Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan Fr. Rif’at Bader has conveyed the greetings of Latin Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah to the participants in the international conference which was convened by Al-Azhar in support of Jerusalem and in reaction to the recent US president's decision on the city.

Fr. Bader said: "I would like to convey to you a message from the patriarch emeritus of Arab Jerusalem who marks this year his 30th anniversary since assuming his duties as patriarch and whose voice still reverberates in the world." In his message Patriarch Sabbah says:"Jerusalem has its unique nature and identity made by the Almighty God where it witnessed the first divine revelation. As historical events went by, it was Jewish, then Christian and later Islamic. This city surpassed history. Nowadays, Jerusalem is a holy city for the three religions. It is the city of life for two peoples. It is the heritage of humanity. These six components cannot be nullified, namely three religions, and two peoples as well as heritage for humanity.''

In his message, Patriarch Sabbah adds: "If we want to attain peace in Jerusalem, and if global politics wants to bring about peace in Jerusalem, then the nature of Jerusalem must be preserved, as the Almighty God had formed it. Furthermore, Jerusalem has Arab, Palestinian, Christian and Islamic historical ties, associated with Christian and Islamic sanctities, where the status quo and the Hashemite custodianship prevail. Based on these constants in Jerusalem nowadays, which is under military occupation according to the international consensus, everything remains as is until a solution has been agreed upon by all parties. "

He continued: "In Jerusalem, God and man meet, and the time has come for the armies not to meet there. God and man meet, then man and man meet , and through the sanctity of Jerusalem they reach common grounds. Changing the nature of the Holy City is an aggression on the city as well as on its comprehensive nature. This aggression must cease. The fact on the ground states that the supreme power lies in the international politics and in Israel. Yet, the people of Jerusalem and the vulnerable Palestinians have the force that stands in the way of the powerful."

Latin Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah said: "The Arab world is still powerful despite the fatalities and wars that have afflicted our countries to this very day. The Arab world is still powerful through its unity, its wealth, as well as the way it addresses other countries. The Arab world is still a power of truth. The international politics looks forward to the destruction of the East, I mean to our destruction, so as to create a new Middle East. We can convince others that the new Middle East is based on justice, peace and sound harmony between the East and the West. The Arab countries should regain their unity with regards to Jerusalem, and address the world in a proper way that respects the nature of Jerusalem and its comprehensive history, namely three religions, two peoples and a heritage of humanity."

He added: "Decisions were made by of the most powerful country of this world which state that Jerusalem is the capital of only one people; but the nature of Jerusalem, as God and history had made it, is stronger than people's decisions. We still have time to restore it as a city for three religions and two peoples with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. This is the fundamental premise of reaching a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, or to maintain the stability of the entire region. From this point the solution should start, namely by stopping the destruction in Jerusalem, in Palestine and in all our Arab countries. The attainment of this objective necessitates the availability of power. The Arab countries have enough power if they will and if they have a unified stand, and if they address Israel and global politics by resorting to a firm and unified stand."

Concluding his address, Patriarch Sabbah said: "I convey my greetings to all the delegates, and I hope that this conference will not be added to the list of futile conferences that have been held, and produced nothing that would alleviate the torment of the city of Jerusalem and the war that afflicted the Holy Land--due to which violence covered the entire region. The issue of Jerusalem is relevant to peace in Palestine and the entire Arab countries. A view relevant to a new Middle East cannot be fulfilled by inflicting damage, sedition, and death. It can be based on man's nature, as created by God, which is dedicated to love and justice. Peace be upon you from Jerusalem with our greetings and prayers."

Fr. Bader had earlier made an address during which he conveyed to the delegates "the greetings of their brethren in Jordan as well as those of the Latin Patriarchate in noble Jerusalem.'' He pointed out that the Churches of the Kingdom had organized a candlelight vigil in Amman upon the issuance of the US decision relevant to Jerusalem "to express rejection to the unfair and unilateral decision as well as to express support for the Hashemite custodianship of the sanctities and to have the gates of Jerusalem open to the worshippers."