National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus urges denomination to advocate for Palestinians in Gaza and Christians in Syria

The National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus has written two open letters calling for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to strengthen its advocacy efforts for Christians in the Middle East, one concerning Christians in Syria and the other on Palestinians in Gaza.

Image

Both letters, included below, were submitted to the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee with hopes of reaching the broader church and especially denominational leaders.

The first letter calls for advocacy on behalf of Christians in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, while specifically focusing on persecutions experienced by religious minorities, including Christians, in Syria. The caucus thanks the Office of Public Witness for its work in recent months addressing the conflict in the Middle East, and emphasizes the threats to the rights and safety of Christians in the region due to instability and tensions between various parties within the country and attacks from outside forces.

The NMEPC specifically calls upon REAC and the denomination to proactively advocate for Christians in Syria and pressure the U.S. government to change its policies concerning the Middle East.

“[The NMEPC] urge[s] the international community to remain vigilant and actively advocate for the protection of religious minorities in Syria. Specifically, I call on the REAC to take a proactive role in defending the rights of Christians and to work towards a peaceful and inclusive resolution to the conflict. The USA advocacy [is] vital in ensuring the rights of Christians, all minorities, and all oppressed peoples so they can live in peace and security.”

In the second letter, the NMEPC raises concerns about a disparity in how the denomination advocates for the rights of migrants in the United States and advocacy efforts concerning displaced Palestinians in Gaza.

“Thousands of Palestinian families face the imminent threat of displacement from their homeland, a situation that stands in stark contrast to the Christian principles of justice, compassion, and support for the oppressed … Therefore, through the NMEPC, we appeal to you to play an active role in defending the right of Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, to remain in their homeland without the threat of forced displacement.”

Image

In the letter, the caucus also urges the denomination to actively defend the right of Palestinians to remain in their homeland alongside ongoing vocal efforts to defend migrants and refugees around the world.

The NMEPC is one of five racial/ethnic caucuses officially recognized by the General Assembly of the PC(USA). The other official caucuses are the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, the National Asian Presbyterian Council, the National Hispanic/Latino-a Presbyterian Caucus, and the Native American Coordinating Council.

These caucuses were established to create self-determining spaces for communities of color within the denomination, rooted in advocacy, identity, leadership development, and resistance to systemic racism. Their relationship with the denomination is formally acknowledged in both the Articles of Agreement (Appendix A of the Book of Order), the Organization for Mission (the central document in the work of unification), and the 2014 Covenant of Understanding.

The Racial Equity Advocacy Committee is a standing committee of the General Assembly dedicated to representing the rights and interests of people of color and holding the larger PC(USA) accountable in its commitments to justice and equity in all areas of church life and society. REAC has five seats reserved for representatives from the racial/ethnic caucuses, and Sobhy Girgis, a commissioned ruling elder and Vice Moderator of the NMEPC, serves on the committee as the caucus’ representative. He is one of two signatories on both letters, along with the caucus’ moderator, the Rev. George Bitar. 

The NMEPC’s letter concerning Christians and other religious minorities in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine:

From: National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus (NMEPC)

To: The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Sated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency

Luciano Kovacs, Middle East and Europe Area Coordinator

Melonee Tubb, Manager, Advocacy Support

The Rev. Noha Khoury-Bailey, BCC, Chair, REAC

The Rev. Nikki Collins, 1001 New Worshipping Communities

The Rev. Dr. Magdy Girgis, Middle Eastern Office

We thank you and the Office of Public Witness for addressing Middle East issues in the past few months.

I am writing to you as a concerned advocate for the protection and rights of Christians in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. The ongoing conflict and instability in the region have placed immense pressure on the Christian community. It is crucial to ensure their rights and safety are upheld amidst the tensions between various parties within the country, as well as the Israeli attacks on the region.

The recent promises made by rebel groups to respect all communities, including minorities, are a positive step forward. However, it is essential to ensure these commitments are honored and that Christians in Syria are not subjected to persecution or discrimination.

I urge the international community to remain vigilant and actively advocate for the protection of religious minorities in Syria. Specifically, I call on the REAC to take a proactive role in defending the rights of Christians and to work towards a peaceful and inclusive resolution to the conflict.

The USA advocacy [is] vital in ensuring the rights of Christians, all minorities, and all oppressed peoples so they can live in peace and security.

Most important, we encourage you to advocate with the U.S. government to change its policies for the Middle East.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

We look forward to your response and continued efforts to protect the rights of Christians in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.

The Rev. George Bitar, NMEPC Moderator                                         

Sobhy Girgis, NMEPC Vice Moderator

The NMEPC’s letter regarding Palestinians facing threats of displacement in Gaza:

We are reaching out to you through this letter, first and foremost, to express our deep appreciation for the humanitarian and spiritual role you play in upholding justice and human dignity. As you know, PC(USA) has long been a vital voice in defending human rights and promoting the values of love and peace.

In this spirit, we would like to inquire about the church's stance regarding the evident contradiction in addressing migration issues. Specifically, we refer to the disparity between the restrictive immigration and asylum policies of some U.S. administrations and the dire humanitarian conditions faced by Palestinians —particularly the people of Gaza — amid ongoing conflict and imposed restrictions. Thousands of Palestinian families face the imminent threat of displacement from their homeland, a situation that stands in stark contrast to the Christian principles of justice, compassion, and support for the oppressed.

Therefore, through the National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus, we appeal to you to play an active role in defending the right of Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, to remain in their homeland without the threat of forced displacement. We also urge the PC(USA) to amplify its voice in supporting humanitarian and political initiatives aimed at safeguarding Palestinian rights and advocating for more humane and just policies toward refugees and migrants, with particular attention to the people of Gaza.

We hope this letter marks the beginning of a constructive dialogue that reinforces the values of justice and compassion that bind us. We look forward to your response and to exploring potential avenues for collaboration in supporting those in need and advancing humanitarian justice. Also, we request that this matter be included in the agenda of the upcoming REAC meeting.

With sincere respect and appreciation,

The Rev. George Bitar, NMEPC Moderator

Sobhy Girgis, NMEPC Vice Moderator