On Sunday, 20 October 2024, Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court His Excellency Mr. Yousef Al-Isawi welcomed a delegation from the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) and the Council of Consultation headed by CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader.

During the meeting, the Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court said that Jordan--under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, with its firm and courageous positions towards the issues of its nation foremost of which being the Palestinian cause--embodies its steadfast Arab message from which it will never deviate.

He stressed that Jordan, under its wise Hashemite leadership, will remain the first defender of its central cause, namely Palestine, whose banner the Hashemites have carried, defended its just cause, and stressed the necessity of finding a comprehensive solution for it at all forums. He noted that Jordan is employing all its capabilities and efforts to support the Palestinian brethren in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in the face of the perfidious Israeli occupation and aggression on the Gaza Strip, as well as the violations and aggressive practices being witnessed in the West Bank.

Al-Issawi referred to the historic address delivered by His Majesty King Abdullah II at the UN General Assembly meetings during which he expressed a constant and firm position towards the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and revealed the extent of the crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip  and the West Bank.

He said, "His Majesty the King has placed the world leaders and international organizations before the test of conscience and humanity, as well as before their moral responsibilities towards the tragedy and suffering of the fraternal Palestinian people and the necessity of striving to put an end to Israel's persistence in its violations, practices and attacks on the people, the land, in addition to the Islamic and Christian sanctities."

He pointed out that His Majesty the King's efforts are continuing to attain an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, noting that the King, in all his discussions and meetings with leaders of the international community, stresses the necessity of serious action to force Israel to stop its brutal aggression. He stressed that Jordan, under Royal directives, continues to dispatch relief aid convoys, install field hospitals, and conduct airdrops of urgent medical and pharmaceutical aid, in which His Majesty the King personally participated despite the risks surrounding such operations.

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He indicated that the Initiative of "Restore Hope", which was launched under Royal directives, aims to help more than 14,000 suffering people including children, who had limb amputations by installing artificial limbs for them to help them continue their lives. He also referred to His Majesty the King's directives to equip and send a Jordanian field hospital for "maternity and premature infants" in Khan Yunis area, the Gaza Strip.

Regarding what fraternal Lebanon is facing, Al-Issawi said that His Majesty the King stressed Jordan's support for Lebanon and its sovereignty, as he issued instructions to provide all possible relevant assistance. Al-Issawi also referred to the positions and efforts of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al-Hussein Ibn Abdullah in supporting the Palestinian brethren, as well as in revealing the extent of the tragedy and human suffering they are going through.

Fr. Rif'at Bader's intervention

Fr. Rif'at Bader addressed a speech in which he thanked His Excellency Mr. Yousef Al-Isawi for his warm welcome in the home of all Jordanians. He said, "We come today with the members of staff of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media and its Council of Consultation which includes an elite group of the dear homeland, who express to your excellency their sincere love and appreciation, and through you they convey a message of loyalty, belonging, and pride in their wise Hashemite leadership."

He pointed out that the CCSM was established 13 years ago by the Latin Patriarchate as it provides, through its employees and the Council of Consultation the service of transmitting free and authentic media messages, and promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue globally. He added that the CCSM focuses through its media channels on everything His Majesty the King says in local, Arab, and international forums especially with regards to the Palestinian cause and the demands of the Palestinian people who have been yearning for freedom and justice for decades.

He said, "Jerusalem is in the conscience of the Hashemites, a trust carried by His Majesty King Abdullah II--like his father, King Hussein Ibn Talal, may his soul rest in peace, and his Hashemite ancestors—in association of the internationally recognized Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. With His Majesty the King, we call for preserving the status quo in Jerusalem, so that it may be the capital of peace and harmony for the entire world. His Majesty also calls for preserving the Arab Christian identity of the Holy City, where the number of Christians does not exceed nowadays 8,000 people."

Fr. Bader thanked God for the prevailing security and stability in Jordan. He noted that the Islamic-Christian unity is a model school, as there is always constant praise for what Jordan has achieved and all the propitious initiatives launched in order to maintain Jordan as an oasis of dialogue and a model to be emulated in the entire world.

He said: "This year we mark the 20^th anniversary of the launching of the Amman Message in its capacity as one of the wonderful dialogue initiatives launched by His Majesty the King during his blessed reign, as it is the most beautiful coincidence with His Majesty's silver jubilee marking the King Hussein's accession to the Throne half a century ago which represents unlimited benevolence. We also mark the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which are based on continuous cooperation in education and in the joint calls for peace. His Holiness Pope Francis said a few days ago, in a press conference on the plane on his way back from Singapore, 'I am very, very grateful to the King of Jordan. He is a man of peace and he tries to make peace'."

He added: "We really want our schools and universities to maintain this noble Jordanian approach, by never hearing at any time, that there is a dispute, may God forbid, on a sectarian basis. This did not happen for more than one hundred years in Jordan. Yet, we want to consolidate it in our schools and universities, and this is especially the task of the honorable teachers and educators as some of them join the CCSM in this honorable meeting. We also ask God that religious tourism may be resumed in our holy country, so as to support our country's economy, its progress, and reform. We also call for undertaking intensive attention to some religious tourist sites, such as the Site of Mar Elias (Saint Elijah) in dear Ajloun Governorate."

Fr. Bader concluded his speech by saying: "We underline our support, and will remain in the name of the loyal Jordanian Christian Arabs closely associated with loyalty and affiliation. It belongs to every grain of soil in this country and to every drop of water in the blessed Jordan River, as well as loyalty to the wise Hashemite leadership for whom we pray that the Almighty Lord may to protect you, protect Jordan, and protect His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, as well as consolidate the Jordanian people and the fraternal Palestinian people so as to enjoy at the end of this year a merry Christmas, God willing, in which the prayers of the faithful get lifted up everywhere, namely in Al-Aqsa, the Nativity Church, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in order to eliminate the injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people and the Lebanese people, and end the aggression taking place on our beloved people in Gaza."

Other interventions during the meeting

During the meeting, the members of the visiting delegation stressed in their interventions that they rally behind His Majesty the King and support all his efforts that are aimed at ending the conflict in the region, establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in addition to preserving the security and stability of Jordan.

They drew attention the state of coincidence between the official and popular positions, expressed their rejection of anyone who outbids the official position or tries to lead the scene for populist ideas that would harm the security of the homeland. They said that His Majesty the King, with his wise leadership, has made Jordan a model and a capital of security and stability as His Majesty's efforts were not limited to local affairs, but extended to humanitarian issues and just Arab issues.

They also stressed the need to have the media play their role in highlighting Jordan's unwavering stances towards the issues of its nation, and the historic role it plays under the leadership of His Majesty the King in establishing peace in the region. They also noted the importance of the media's role in expressing the conscience of the nation and its humanitarian message, in placing Jordan's by promoting the values ​​of good citizenship among the young generation. They also stressed that Jordan's Christians will remain one of the pillars of the nation who support the Hashemite leadership in all its positions and efforts.

Members of the delegation participating in the meeting

In addition to CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader, the delegation included head of the Council of Consultation Mr. Omar Naber and its members, namely MP Mr. Jamil Nimri, Fr. Bajis Kfouf, Dr. Adli Qandah, Mr. Azmi Shahin, Dr. Safa' Shwaihat, Mr. Fayeq Hijazin, Dr. Marcel Juwainat, Mr. Omar Abawi, and Mr. Ramzi Khoury.

The delegation also included CCSM member staff, namely Mr. Munir Bayouk,  Mrs. Rania Mansour, Ms. Eva Habib, Mr. Baha' Alamat, Mr. Osama Toubasi, in addition to CCSM's friends which included Mr. Nash'at Bdour, Ms. Lilac Marji, and Ms. Carol Alamat.