Alarm and deep concern about the devastating living conditions experienced on a daily basis by Christians in the Holy Land was the message delivered to the officials of the Israeli Embassy.
Alarm and deep concern about the devastating living conditions experienced on a daily basis by Christians in the Holy Land was the message delivered to the officials of the Israeli Embassy. Israeli policies on house demolitions, building permit discriminatory practices against Christians, disregard for Christian traditions, restricted Christian travel, and barriers to Christian worship in the Holy Land were strongly condemned and thus conveyed to Avi A. Granot, Minister of Inter-Religious and Social Affairs for the Israeli Embassy. Although Mr. Granot denied such conditions existed, reports from the Holy Land did not support his statements.
The Dean of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, Reverend Monios, requested the meeting because he was shocked, dismayed and saddened by the problems he observed on a recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Supporting the observations by Reverend Monios were Rateb Rabie, KHS, President of HCEF, and HCEF members, Don Kruse, Elias Shoumaly and Bob Younes. Those present registered their protest and strongly recommended that Mr. Granot convey these concerns to his government.
