Antioch Patriarchate deems international silence over Mosul incidents shameful

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East deemed the international silence over the displacement of the Christians in Iraq’s Mosul and the atrocities committed against the Gaza Strip as shameful.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Patriarchate condemned the attacks taking place in parts of the Middle East, denouncing the assaults against the Christians in Mosul, which has led to their forced exodus.

In this regard, the Patriarchate urged the International Community, the United Nations and all the world powers and organizations to rightfully deal with the events taking place in Iraq and all the Middle East, stressing the need to adopt a humanitarian approach to resolve these issues.

It also called on the countries supporting these movements, whether directly or indirectly, to immediately end all forms of financial, logistical and moral support, urging all the parties to avoid resorting to violence as a means of dealing with civilians.

The Patriarchate rejected all attempt to harm the reputation of Islam, adding that the people must not be subject to any racist or sectarian pressure in light of the events taking place.

The Islamic State, which last month declared a “caliphate” straddling large swathes of northern Iraq and Syria, has threatened a Christian presence in the region spanning close to two millennia.

Over the weekend, hundreds of families fled Mosul, a once-cosmopolitan city that is the country’s second largest.

An Israeli offensive against Gaza Strip has so far claimed the lives of at least 700 Palestinians, while all efforts to reach an agreement over a ceasefire have been fruitless.