Syria’s Christian Religious Leaders Condemn Terrorism, Reject Foreign Interference

Christmas Mass at St. George's Cathedral in Damascus was marked by a somber tone after two terrorist attacks in Damascus earlier this month. Syrians of all faiths are united against foreign intervention and meddling in their internal affairs.

SANA English Bulletin
M. Ismael

DAMASCUS — Christmas celebrations in Syria were limited to prayers due to the current events and in honor of the Syrian martyrs.

Christian denominations performed prayers at churches and places of worship marking birth of Jesus Christ, the messenger of peace and amity.

Mass was held at St. Georges Cathedral in Damascus, headed by Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, assisted by bishops, priests, the Patriarchate choir, and the Mar Ephrem Theological School.

In the Christmas sermon, Patriarch Iwas elaborated on the sublime meanings of the occasion, indicating that Jesus Christ carried a message of peace and amity to the world.

His Beatitude prayed for martyrs to bask in God’s mercy and for Syria to remain safe and stable, expressing trust that the awareness of the Syrian people will help Syria overcome the crisis.

Mass was also held at the National Evangelical Church in Damascus headed by Pastor Boutros Zaour, assisted by the church choir.

Pastor Zaour said that the Christmas this year comes at a time when Syria is targeted by the worst conspiracy ever, adding that the leadership has worked genuinely to enact reforms to push Syria on the road of dignity, reform and modernization.

Pastor Boutros Zaour leads Christmas Mass at the National Evangelical Church in Damascus.

Zaour condemned the twin terrorist attacks which claimed the lives of scores of civilians and military members in Damascus, adding that such hideous acts will sharpen the will of the Syrian people and their adherence to national unity against conspiracies.

Pastor Zaour criticized calls of some Western powers to occupy Syria, expressing utter rejection of foreign meddling in the Syrian internal affairs.

Pastor Samuel Hanna, President of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, denounced the twin terrorist attacks which hit Damascus on Friday, offering heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs.

Midnight Mass was held at the Cathedral of the Melkite Greek Catholics, headed by Patriarchal Deputy in Damascus Bishop Jospeh al-Absi, assisted by priests and the cathedral choir.

Al-Absi called in his Christmas sermon for synchronizing efforts to protect Syria, hailing the sacrifices offered by the Syrian Arab army in defense of the country.

Al-Absi denounced the terrorist attacks which hit Damascus, offering deep condolences to the families of the martyrs.

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Updated: President Bashar al-Assad Unedited Interview with ABC News

Editor’s Note: This interview has been removed several times from YouTube. I have saved the forty-six minute interview in its entirety in the case that it is once again removed from the web.

– Nina Westbury, Creator and Editor of Crimson Satellite

Article by Nina Westbury for Crimson Satellite

DAMASCUS — In a rare interview with an American media outlet, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sat down with ABC News’ Barbara Walters to discuss the crisis in Syria.

“Do you think your forces cracked down too hard?” Walters asked. President al-Assad noted that Syria’s army doesn’t belong to him, stating, “I’m President. I don’t own the country.” Assad also mentioned that Syria’s Constitution requires the army to defend the country’s sovereignty.

Further, the President contrasted what American media are calling a “crackdown,” which he said was the result of the mistakes of some officials, with having a policy of torture. “If you want to talk about policy, look at what’s happening in Guantanamo, where you have a policy of torture,” the President remarked, referring to the infamous American military prison based in Cuba — which has not shied away from using torture against so-called ‘enemy combatants.’

President Assad also touched on the plight of the Palestinian people, the United Nations’ lack of credibility, and other important topics.

The full interview lasts forty-six minutes, some of which aired on an ABC special disingenuously titled “The Dictator Speaks.”

Millions of Syrians Nationwide Rally Against Arab League

Syrians flocked to Sabe Bahrat square in downtown Damascus on November 13 to express anger over the Arab League (AL) decision to suspend the Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body. Most Syrian cities witnessed similar protests. (Xinhua/Bassim)

Xinhua News Agency
with editing by Nina Westbury

DAMASCUS, Nov.13 (Xinhua) — Millions of Syrians on Sunday thronged to main squares and streets in various Syrian cities to lend support to their embattled President Bashar al-Assad and to express discontent with the Arab League (AL) decision to suspend Syria’s membership.
In the capital, Damascus, hundreds of thousands flocked to the Saba Bahrat Square, arriving either on foot or by using public transportation. It appeared as if the whole city was out on the streets on Sunday.

Some people waved Syrian flags along with Assad’s posters and shouted slogans such as “God, Syria and Bashar only,” while others carried banners, some of which read “down with the Hebrew League,” referring to the AL, accusing it of acting out a Western and Israeli led conspiracy against Syria.

The nationwide raucous rallies came a day after the AL decided to suspend the activities of Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body.

The 22-nation AL convened an emergency meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Saturday to weigh the possibility of undertaking harsher measures against the Syrian government given its alleged breach of a plan reached between the two sides recently to bring the months-old crisis in Syria to a close.

The AL plan calls for stopping violence and withdrawing military vehicles from Syrian streets in addition to releasing detainees and holding a dialogue between Syrian authorities and the opposition at the AL headquarters.

Under the latest AL resolution, activities of the Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body would be suspended, effective Wednesday. The AL also called on its members to withdraw their ambassadors in Syria and urged sanctions on Damascus until the peace plan it brokered is implemented.

The international community along with some opposition activists welcomed the resolution. United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon on Saturday voiced support to the resolution, urging Damascus to heed the AL call to “stop violence” and “implement the working plan fully and speedily.”

U.S. President Barack Obama praised the League’s move, and France said it was time for international bodies to take more action against Syrian government.

An hour after the League’s decision, angry rallies swept across Syria to express resentment with the AL stance.

The rowdy crowds pelted the Qatari embassy in Damascus with eggs and tomatoes and shouted obscenities at Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani, who headed the AL emergency session on Saturday.

Protestors reportedly stormed the Saudi embassy, which is located near the Qatari one, to bring down the Saudi flag.

Meanwhile, Syria’s official media blasted the AL decision and confirmed that the country is still capable of encountering the challenges and of emerging even stronger.

The Arab decision was also slammed by some opposition figures inside Syria, such as Mohammad Habash, a parliamentarian who heads the Third Way movement that gathers around 40 politicians and intellectuals. Habash said in a statement that the AL has ” deviated from its charter and internal system” by suspending Syria’s membership.

Syrian Ambassador to the AL Yusuf Ahmad said on Saturday that the AL’s latest decision came in contravention to the AL principles, accusing the AL of acting out a foreign agenda by applying such decision.

The Syrian opposition abroad has recently called on the AL to suspend Syria’s membership and to back sanctions against those responsible for human rights abuses in the country.

Also See:
President al-Assad: “We Have No Choice Left but to Win Any Battle That Would Target Our Sovereignty”