With Gaza: Rejecting Genocide

A Webinar Organized by MECC Following the Baptist Hospital Bombing

Testimonials and Experiences from Palestine and Regional Countries

Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: with what is happening today in Gaza, people remember all the massacres committed by the occupation, which it made the basis of its entity, as well as the crime it practices on a daily basis, to the point that it has become inherent in the lives of the Palestinians

In light of the tragic circumstances which the wounded Gaza is exposed to, especially following the bombing of the Baptist Hospital, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized a webinar following this disaster entitled “With Gaza: Rejecting Genocide.” It was held on the evening of Wednesday 18 October 2023, with the participation of specialists, academicians, brothers and sisters, from Palestine and various countries of the region.

The webinar, which was broadcasted live on the MECC Facebook page, began with a minute of silence for the souls of the martyrs who fell in Gaza, and included many interventions, moderated by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, who condemned in her word the events occurring in Gaza, calling on every citizen and leader to demand an end to the attacks and the ongoing siege on Palestine in order to achieve truth, justice and accountability.

Then, the webinar started with a word delivered by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs, in which he said that with what is happening today in Gaza, “people remember all the massacres committed by the occupation, which it made the basis of its entity, as well as the crime it practices on a daily basis, to the point that it has become inherent in the lives of the Palestinians. All of this is taking place on the Holy Land in which Jesus Christ was incarnated, spread His message, and was oppressed, tried, and crucified, and then conquered nothingness.”

He added, "We described what is happening in Gaza it in the statement that we issued this morning in the Middle East Council of Churches, so we will not repeat it again now. Rather, we will listen to honorable people who refused to be like the muted devil, so they used their thoughts and values ​​in promoting the cause of the people who are still steadfast in the face of injustice, resisting difficulties and enduring the hardship of living while clinging to his land and heritage.”

Then the webinar’s interventions began, as the speakers talked successively. Hence, Father Dr. Fadi Diab, Vice President of the Baptist Hospital and Pastor of Saint Andrew Episcopal Church in Ramallah, spoke about the situation in Gaza and the difficult humanitarian conditions in the country, presenting an overview from the field, especially following the bombing of the hospital, in addition to updates on the repercussions resulting from this disaster.

In his turn, His Eminence Archbishop Atallah Hanna, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia, described what happened in Gaza as unprecedented targeting and a real disaster that, according to what he said, crossed all lines and borders. His Eminence also called on to take clearer stances regarding what happened, and reminded us that the Lord Jesus Christ taught us to say the word of truth and to be on the side of every oppressed and suffering human being.

For his part, His Eminence Archbishop Munib Younan, Former Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, spoke about the dire circumstances that the Holy Land has been exposed to for several years and decades, up to the recent events. His Eminece regretted the development of circumstances in Gaza, far from highlighting truth and justice, calling for Prayer and work for justice.

As for Dr. Hassan Jouni, Professor of International Law at the Lebanese University, and an Expert in International Affairs, also denounced the violations and crimes that Gaza has been and still being subjected to, as he condemned as well as the hatred in the hearts of the oppressors. He said that struggle and the pursuit of justice lead to victory.

In addition, Dr. Ramzi Odeh, Secretary General of the International Academic Campaign Against Occupation, spoke about the role of Palestinian, Arab and international academicians in the face of the events taking place in Palestine. He also said that the bombing of Baptist Hospital reminded him of the Deir Yassin massacre, adding that the Palestinian issue has become a humanitarian issue.

Dr. Makram Khoury Makhoul, Professor of Political Media at Cambridge University, talked about the events in Gaza in terms of public relations, public affairs, and the legal struggle. In addition, he presented some examples of what he talked about, highlighting the framework for dealing with these events.

Dr. Rudolf El-Kareh, an Emeritus professorof Sociology and Politics, and Former Advisor in the European Parliament, gave an intervention in which he said that what we witnessed previously in Palestine is a historical transformation, but what happened recently is a new transformation in the transformation. He added that what is required is to put all our capabilities into building the future, and thus the future of Palestine.

At the end, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches delivered a final word in which he presented a summary of the reality in Palestine, referring to the future plans being studied by the Middle East Council of Churches, especially in the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” - “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”, which MECC is implementing consecutively.