Ramallah: Representing His Majesty King Abdullah II, Patriarch Theophilos III, patriarch of the Holy City and all Palestine and Jordan, delivered a speech on Monday during a solidarity visit to Taybeh, east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. This visit comes in response to increasing attacks by Israeli settlers that threaten a significant Christian heritage site in the Holy Land.
According to Jordan News Agency, in his speech, His Majesty condemned the recent attacks by Israeli settlers on the historic Church of Saint George (Al-Khader) and the Christian cemetery in Taybeh. The settlers set fire near the cemetery, which he described as a barbaric and flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead, Christian holy sites, and the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The King emphasized the severity of these attacks, highlighting the daily terrorization by settlers of Palestinians, and the systematic assaults on numerous villages, cities, and refugee camps in the occupied Palestinian territories. He called for a strong international response to halt the aggression, particularly the genocide against children, women, the elderly, and civilians in the Gaza Strip.
His Majesty urged for the protection of unarmed Palestinians, their holy sites, and their rights to live in freedom and dignity. He also reiterated the need for establishing a Palestinian state on their national soil, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The visit was accompanied by a delegation from the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem, along with Father Bashar Fawadleh, the pastor of the Latin Monastery Church in Taybeh. Joining them were Jordanian Ambassador to the State of Palestine, Issam Al-Bdour, and Taybeh Mayor Suleiman Khoury.
During their visit to Al-Khader St. George Church-one of the oldest churches in Palestine-and the Christian cemetery and lands threatened by the Israeli occupation, the delegation received briefings on the settler attacks on the town, its lands, properties, and Christian holy sites.
The Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem demanded accountability for the settlers who attacked the church and cemetery. They held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for enabling such attacks and called for the protection of Christian holy sites in Taybeh and the Palestinian territories at large. An investigation was also demanded to punish the extremist settlers responsible for the violations in Taybeh, the city of Christ.
In an interview with Petra’s reporter in Ramallah, Taybeh Mayor Suleiman Khoury praised His Majesty’s support for the Palestinians, along with the solidarity from the Jordanian government and people during “these difficult circumstances imposed by the occupation authority and the settlers targeting the Christian presence in Palestine.”
Khoury noted that His Majesty’s speech and the visit by the church delegation had a significant impact on supporting the people of Taybeh, boosting their morale and resilience in the face of the ongoing assaults.