OIC Denounces Attacks on Palestinian Churches, Demands Urgent Global Action to Protect Religious Sites
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned recent acts of aggression targeting Christian religious sites across Palestine, calling on the international community to intervene swiftly to safeguard places of worship and ensure the safety of civilians.
The OIC’s condemnation follows a deeply alarming attack in Gaza, where the Holy Family Church, under the Latin Patriarchate, was struck during an Israeli bombing campaign. The incident resulted in tragic civilian casualties and caused extensive damage to the church’s historic structure and religious facilities.
In addition to this incident, the OIC expressed grave concern over repeated settler-led violations—often facilitated by Israeli occupation forces—against Christian and Islamic sacred sites. Among these were incursions into the Al-Khader Church and the desecration of a Christian cemetery in Taybeh, a village near Ramallah. According to the OIC, these assaults reflect an escalating pattern of disrespect and violence toward religious heritage in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The organization emphasized that such actions are in direct breach of international law and global conventions that are meant to protect religious institutions and cultural heritage during times of conflict. It held Israel’s occupying authorities fully accountable for the ongoing violations and the increasing targeting of both Muslim and Christian holy sites.
Calling for urgent international attention, the OIC appealed to the global community to condemn these attacks unequivocally and to implement immediate measures that would halt further violations. It stressed the urgent need for international protection not only for sacred places but also for the Palestinian population, whose safety and dignity continue to be jeopardized amid the ongoing occupation and hostilities.
The OIC concluded by underlining the importance of upholding international legal standards and humanitarian obligations, warning that the continued desecration of religious sites threatens not just Palestine’s cultural identity but the broader global principles of religious tolerance and human rights.
