Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin met with a delegation from Churches for Middle East Peace to discuss attacks against Palestinian Christians and the challenges facing Christian communities in Palestine.
Shahin praised the organization for supporting Christians and briefed the delegation on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. She highlighted shortages of humanitarian aid, closed border crossings, interruptions to children’s education and the spread of diseases.
The minister also discussed the situation in the occupied West Bank, where violence against Palestinians has intensified. She stressed that Palestinian Christians are facing increasingly difficult conditions and that their population has declined as a result.
Shahin called on the international community, Churches for Middle East Peace and churches around the world to strengthen efforts to protect Christians and religious sites and to raise international awareness of the problems they face.
The visiting delegation said it came to show solidarity with Palestinians. Its members expressed concern about the declining Christian population in Palestine and pledged to support Christians and Palestinian rights while promoting peace and security in the region.
Palestinian church officials have previously warned that repeated attacks, land confiscation, settlement expansion and restrictions on worship are threatening the long-established Christian presence in the region. They also said that many Christian families have left Palestine because of worsening conditions.
Recently, Christian schools in occupied East Jerusalem announced the suspension of classes after more than 70 teachers and staff members were unable to obtain renewed entry permits. The move came amid reports of increasing harassment and attacks against Christian clergy and churches.
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