Patriarch Hazim: World Christians are demanded to protect Jerusalem from Israel's policy
Regional, Politics, 8/31/1999

Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim of Antioch and All East of the Greek Orthodox Church on Monday received a delegation of the American Anglican Church led by the former bishop of Jerusalem and the honorary president of the Council of the Middle East Churches, Metropolitan Samir Qaf'eiti. He arrived in Damascus on Monday for a three-day visit to Syria.

During the meeting, Patriarch Hazim underlined the importance of achieving a just and comprehensive Middle East peace provides for restoring Arab lands and safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian Arab people. He said that peace has become a pressing need for the region, "where Jesus Christ had lived and diffused his message to mankind, calling for peace and amity among the nations."

He stressed the Orientality of Christianity and the significance of keeping it in its first cradle, noting the importance of Jerusalem as a sacred city of heavenly religions.

Patriarch Hazim said: "Occidental Christianity can do much to serve the Jerusalem people and to protect them from the Israeli policies which aim at expelling the Palestinians by forces and perpetuating occupation of the Arab city."

He added, "Christians in the world are called upon the protect Jerusalem from the Israeli policies."

He also commended the best coexistence among the Syrian people, irrespective of their different sects, stressing that Syria experiences an excellent national unity.

Qaf'eiti, on the other hand, said in a statement to SANA that this visit aims at listening directly to the views of the Arab side about the Middle East peace process. He added that the delegation included a number of personalities who were working at different UN institutions and the international censorship commission, university professors, and officials of the Quaker Establishment for Peace and other prominent figures.

Previous Stories:
  Pope of Vatican to Iraq on December   (8/28/1999)
  US - Israeli objection to pope's visit to Iraq   (8/27/1999)
  King Hassan calls for revolution in religious teaching in Morocco   (7/9/1999)
  Al-Azhar mosque,Coptic Church for President Mubarak re-nomination   (6/4/1999)
  Al-Nasera: a Christian, Islamic statement   (5/10/1999)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search