Palestinian delegation visits WCC
Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, Mission of Palestine to Switzerland; Dr Omar Awadallah, deputy assistant minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine; and Doa Nofal, second secretary at the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, visited the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 6 July to discuss the current situation in Palestine.
WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay was accompanied by Carla Khijoyan, WCC programme executive for the Middle East; and Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of communication.
The Palestinian delegation provided an update on the current situation in the Holy Land with increased violations of human rights on the West Bank and Gaza, and attacks on worshippers. They acknowledged the very important work by the WCC and extended an invitation to the general secretary and the governance to visit the Holy land and meet with President Abbas. “The WCC will continue to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and stand firmly behind United Nations resolutions on the occupied territories, and we will speak out against all forms of injustice, regardless of where or who they come from,” said Pillay. Pillay added, “We are concerned about religious freedom and while we have issued statements on the situation in Palestine and Israel, we recognize that greater intervention is needed.”