Middle East Council of Churches lauds Hashemite care for Jerusalem holy sites

AMMAN — The Middle East Council of Churches on Thursday praised the Hashemite care for Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, its efforts to preserve the Christian presence and its welcoming of the displaced to its land.

The council’s statements were issued during a meeting of its executive committee, which was held in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosted by the Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in Cyprus Chrysostomos II, with the attendance of members from Cyprus, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In its statement, the council called for the continued support of churches in Palestine and for the religious freedom of Palestinians, stressing its support of East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

Member of the Council Father Refaat Badr said that the meeting also set the stage for the next general assembly, which will be held in Lebanon in September.