WCC news: WCC calls for upholding the rights of Armenian community in Jerusalem

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay said the WCC is “deeply distributed” by reports of continuous assaults on the Armenian community and other Palestinian residents of Jerusalem.  November 2022: People go about their day near the Jaffa gate in the Jerusalem old city. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 29 December 2023 “These incidents, particularly the recent egregious attack in the Cows' Garden, signal a distressing escalation of violence and the severe infringement of the rights and dignities of the communities in the Armenian Quarter,” said Pillay. “The systematic attempts to occupy the land by force and violence are profoundly unjust.” Armenian priests were among those injured in a mob attack in Cows’ Garden on 28 December. “Such actions contravene the moral imperatives of peace and justice that are central to the teachings of all faiths,” said Pillay. "We call upon the international community and local authorities to respond with immediate and decisive action.” Pillay concluded: “It is imperative to uphold the rights of all people and to prevent any forced displacements, ensuring the preservation of the diverse cultural and religious tapestry that defines Jerusalem and Palestinian territories. The World Council of Churches stands in unwavering solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. We pray for a just peace and for the strength and resilience of the communities under threat.”

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland