Tue 22 Jul 2014 – The Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Gregorios III (Laham) has urged Muslims and Christians to work hand in hand to rescue the Arab East from the perils of the malevolent Takfiri groups that threaten the safety of all citizens in the Arab world and its environs.
Patriarch Gregorios’s fresh words on Tuesday came in an appeal to the world’s conscience, urging combined efforts to suppress these extremist groups, which are jeopardizing the security of the whole world and destroying feelings of love, communication, tolerance and friendship among all people of the Arab world and their neighbours.
The Patriarch held the European Union, the United States of America, the Russian Federation and all countries responsible for the growth of these extremist groups, which do not deserve to be dubbed as “Islamic” or “Arab” since Islam and Arabism have nothing to do with such groups.
“These barbaric, malicious Takfiri groups do not only threaten Iraq’s Christians but also all citizens in the Arab world and its neighbours… They also jeopardize the future of living together as Christians and Muslims in the Arab East,” Gregorios said in his plea.
On the other hand, Gregorios reiterated the need for seeking a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as a mean to resolve a lot of the hideous sectarian conflicts gripping our beloved East.
With acknowledgments to the Ministry of Information of the Lebanese Republic. Approved for release by His Beatitude Gregorios III.