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During a meeting with the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, Dr. Khouri: “We need to work together to achieve justice and lift the historical injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people.”

Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, Dr. Ramzi Khouri, held a meeting with the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay and accompanying delegation at this office in Ramallah. During the meeting, Khouri provided a comprehensive overview of the endeavors undertaken by the Higher Presidential Committee to preserve the presence of Palestinian Christians, particularly in occupied Jerusalem. He highlighted the challenges faced by Palestinian Christians in Jerusalem, stemming from Israeli colonial policies, settler attacks, ongoing attempts to control Church properties and continuous attacks on Muslims and Christian holy sites. Additionally, Dr. Khouri pointed out to the restrictive measures imposed by Israeli occupation authorities during Ramadan, preventing Muslim worshipers from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque, during this holy month to preform religious rituals, potentially escalating the situation.

The meeting delved into Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Dr. Khouri emphasized Israel’s plan to depopulate the region and forcibly displacing Palestinians. He added that Israeli massacres have claimed the lives of over 29,000 Palestinians, including children, women and elderly. Hospitals, schools, homes, and places of worship have been brought down to rubbles, while preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. This had led to sever shortages in food and medical supplies, culminating the dire humanitarian conditions marked by famine and the spread of diseases and epidemics.

Dr. Khouri called for an immediate and urgent intervention from the international community and human rights organizations to put an end to Israel’s impunity and force Israel to end its genocidal campaign in Gaza, its systematic attacks on Muslim and Christian holy sites, its daily invasions of cities and villages in the West Bank, to facilitate the entry of relief, medical and food supplies. He urged concerted efforts towards a just solution to the Palestinian cause, ensuring the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with international law and the establishment of an independent Palestinian sate within the June 4th, 1967 borders.

Dr. Khouri concluded the meeting by expressing profound appreciation for the role played by the World Council of Churches and its unwavering support for the rights of the Palestinian people.

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