Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, Dr Ramzi Khouri praised the role played by churches and Christian institutions in the United States in advocating for the Palestinian cause and safe guarding the Christian presence in Palestine.
Refereing to two letters sent to President Joseph Biden on September 11, 2023 and signed by more than thirty individuals, including church leaders and representatives of Christian institutions in the United States, as well as representatives of churches in the Holy Land, Khouri emphasized that the efforts made by churches to address the injustices faced by the Palestinian people reflect growing awareness, in light of Israeli violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites and escalating settler attacks on innocent Palestinians, in addition to the Israeli daily incursions into Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps.
Dr. Khouri praised the role of the Council of Churches in the Holy Land in protecting the Palestinian Christian presence locally and internationally.
In their letters to President Biden, the heads and representatives of American churches and Christian institutions expressed deep concern about the plight of Christians in the Holy Land, particularly with the increasing attacks against religious leaders, monasteries, and churches under the current Israeli government. They reaffirmed their full support to the heads of churches in Jerusalem and rejecting racist and extremist practices and attempts aimed at Judaization Jerusalem.
The letters emphasized that Palestinian Christians are an integral and essential part of the cultural, religious, and political fabric of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, with their presence extending for over a thousand years. It was added that security, freedom, and prosperity can only be achieved through equality among all peoples.
The heads and representatives of churches in the USurged President Biden, ahead of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to exert preassure on the Israeli PM to put an end to all forms of violence and incitement against Christians in the Holy Land, including churches, cemeteries, and holy sites. They expressed global concern about attacks and heinous acts against the Christian presence, particularly in the city of Jerusalem.
They also voiced deep concerns about threats to the Mount of Olives and Israeli attempts to assert control over Christian holy site. They emphasized that all these measures force Palestinians, especially Christians, to leave Jerusalem. Consequently, they urged President Biden to take immediate action to halt all measures that pose a real danger to the residents of the region, whether through eviction or displacement, or any plans that would undermine this sacred Christian site.
In their letters, the leaders of churches and institutionsin the US, reaffirmed their full solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are enduring injustice and being deprived of their legitimate rights. They stressed the importance of preserving and protecting the Christian heritage in the Holy Land, emphasizing their support for the leaders of churches in Jerusalem and their call to preserve the Palestinian Christian presence, which face daily persecution and racial discrimination. They also highlighted the importance of ensuring freedom of worship for all religions.