Rivlin to Christian leaders: We must speak, act, pray for Syria

President Reuven Rivlin called for the international community to take action to protect Syrian civilians, during a meeting with Christian leaders in Israel Tuesday.

Hosting the leaders of communities who have seen their religious brethren slaughtered by extremists in Syria and Iraq, Rivlin said “silence is not an option.”

“I believe the international community — the whole free world — must act to help the innocent, the civilians, men, women, and the children,” Rivlin said during an event to mark the coming new year. “We must work to help those who have stayed, and those who are refugees. And we must stand up and support the countries who do so much to help the wave after wave of refugees who arrive at their gates.”

The president’s comments came a week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had instructed his government to find ways to extend medical assistance to Syrians injured in the latest round of fighting, especially those from the embattled city of Aleppo.

Israel, which is on enemy footing with Syria, has taken pains to stay out of the Syrian civil war and has said it would not absorb any of the millions fleeing the war-torn country. However, Israel has been treating casualties, including wounded fighters, since near the outbreak of fighting nearly six years ago.

More than 2,000 Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals since 2013, according to the Israeli army.

“I am proud of the humanitarian aid and medical help many Israelis are giving to the people of Syria. I know sadly, that is a drop in the ocean. But, dear friends, silence and doing nothing cannot be an option. We must speak, we must act, we must pray,” Rivlin said.

“Bloodshed in the name of politics and religion, have led to much misery, pain, and loss; for many many people,” he said. “Cities of great history and civilization, Aleppo, Mosul are today bywords for sorrow and destruction.

The event was attended by church leaders as well as leaders of the country’s Christian communities and Israeli government officials. Representatives of the Christian communities included Greek Patriarch Theophilos III, Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian.

The event was held in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and was attended by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri.

The president also criticized the United Nations Security Council, which last week passed the anti-settlements Resolution 2334, for describing East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian territory. Rivlin committed to upholding freedom of worship for all religions.

“I was born in this holy city of Jerusalem, and to this day, I am her proud son. Like each of you, I see my role, and the role of the State of Israel, as guardians of this city. As guardians, our sovereignty over Jerusalem will never compromise the freedom of worship and religion for all believers. United Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and it will remain. There is no international body with the power to revoke this.”

Speaking of the long-stalled peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, Rivlin said the task of the international community is to build trust between the parties.

“At this time of year, we also think of our neighbors, just a few miles down the road in Bethlehem, King David’s ‘other’ city. Israel is committed to finding a way to end the tragedy between us and the Palestinians… The international community’s most important job in helping us solve the conflict is to build trust between the sides. How can we hope, as the pope said, to write a new page in the history of Israel and the Palestinians, without this trust. The Security Council vote was a blow to peace, and it was a blow to trust.”

Deri highlighted Israel’s support for the country’s Christian community.

“The State of Israel is the only secure state in this region where the Christian population lives and grows – not decreasing but increasing.”

Speaking on behalf of the Christian leaders, Theophilos echoed the president’s message of religious freedom. “We take the opportunity of this holiday gathering to express our gratitude for the firmness with which you defend the freedoms that lie at the heart of this democracy, especially the freedom of worship,” he said.