Al-Quds Historical, Religious Importance Highlighted

DAMASCUS, (ST) – The “Loyalty for al-Quds” Forum was held yesterday to underline the historical and religious importance of this holy city.

The forum, which was organized at Damascus University by al-Quds International Institutionin Syria and the Al-Fath al-Islami Center, was attended by a number of Moslem and Christian religious men in addition to some intellectual and political figures.

  Member of the Board of the International al-Quds Institution in Syria Safir al-Jarad stressed the historical, and religious importance of Palestine in general and al-Quds in particular in enhancing national belongingness and maintaining Arab and Islamic identity.

He affirmed the need to unify efforts to disseminate awareness about the importance of al-Quds at the national, regional and international levels.

Luqa al-Khouri, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchal assistant Bishop,  stressed that “Christianity started from al-Quds, and that Christians will never give up their link to this city. The Christians reject the Zionist plans to Judaize al-Quds and distort its Arab-Christian-Islamic Character.

The Bishop pointed out that the Israeli attempts to provoke sectarian wars in the Arab region, particularly in Syria and Lebanon, aim at distracting the Arabs attention from their core cause which is the Palestine cause.

“Syria has the honor to shoulder the duty of defending Palestine, as the Syrian people have been a great supporter for love and peace among peoples of the world and a staunch defender of dignity against oppressors,” the Bishop added.

Archbishop TheodosiosAtalla Hanna of Sabastia for the Greek Orthodox of (Jerusalem) said in a video statement that Damascus will continue to be the defender and keeper of the Arab nation’s causes, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.

He regretted that some Arab leaders, who should have supported al-Quds and should have sent their money to liberate and construct al-Quds, are now sending the money to destroy and weaken Syria, stressing that al-Quds will continue to side by the honest Syrian people.

“Conspirators with the West want us to forget al-Quds and the right to return to Palestine, but we say to them that will never concede an inch of the Palestinian soil and we will continue to adhere to the repatriation right till the Palestinians return to their homeland, Palestine, ” Archbishop Hanna added.

Other speakers affirmed the importance of the forum in highlighting the position of al-Quds and Palestine in the conscience of the Islamic and Christian world, stressing the need to abide by the Palestinian peoples’ right to return and the importance of supporting the Palestinians’ struggle to liberate their occupied lands and establish their independent state with al-Quds as a capital.

H. Mustafa