Israeli police have reportedly opened an investigation into a top archbishop following accusations that he “honoured the sacrifice” of the slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Archbishop Atallah Hanna, who is a senior cleric in the Eastern Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, wrote a “letter of condolence” to the Lebanese terror group ahead of Nasrallah’s funeral over the weekend, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan.
In the note, he is reported to have written: “In just a few days, Lebanon will witness an extraordinary and historic event—the funeral of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his fellow martyrs.
“We, from Jerusalem, stand in reverence and honour for the sacrifices made by Sayyed Hassan [Nasrallah] and his companions, those who stood with Palestine, defended it, and paid a heavy price for it.
"All Palestinians are loyal to the sacrifices of Sayyed Hassan and his comrades.
"As we offer our condolences and send a message of sympathy from the heart of our sacred city, we affirm that we will never forget those who stood with Palestine and defended it in the darkest times and the most difficult circumstances.”
Hanna, officially the Archbishop of Sebastia (a village near Nablus), was born to Arab parents in Galilee and is just the second Palestinian to hold the role of Archbishop in the diocese of Jerusalem – often seen as Eastern Orthodoxy’s second most significant site after Constantinople.
Iranian state media, which acts as a propaganda arm for Tehran and its proxies like Hezbollah, described his letter as a “glowing tribute”.
Hanna has previously been outspoken about the Israel-Palestine conflict, most recently criticising the appointment of staunch Israel supporter Mike Huckabee as the US’ ambassador to Jerusalem.
In a statement on Facebook, the bishop called the decision “regrettable” accusing Huckabee of saying that “there is no such thing as Palestine or a Palestinian people, as though he has not read history”, according to a report in The New Arab.
He also suggested that as a Christian, Huckabee should “advocate a just solution” to the conflict, adding: “Palestine is mentioned in the Bible, and instead of these racists denying the existence of Palestinians, they should work towards resolving the Palestinian issue, which is the key to peace in our region and the world.”
The JC has contacted the Jerusalem Patriarchate for comment.
