By Daoud Kuttab

Palestinian Christians, including clergypersons, from all denominations have taken to social media to criticize Church leaders in Jerusalem for agreeing to an invitation to congratulate Christians for Christmas and the New Year.

Lutheran Bishop Suni Ibrahim Azar told Milhilard.org that meeting with the President of the State of Israel is an “annual meeting” and is considered part of the status quo, which “we defend in all forums and for all religions.” He explained, “We did not take the initiative to meet the Israeli president, but rather he invited us, as is the custom every year, and the visit came after our meeting in Amman with His Majesty King Abdullah II.”

The Lutheran bishop of Jordan and Palestine said that criticism of the meeting was unjustified. “The position of the Lutheran Church locally and internationally is known to everyone and is documented by our various statements and activities, including our monitoring, and guarding of our people in Hebron and other places from the oppression of the settlers. He also pointed out the existence of educational, humanitarian, and medical services, including what the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem provides free of charge to all patients, including cancer patients from all regions of the occupied territories.”

Regarding the content of the meeting, Bishop Azar said that the Orthodox and Latin patriarchs as well as the Custodian of the Holy Land spoke about the situation in Gaza. They also expressed criticism of what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank in terms of harassment of churches and Christians including the continued closure of the city of Bethlehem to citizens and even clergy, including the Custodian of the Holy Lands, who expressed directly spoke about this harassment to the Israeli president. According to Bishop Azar, the Israeli president’s comment was traditional about Israel’s desire for peace and coexistence.

The Israeli president, who said at the beginning of the war on Gaza that “there are no Palestinian civilians” in Gaza, published a report in which he said that Israel was fighting an “evil enemy” and called for the return of the hostages. He said, “Israel will continue to sponsor and protect freedom of worship for all sects, trends, and religions in Israel.” “. The Israeli President’s statement said: “Like every year, today, I hosted at the President’s Residence the leaders of the Christian communities in Israel ahead of the new civil year, with the hope and common prayer that it will be a year of peace and brotherhood. You blessed them and led them at Christmas.

Milhilard.org sent inquiries to all participants for comment, but Bishop Azar was the only one who commented by publication time.

The Latin Patriarchate issued a statement in Arabic saying that because of the war, the traditional celebrations were replaced with a session of dialogue allowing heads of churches “to call for a ceasefire.” The statement also called for unity of Christians at this sensitive time.

Later the Council of Church leaders in Jerusalem issued a statement saying that “since the beginning of the war, Church leaders have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire..

ِA statement was issued at the end of the meeting with Herzog which stated:
Christian Religious Leaders of the Holy Land Churches Unite in Urgent Plea for Permanent Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza

Jerusalem, The Holy Land
21-12-2023

“In a powerful demonstration of unity and Christian values, H.B. Theophilus III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, delivered a compelling speech on behalf of all the Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem during the annual holiday meeting with President Isaac Herzog of Israel, demanding an immediate cessation of military activity in Gaza.

Addressing the critical issues facing the Holy Land, the Patriarch of Jerusalem emphasized the common moral values inherent in the great monotheistic faiths. He underscored the sanctity of every human life, the imperative for dignity, and the pursuit of freedom, safety, and security for all residents of the diverse Holy Land community.

At the heart of the Patriarch’s address was a poignant call to action – an urgent plea for an immediate permanent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The leaders of the Holy Land Churches united in their commitment to peace, recognize the deepening humanitarian crisis and the suffering of innocent civilians caught in the midst of conflict. Their appeal resonates as a compassionate response to the ongoing violence that plagues the region.

Rejecting the notion of a military solution, the Heads of Churches advocate for dialogue and reconciliation as the only sustainable paths to peace. The call for a permanent ceasefire is not only an expression of moral values but a collective rejection of cycles of violence that have proven ineffective in bringing lasting peace.

Amidst the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict, the leaders of the churches of the Holy Land stress the importance of acting swiftly, urging that no more innocent lives be lost. H.B. Theophilus III’s speech embraces the season of light and hope, expressing a collective aspiration for a better future where shared moral and spiritual values foster prosperity for all.

As the Holy Land enters the holiday season, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem extend warm wishes for peace and goodwill. Their collective hope is for a workable and lasting peace to be realized in the coming New Year, bringing solace to the Holy Land.”

The Pastoral Council of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Ramallah issued a statement that considered the meeting “shameful” and considered the official explanations justifying the meeting to be “false arguments and shameful excuses,” denouncing the meeting. “We denounce such meetings that do not express us and have nothing to do with us.” The statement also called on “our bishop and the Melkite Patriarchate to issue a statement clarifying the official position on the massacres and the policy of ethnic cleansing and displacement pursued by the occupation towards our people in Gaza.”

Reverend Ibrahim Nairouz from the Episcopal Church said on his Facebook page: “The occupation pages are surprising us today with pictures of the leaders of our churches meeting in Jerusalem, with the president of the occupying criminal state that is killing our people without mercy and is waging a war of extermination against our people in Gaza.”

In Jordan, Engineer Nidal Qaqish, a member of the administrative council of the Orthodox Association, denounced the meeting and described it as unacceptable. He declared, “In all frankness, they only represent themselves, and from now on, we do not and will not accept any Christian representation of us from them. Enough of these people and others like them, their actions that are not carefully considered and calculated.” It affects us as Eastern Christians. We always carry Arab and Palestinian concerns with us, and their steps disturb the honorable and national history of Jordanian and Palestinian Christians throughout history.”

In a separate meeting that included figures considered to be Zionist Christians, in which Reverend Naim Khoury and his son, Reverend Peter Khoury, from Bethlehem, participated, Reverend Munir Qaqish, head of the Evangelical Synod in the Holy Land, told Milhilard.org that Reverend Naim Khoury, a member of the synod, participated “in a personal capacity and not as a representative of the synod.”