The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia in Jerusalem, Bishop Atallah Hanna:

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia in Jerusalem, Bishop Atallah Hanna:

We warn that the Jewish holiday periods are no longer just about religious celebrations, but have become a political and security cover to tighten the rope around the city of Jerusalem and its territories, and impose a new reality that affects its Arab identity on its Islamic and Christian components.

The danger is not limited to Al-Aqsa, but extends to the entire city of Jerusalem, Islamic and Christian Jerusalem, its Arab and cultural heritage and the presence of its Palestinian population.

The long-term goal of this policy is "to create a new reality in which Jerusalem becomes a city stripped of its Arab identity, including both its Islamic and Christian components."

The churches and the Al-Aqsa Mosque represent an integral part of Jerusalem's Arab identity, and the protection of them cannot be separated from the protection of the Palestinian presence in the city.