Khouri Meets with Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
Khouri “We hope you will lend your voice to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and safeguard the Christian presence in Palestine.”
Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, Dr. Ramzi Khouri, met with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Chairman of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) – Pontifical Mission and accompanying delegation.
Khouri expressed his appreciation for the vital role played by the Pontifical Mission in serving the Palestinian people for the past 75 years. He highlighted the Mission’s contributions in bolstering the resilience of young generations through the creation of job opportunities and the support of Christian institutions in all forms.
During the meeting, Khouri pointed out to the challenges facing the Christian presence in Palestine, due to Israel’s racist and colonial policies, which pose a significant threat to the resilience of Palestinian Christians. This is compounded by the escalating Israeli attacks against Christian Holy Sites, clergy and Palestinian Christians, particularly in occupied Jerusalem. Additionally, Khouri discussed Israel’s attempts to control Churches and their properties in areas like the Mount of Olives and the Armenian Quarter. He also briefed Cardinal Dolan on Israel’s unfolding genocide in Gaza and its disastrous impact on the Palestinian people, including Palestinian Christians.
Khoury urged for serious efforts to preserve the Palestinian Christian heritage, stating, “We hope you will lend your voice to save the Palestinian people in Gaza and safeguard the Christian presence in Palestine.”
For his part, Cardinal Dolan commended the work of the Higher Presidential Committee in protecting and strengthening the Christian presence in Palestine. He acknowledged the Committee’s efforts in enhancing the role of churches and their affiliated institutions, as well as its support for their wide range of programs and services that benefit the entire community.
Both parties agreed on the importance of maintaining cooperation and working together to accomplish all goals that serve the best interests of the Palestinian people.
The meeting was attended by Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vice Custodian of the Holy Land, Joseph Hazboun, Director of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, and members of the Higher Presidential Committee, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian and Mousa Hadeed.
