Speaking to IQNA, the Bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern United States of America for the Assyrian Church of the East said everyone, including scholars, officials, and social activists, should act upon his or her responsibility in this regard.

Followers of different faith should view one another as dignified human beings and respect one another’s beliefs and sanctities, he addded. 

Mar Paulus Benjamin stressed opposition to insulting and undermining the dignity of humans and the sanctities of religions.

Noting that Islam and Christianity are among the main divine faiths, he said, “We condemn any desecration of Islamic personalities and sanctities by anyone anywhere in the world.”

The faith leader pointed to the lofty status of Mary (Maryam) in the Holy Quran and in Islam, noting that an entire Surah (chapter) of Islam’s Holy Book is named after Mary (SA).

He also noted that the name of Mary (SA) is mentioned in the Quran 34 times and her story is one of the most amazing stories in Islam’s Holy Book.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mar Paulus Benjamin said family, ethics and humanity are among fundamental issues both in Islam and Christianity as well as in other religions.

He said forums and meetings should be organized in which to highlighted common grounds and ignore differences among different faiths.

In that case, followers of divine faiths, wherever they are, will be linked to one another and no one can divide them, he stated.

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He also underlined the responsibility of religious and academic centers to find and highlight the common grounds between Islam and Christianity.

Mar Paulus Benjamin also pointed to the issue of Palestine, and said the Zionist regime, as an occupation entity, has no right to trample upon Palestinians’ rights and expand its illegal settlements.

He deplored the fact that the Israeli regime does not respect any international (UN Security Council) resolutions on Palestine and continues violating the sanctities of Palestinians, both Muslim and Christian.

Palestine has always existed in history and expelling Palestinians from their lands has been a crime, he added.

The Bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern United States of America went on to say that Israel must know that peace cannot be achieved by shedding the blood of innocent Palestinian people.

International organization and on top of them the UN must take practical steps regarding the issue of Palestine and restore the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people, he stressed.

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