Jordan's Interior Minister Participates in Christmas Midnight Mass for Christian Communities Following the Eastern Calendar in Bethlehem

SadaNews - Jordan's Interior Minister Mazen Al-Farrayah participated last night, Tuesday, in the midnight mass for the glorious Christmas for Christian communities following the Eastern calendar at the Nativity Church in Bethlehem.

Attending the mass were Dr. Ramzi Khoury, representing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Ziad Hab al-Reeh, the Palestinian Interior Minister, along with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Jordan for the Greek Orthodox, and a group of political, religious figures, and diplomats from various countries around the world.

In a speech during the mass, the Interior Minister conveyed the greetings and congratulations of His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II to the Christian communities in Palestine on the occasion of the blessed Christmas for those following the Eastern calendar, as well as His Majesty's wishes for a year filled with love, security, and peace.

Al-Farrayah emphasized the strong and historical brotherly ties that bind the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples, affirming the importance of the Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

He reiterated the ongoing role of His Majesty the King in supporting the Christian fabric and heritage in various Palestinian sacred lands, which reinforces the path of coexistence among the united Palestinian people, renewing support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, especially in occupied Jerusalem, in the face of occupying practices aimed at altering its Arab, Christian, and Islamic characteristics.

He pointed to the Jordanian role in enhancing the resilience of Jerusalemites and intensifying efforts supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the two-state solution, ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people on their land through achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region.

Before the mass, Minister Mazen Al-Farrayah attended the Christmas dinner at the Nativity Church in Bethlehem.

The dinner was attended by the Jordanian Ambassador to Palestine Issam Al-Badour, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the head of the Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, Ramzi Khoury, and Patriarch Theophilos III of the Greek Orthodox.

In the context of his participation in the midnight mass, Minister Al-Farrayah met with Palestinian Vice President Hussein Sheikh, conveying His Majesty the King’s greetings to President Mahmoud Abbas and affirming Jordan's steadfast positions in support of the Palestinian cause.

For his part, Sheikh expressed his gratitude to Jordan, King, government, and people for its steadfast positions in supporting the rights of the Palestinian people, affirming that this continuous support reflects the depth of the brotherly and historical relations between the Jordanian and Palestinian peoples and strengthens the resilience of Palestinians in facing challenges.

Khoury stated that the claims from the pillars of the occupation government regarding the protection of Christians in Palestine do not stand up to reality, given what Palestinian Christians face daily from systematic constraints, attacks on churches and holy sites, restrictions on freedom of worship, and targeting of religious figures, alongside a silent displacement threatening the genuine Christian presence in the land of the birth.

He announced that restoration works for the Nativity Cave would commence immediately after the Christmas holidays, as part of ongoing efforts to maintain the sanctity of this historical and religious site and preserve it for future generations.
In this context, Al-Farrayah met with Palestinian Interior Minister Ziad Hab al-Reeh, discussing ways to enhance continuous cooperation and coordination between Jordan and Palestine on issues of mutual interest, with an emphasis on developing cooperative mechanisms and supporting regional stability and security.