Cairo (dpa) – Bombings at two Coptic Christian churches in two Egyptian cities on Palm Sunday killed at least 36 people and left dozens wounded. The first bomb took place in the Mar Gerges Church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta, north of Cairo, leaving 25 dead and 78 injured, the Health Ministry said. A…
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Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, president and founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, issued a statement today condemning this morning’s massacre at the Coptic Church in Tanta, Egypt.
“This is a horrible and inhumane act against an innocent minority population that was attending the Palm Sunday prayers. This event is similar to the Seder night massacre at the Park Hotel that took place exactly 15 years ago. Christians throughout the Middle East have been slaughtered and persecuted in recent years and no people or countries are working to protect them and their heritage. The Western world and the moderate Arab regimes must act decisively on behalf of Christians in the Middle East who are easy prey for radical Islam. The Fellowship works in Israel to strengthen the Christian minority, which is flourishing under the Israeli government. This is in absolute contrast to the situation of their Christian brothers in Arab countries. The Fellowship will do everything in its power to extend assistance beyond the borders of Israel and to provide assistance to every minority persecuted due to their religion. We have done this for the sake of Druze refugees who fled Syria and we will also do this for our Christian brethren as needed. The State of Israel enjoys the support of millions of Christian supporters of Israel around the world. Today they are the main counterweight to the BDS movement. It is important that we too, respond to this support with practical and moral actions for those who need us.”
Jerusalem, April 9, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stands in solidarity with the Coptic community and with Christians worldwide following the barbaric attacks on two Coptic churches in Egypt during Palm Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 36 people and wounding dozens more, according to media reports. The Islamic State has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, and Carole Nuriel, ADL Israel Director, issued the following statement:
The fact that today’s terrorist attacks took place during Palm Sunday and targeted Coptic Christians as they were conducting their service inside the churches, testifies to the inhuman barbarity of the terrorists. Indeed, the Coptic community in Egypt has been the target of repeated attacks over the years and is a persecuted minority in the country. And these cowardly attacks harm all the people of Egypt.
The need to address all forms of bigotry across the Middle East, including bias directed against Christians, was raised by ADL National Chair Marvin Nathan and Mr. Greenblatt during a recent meeting in Washington with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
ADL stands in solidarity with Egypt, particularly the Coptic community and with Christians worldwide in this difficult time. We denounce all forms of bigotry and fanaticism and call on leaders to protect their religious and ethnic minorities.