On 1 May, 22026 the World Council of Churches (WCC) received Dr. Ramzy Khoury, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and chairman of the High Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, representing the Palestinian president; and H.E. Amira Hanania, Director General, member of the High Presidential Committee, its representative in Europe, and member of the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and chairman of the Palestine's High Presidential Committee for Church Affairs Dr Ramzy Khoury after signing a memorandum of understanding describing a general framework of an intention to work together.

Khoury and Hanania met with WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay at the Ecumenical Centre, then moved to the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey for lunch and additional meetings. 

Khoury and Hanania were accompanied by H.E. Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi, former deputy foreign affairs minister of the Palestinian National Authority, Palestine's ambassador to Switzerland, and permanent observer representing Palestine for the United Nations at Geneva; and his staff. 

The WCC receiving delegation included Pillay, accompanied by Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Life, Justice, and Peace; Carla Khijoyan, WCC programme executive for peacebuilding in the Middle East, Doug Chial, WCC director of the Office of the General Secretariat; Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of communication; and Stylianos Pappas, WCC director of finance.

Khoury and Hanania’s visit followed meetings with the WCC in February. 

As a concrete sign of collaboration, the High Presidential Committee for Church Affairs and the WCC signed a memorandum of understanding describing a general framework of an intention to work together on WCC programme activities in Palestine. 

The memorandum builds upon the longstanding working relationship between the High Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in the State of Palestine and the World Council of Churches, grounded in shared Christian values of justice, peace, and human dignity, and the long history of the WCC in its solidarity and accompaniment of the Palestinian people.