Bethlehem: Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya, representing His Majesty King Abdullah II, participated Tuesday night in the Christmas midnight mass for Christian denominations following the Eastern calendar at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The service was attended by high-ranking officials, including Ramzi Khoury, representing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Interior Minister Ziyad Hab Al-Reeh, and Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan.
According to Jordan News Agency, during the service, Al-Faraya conveyed the greetings of King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II to the Christian communities in Palestine, wishing them a year of security and peace. He emphasized the historical brotherhood between the Jordanian and Palestinian people and reaffirmed the significance of the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Al-Faraya stressed the King's ongoing role in supporting the authentic Christian fabric within the Holy Land and upholding the principles of coexistence against occupation practices aimed at altering the city's Arab identity. On the sidelines of the celebrations, Al-Faraya met with Palestinian Deputy President Hussein Al-Sheikh to reiterate Jordan's steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines.
Al-Sheikh expressed Palestine's gratitude for Jordan's unwavering positions. Additionally, Ramzi Khoury challenged claims regarding the protection of Christians under the occupation, citing systematic harassment and restrictions on worship. He also announced that restoration work on the Grotto of the Nativity would commence immediately following the holiday season. The visit concluded with a meeting between the Jordanian and Palestinian Interior Ministers to discuss regional security and mutual cooperation.