Paul II, who was heroic in winning the Cold War: “As Pope John Paul II said in his memorable speech to young people at Casablanca in Morocco: ‘Respect and dialogue require reciprocity in all spheres, especially in that which concerns basic freedoms, more particularly religious freedom.'”

“Reciprocity” is a theme that was made famous by a prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, as at least some of the Arab ambassadors surely will recall. The pope seemed to be suggesting that Western attitudes toward Islam would depend on how Islamic countries grant or deny freedom to Christians in their midst. The record to date has been poor, even though Christians — from Copts in Egypt to Chaldeans in Iraq — have a long history in the Arab and Islamic world. A diminished state known as “dhimmitude” is about the best Christians can hope for in many countries.

In Saudi Arabia, as many as 1 million Catholics, many of them Filipinos, suffer in a country where, as the State Department’s report on religious freedom put it, “The public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.” The West, by contrast, bends over backwards to stress its tolerance. British police will now reportedly tell Muslim community leaders operational details of their raids weeks before they take place. The pope has it right: The onus is on Islam to demonstrate reciprocity to the West when it comes to religious freedom.