BUDAPEST, November 28, 2025 (WAFA) - A delegation from the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine held an official meeting in Budapest with János Lastovka, Director of the Middle East Department at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The delegation included Rev. Munther Isaac, Sister Agapia Stephanopoulos, Ambassador Fadi Husseini, and diplomat Yuad Jaradat from the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Hungary.
Ambassador Husseini opened the meeting by introducing the delegation and outlining the Committee’s mandate. Discussions focused on the situation of Christians in Palestine and the challenges faced by churches and religious institutions under Israeli occupation.
Rev. Isaac and Sister Stephanopoulos provided a detailed briefing on the escalating violations targeting churches, their properties, and Christian communities in the Holy Land. They highlighted the recently imposed taxes on churches and their assets in Jerusalem, describing them as punitive measures aimed at undermining the historic Christian presence in the birthplace of Jesus. The delegation called on the Hungarian government to continue exerting diplomatic pressure on the Israeli authorities to halt these actions and safeguard the authentic Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The meeting also addressed repeated assaults on clergy and worshippers in Jerusalem, restrictions affecting pilgrims and visitors, and the broader obstacles placed on the daily lives of the Palestinian people. The delegation stressed that attempts to displace indigenous communities from the Holy Land pose serious cultural, humanitarian, and moral risks that require urgent international intervention.
The Hungarian side reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Christians in the Middle East and strengthening dialogue with all parties. Officials emphasized that protecting Christian presence in the Holy Land remains a political priority and confirmed the country’s readiness to continue reviewing these issues with relevant partners while promoting regional stability, peaceful dialogue, and support for Christian institutions.
Following the meeting, an official working luncheon brought together the Palestinian delegation with Hungarian diplomatic, media, and academic figures, providing an opportunity to expand discussions on the importance of continued international support for the Christian presence in Palestine and Hungary’s role as a key European partner in fostering stability in the region.
The visit forms part of a wider program that includes media and cultural engagements, interviews with journalists and church-affiliated outlets, and meetings with academic officials at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, aimed at enhancing cultural, religious, and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
Participants concluded by underscoring the importance of protecting religious diversity and preserving the Christian presence in Palestine as an essential component of national identity. They called on the international community to assume its moral and humanitarian responsibilities by halting violations and upholding the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom, dignity, and independence in line with international law.
T.R.
