VATICAN CITY, OCT 1 /DNA/ – Member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, Dr. Rmazi Khouri led the official delegation of Palestine on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas to the elevation ceremony of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa to the rank of cardinal, in a religious ceremony presided by Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Dr. Khoury joined by member of the PLO executive committee, Dr. Faisal Aranki, ambassador of Palestine to the Holy See, Mr. Issa Qassisseh, and Abeer Odeh, ambassador of Palestine to Italy, in addition to patriarchs and representatives of Churches in the Holy Land, alongside delegations from Palestine and the Palestinian diaspora.

Dr. Khouri extended his heartfelt congratulations to Cardinal Pizzaballa on assuming his role as the Cardinal of Jerusalem. This appointment reflects the Holy See’s unwavering commitment to peace and justice for the Palestinian people. He stressed the paramount importance of maintaining bilateral cooperation between Palestine and the Holy See and safeguarding the Palestinian Christian presence in the region.

Furthermore, Dr. Khouri raised the important matter of the Holy See’s historical ties and solidarity with the Palestinians, highlighting the principled stance of the Holy See in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and addressing their enduring 2/6

suffering in the face of egregious Israeli crimes and violations. On the sidelines of the ceremony, Dr. Ramzi Khouri met and engaged in discussions with prominent figures, including the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church, Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church, Yusef I Absi, and The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.