President Abbas Sends Important Messages to the Pope and World Leaders Regarding the Danger of Israel Targeting Churches

SadaNews - President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, has sent important messages to Pope Leo XIV, King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and several leaders, during which he informed them of the dangerous situation in occupied East Jerusalem, and the violations by the Israeli occupation authorities, particularly the actions taken by the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem that contradict international law against churches and ecclesiastical institutions in occupied East Jerusalem.

The messages from President Abbas included communications with: the Jordanian monarch King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope of the Vatican Leo XIV, and the Prime Ministers of Greece, Spain, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Russian President, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

President Abbas warned in his messages of the seriousness of the Israeli measures represented by attempts to impose the municipal property tax known as "Arnona" on churches, affirming that this action constitutes a blatant and unprecedented violation of the legal and historical status quo and a direct targeting of the Christian presence and religious institutions in the holy city.

He emphasized that Jerusalem enjoys a unique international legal status under international law, which has received support from the international community since the partition plan of 1947, in addition to the fact that the international community recognizes East Jerusalem as an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 19667.

President Abbas pointed to relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly resolutions 242, 252, 267, 338, 476, 478, and 2334, which have all affirmed that the acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible, and that unilateral Israeli actions aimed at changing the character of the city of Jerusalem, its legal status, its demographic composition, or its institutions, are invalid and have no legal effect.

The Palestinian president confirmed in this context that no action taken by the occupation authorities can be interpreted as granting Israel any sovereignty or legal or judicial authority over occupied East Jerusalem or its religious institutions and Islamic and Christian endowments, calling on churches not to accept these unilateral measures or enter into any arrangements with the occupation authorities regarding them, due to the risks this entails for the city's legal status and the threat it poses to existing bilateral agreements.

President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated to world leaders that the realization of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty on the borders of 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital is the only and desired path to achieve fair and lasting peace, security, and stability in the region and the world.

In his message to the Jordanian monarch, President Abbas expressed deep appreciation and pride in His Majesty's steadfast and courageous positions in supporting the Palestinian cause, and for the historic role of His Majesty as the bearer of the Hashemite guardianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, valuing the positions of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that support the two-state solution and the realization of an independent Palestinian state.

In the message addressed to Pope Leo XIV, the Palestinian president expressed his sincere gratitude for His Holiness's ongoing efforts to achieve fair and lasting peace, commending the ethical and principled stance of the Holy See in recognizing the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders based on international legitimacy, and its continuous commitment to protecting the rights of the churches in the holy city and their historical status.

President Abbas also appreciated in his message to the leaders of the concerned states and the UN Secretary-General, the consistent positions that support achieving fair peace in accordance with international law, and the role played by brotherly and friendly nations and the United Nations in protecting religious and cultural heritage in the holy land and their continuous efforts to preserve the Christian presence, expressing his hope that their governments would continue their efforts and communications to halt these unilateral measures.