Orthodox Church condemns attacks on Christians in Jordan, Palestine

The Orthodox Church on Saturday denounced the recent wave of attacks targeting Christians in Palestine, Jordan, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

The rebuke followed Friday’s incident in the southern Jordanian village of Hamoud (Karak governorate), where gunmen opened fire during a burial at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church.

Nine people were killed and about 40 others wounded, with King Abdullah II and Jordanian officials vowing to apprehend the perpetrators. Security forces have deployed across Karak.

The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee, OPAC, decried “the escalating violence, intimidation, and brutality” against Christian areas, saying the acts cannot be dismissed or allowed to continue with impunity.

“How many more innocent Christians must be attacked, terrorized, or killed before the international community takes meaningful action?” the body questioned in a statement.

The church said Christians in Jordan, who gathered to mourn their loved ones, became victims of deadly violence themselves, declaring the killing of mourners as “an act of profound cruelty.”

OPAC further cited how masked Israeli settlers in Taybeh attacked and threatened Palestinian civilians, Christian clergy, and European diplomats who had gathered peacefully during the annual olive harvest.

The body demanded that Israeli authorities investigate and prosecute the culprits of the attack in Taybeh, end “extremist settler violence,” and guarantee the safety of Palestinian Christian communities.

The Jordanian authorities were similarly asked to bring those behind the church funeral shooting to justice and protect Christian worshippers and religious institutions.

OPAC urged the United Nations, the United States, European governments, and religious leaders worldwide to press for accountability and adequate security for vulnerable Christian localities.

Russia also strongly condemned the “cynical act of terrorism” in Jordan, noting that it was aimed at undermining the interfaith peace and harmony that have developed in Jordanian society.

The Foreign Ministry said attacks on religious sites and visitors are unacceptable, and reaffirmed Moscow’s unwavering solidarity with Jordan in the fight against terrorism and extremism.