This panel was held at Al-Liqa Center lecture hall and was attended by representatives of the various Palestinian sectors: clergy, academicians, businessmen, distinguished ladies and others from the community and from the Bethlehem Governorate and from Jerusalem and Hebron.
Participants expressed their unease and anger at what is happening in the Arab world. Thousands of innocents are being killed while the international society looks with indifference and some are encouraging this bloodletting.
Recent and present developments in the Arab World poisoned relations between citizens in general and between Islamic movements and Christians in particular. And there has been desecration of Christian churches and aggression against Christian clergy, monks and nuns and faithful which worry us and make us question the future of our life together and the building of modern societies where equality of all citizen in rights and duties.
In light of these painful occurances which are being spearheaded by fanatics; and the
last of which is the attack on the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo which led to death of several faithfuls. We are completely against these violent acts which serve only the enemies of the nation and undermine the unity and stability of the community. These violent acts also lead to anarchy instead of stability. So, we need to work together to further the welfare of the Arab nation educationally, economically and politically and to stand in unison against aggressors of one’s dignity and one’s resources.
We call all rational people from around the world, Christians and Muslims, to work together against these unlawful and savage acts which are non-Islamic and have nothing to do with Islamic ethics. Both Christians and Muslims need to exert their efforts in order to defend the nation, the unity of citizens, and life in dignity.
