On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, Dr. Ramzi Khouri—member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine—received a formal invitation to attend the Armenian Orthodox Christmas Mass. The invitation was personally delivered by His Grace Bishop Koryun Baghdasaryan, head of the Armenian delegation, during a meeting held at the President’s Office in Bethlehem.
Dr. Khouri conveyed President Abbas’s heartfelt greetings, commending the vital role played by the Armenian community in safeguarding their cultural and historical heritage, particularly in the Holy City – Jerusalem, which continues to face Israeli systematic discriminatory policies aimed at Judaization and the displacement of its original people. Highlighting the importance of the Armenian Quarter, Khouri emphasized that its preservation is akin to protecting the sanctity of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Al-Aqsa Mosque. He lauded the resilience of the Armenian community in standing firm against occupation and settlement plans and expansion.
Dr. Khouri called upon the international community to take immediate and meaningful action to halt the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza. He stated, “We hope the campaign of genocide against our people ends before the joyous Christmas season. We urge the international community to go beyond mere condemnation and take concrete steps toward achieving justice for the Palestinian people.”
Bishop Baghdasaryan reaffirmed the solidarity of the Armenian community with the Palestinian people, expressing support for a just and lasting peace founded on the recognition of Palestinian national rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate, including Father Asbed Balian, Supervisor of the Church of the Nativity; Father Vazgen Alekyan, Dragoman of the Patriarchate; Father Aghan Gogchyan, Chancellor of the Patriarchate; and Father Vahagn Sinanyan, Serving Monk in the Nativity Church. Also present were Advocate Raed Amaya and members of the Higher Presidential Committee, Amira Hanania, Jihad Khair, and Raed Hanania, Director of Public Relations and Media.
