The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, chaired by Dr. Ramzi Khouri, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack targeting the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in the Hamoud area of Jordan’s Karak Governorate. The attack has claimed the lives of seven people and left 34 civilians injured, according to the latest figures.
The Committee affirms that this heinous attack constitutes a grave crime and a flagrant violation of the sanctity of places of worship and holy sites. It is an assault on religious and human values and on the right of every person to practice their religious rites freely and safely.
The Committee extends its heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathies to His Majesty King Abdullah II, the people of Jordan, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and the families and loved ones of the victims. It wishes the injured a speedy recovery and prays that the victims may rest in God’s abundant mercy.
The Committee reaffirms that Palestine, its leadership and its people, stands alongside Jordan in this painful tragedy. It stresses that targeting churches and places of worship constitutes an assault on freedom of faith, human dignity, and the shared values that unite people of all religions.
The Committee further stresses that terrorism and extremism, in all their forms and whatever their motives, do not target one particular group alone, but threaten the security, stability and national unity of entire societies. It affirms that the Jordanian people will remain united in confronting these crimes and that the historic bonds of brotherhood between the Palestinian and Jordanian peoples will remain firmly rooted.
The Committee calls on all churches in Palestine to ring their bells today at 9:00 p.m. in solidarity with the Jordanian people. It also calls on Palestinians, Christians and Muslims alike, to participate in a solidarity gathering on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in Manger Square, Bethlehem, in front of the Church of the Nativity, in honor of the victims, in solidarity with their families, and to reaffirm a united stance against terrorism and extremism.
Jordan’s tragedy is Palestine’s tragedy, and the pain of the Jordanian people is the pain of our own. Palestine will remain alongside Jordan, its leadership and its people, in confronting all forms of terrorism.
