Beirut-Sana
The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches renewed its call for the lifting of the blockade imposed on the Syrian Arab people, demanding that all efforts be made to ensure the return of the Syrian refugees displaced by terrorism to their homes.
The committee said in a statement today that the suffering of the Syrian Arab people as a result of the blockade imposed on it calls for exerting all efforts in all fields to lift it from it and work hard to provide the elements for the return of the Syrian refugees to their lands and work to confront extremism and terrorism.
The statement drew attention to the roots of East Christians, their adherence to their lands, their heritage and their identity, stressing their role in consolidating common living, mutual respect, social solidarity and cooperation between the Middle Eastern churches in various fields, noting the role of the churches in Palestine in the Palestinian people's steadfastness in facing the occupation, apartheid and settlement policy.
The statement also touched on the importance of supporting the reunification of the island of Cyprus in a manner that enhances regional and international peace and ends the occupation that led to its division.
It is noteworthy that the statement came after a two-day meeting with the generous hospitality of His Beatitude Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Justiniana and the rest of Cyprus for the Orthodox Church in Cyprus and chaired by His Beatitude John X Yazji, Patriarch of Antioch and the entire East of the Orthodox Church and Chairman of the Council on behalf of the family of Orthodox Churches His Holiness Mar Ignatius Anthem II The rest of the East and the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the world as a whole and the head of the council for the family of the Orthodox Churches Babel Ali the Chaldeans and the head of the council for the family of Catholic Churches and His Excellency the Reverend Dr. Habib Badr The National Evangelist Union in Lebanon and the President of the Council on behalf of the Evangelical Churches family in the presence of members of the Executive Committee from Syria, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine.