CNEWA’s office in Canada hosted a webinar on 16 October to discuss the conflict in the Middle East. Adriana Bara, national director of CNEWA in Canada, moderated the event, welcoming Michel Constantin in Beirut, director of CNEWA’s regional office for Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, and Joseph Hazboun in Jerusalem, director of CNEWA’s regional office for Palestine and Israel.
In response to Dr. Bara’s first question about how life has changed for Mr. Hazboun and his team, he recounted the bombing of the Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrios in Gaza on 19 October 2023. The shelling killed 21 Christians who were sheltering there, including the parents of Sami Tarazi, a project assistant for CNEWA-Pontifical Mission in Gaza. The Orthodox church and the Latin parish of the Holy Family continue to host the displaced, he said, noting that they lack medicine, electricity and other necessities.
However, the enduring presence of Gaza’s Christians gives him hope.
“The fact that they have survived so far and remain steadfast in Gaza really is a sign of encouragement and hope for all of us,” said Mr. Hazboun. “Christianity in Gaza started very early during the Christian times, and they believe that this is their home and their church, and they have a mission to remain steadfast there.”
Mr. Constantin said the war, which has spilled into Lebanon, has displaced 1.4 million people.
“They are completely besieged,” he said of the 5,000 Christian families still living in the south along the border with Israel. “They cannot go out of their village.”
Mr. Constantin said he has seen many wars, “and every time I say, ‘This war is the most brutal and the most violent,’ but the next war is [even] more brutal.
“This war has been the worst in terms of brutality,” he said of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon has been suffering since 2019, when its economy collapsed, a crisis which was exacerbated by the Beirut port blast in August 2020. Mr. Constantin said the war is “an additional layer” to the suffering in Lebanon.
“We have seen people killed not only in their homes in the south, but in their shelters, in safer areas,” he said.
He is especially concerned for the displaced who will soon need winter clothing and fuel to keep warm.
Watch the webinar to hear more from Mr. Hazboun and Mr. Constantin.