JERUSALEM, Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (WAFA) - Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, Chairman of the Council of Heads of Churches of the Holy Land, today denounced the sequence of events in France, which started with insults to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad and was followed by a murder crime of a teacher as a retaliation for the insults, which triggered a series of crimes that targeted innocent Muslim civilians.

In a statement issued by the Patriarch, he stressed that he was observing with great concern the state of polarization resulting from the course of affairs in France. He stressed his condemnation of insulting the Islamic faith with the same vigor of condemnation as he would if the insult afflicted any of the other monotheistic religions.

The Patriarch of the Holy City condemned all acts of violence that target those who have different opinions or religious beliefs, calling for civilized dialogue to be the only method of interaction to reduce intellectual and ideological gaps between different religions and ideologies.

Patriarch Theophilos III called upon the whole world to take the harmony between Muslims and Christians of the Holy Land, on both banks of the Jordan River, as a role-model, because the people here have lived for centuries in peaceful brotherhood, love and coexistence in good times and bad times.

He concluded his statement by saying: "We pray to God Almighty to perpetuate the grace of love and brotherhood and save humanity from plague, wars and disharmony."

M.K.