A panel was held at An-Najah University titled “The impact of What is Happening in the Arab Nation on Shared Living in Palestine.” Both Al-Liqa’ Center and Sabeel Center organized this gathering which was attended by large number of the university students and academicians. The acting president of the university Prof. Maher Al-Natsheh welcomed delegation of the two Centers. At the beginning of the panel session which took place at Martyr Dhafer Al-Masri auditorium, Dr. Sam Al-Fuqaha’, Director of Public Relations at the university welcomed attendees and was followed by vice President for Societal affairs, Dr. Maher Abu Zunt who stressed the importance of pluralism in religions despite religious and sectarian differences and put an emphasis on the good relations that characterize Muslim Christian relations and the need to strengthen it despite negative development in same Arab countries. Rev. Dr. Na’eem ‘Ateeq of Sabeel and Dr. Geries S. Khoury welcomed attendees and introduced their organizations.
The panel was moderated by Mr. Mousa Darwish of Al-Liqa’. Participants in the panel were Prof. Thiab Ayyoush, Sheikh Maher ‘Assaf and Dr. Geries S. Khoury. All three panelists emphasized the foundations of Shared Living between Muslims and Christians and the impact of the so called Arab Spring on the Arab countries in general and on Palestine in particular. A wave of violence is being witnessed in several Arab countries and this wave has become in most cases internal wars. Some groups turned it into religious or sectarian wars.
Panelists stressed the need to learn lessons from what is happening and to avoid joining groups that call for violence and divisions in Palestine. Issues which unite Christians and Muslims is a lot more than who divide them. Political extremism is threatening our life and future in the name of religions as happening in Syria. No religion calls for hate and killing. Panelists, in conclusion called for a human message, that protects everyone from extreme thought.
Dr. Khoury said at the end that his dream is to see in the next future beside the required Islamic culture a course on Arab Christians and their contribution to the Arabic history and culture at all the Palestinian and Arab universities. Dr. Khoury said that such a course will help both Arab Christians and Muslims to know such an important Christian participation which the majority ignores.
At the end of the panel was a long session of questions and answers.