News
The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held its third meeting at the Patriarchal See of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East in Lebanon on 22-23 January.
In a Final Statement, the council prayed that constitutional institutions in Lebanon be restored to their normal status, especially pleading for the establishment of a new government, for peace in Syria, “a safe and dignified return for the displaced to their homeland, and for peace and security in Iraq, allowing the return of its uprooted sons to their fatherland.”
Council leaders also called on the international community and the Arab world to “deploy all efforts to release the kidnapped bishops Yohana Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji, as well as all the kidnapped priests and lay people.”The council condemned all forms of extremism and terrorism.
Participants also condemned “the unfair and vicious attack on the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program,” referring to recent allegations from NGO Monitor to which the World Council of Churches (WCC) responded with clarifying statements.
The WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel is a response to a specific call from Palestinian church leaders in the region.
WCC clarifications in response to continued antisemitism allegations by “NGO Monitor” – WCC news release 29 January 2019
