Middle Eastern Christians

Hopefully, Pope Francis’ trip to visit the Christians in Iraq will not only lift their spirits but also inspire change so that they can stay and prosper in their ancient homeland, which would benefit all of Iraq.

As the United States continues its political transition, many in the human rights advocacy community anxiously await tangible signs, beyond rhetoric, that the cause of international religious freedom will remain a policy priority for the Biden administration.

The manger scene these days really is the face of Christmas for most people and, perhaps not surprisingly, it is one of the aspects of the season that keeps causing trouble.

President-elect Joe Biden must construct a foreign policy agenda that prioritizes confronting Turkey, on its belligerent international conduct, and stabilizing the spiraling economic, political, and security situation in Lebanon.

Joe Biden is eager to roll back Trump-era policies, but he’d be wise to continue championing the Arab-Israeli peace movement that swept the region in 2020. If he plays his cards right, he could add new Arab states to the list and maybe even get Palestinians to the party as well.

Syriac support for Armenia is no recent phenomenon, as they are both enduring symbols of Christianity’s native presence in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Turkey targets both groups today.

Extremists are slowly extinguishing of some of the world’s oldest Christian communities, while the world remains largely silent.

The story of Kurdish Christians and all other religious minorities in the Middle East is one of great suffering, but it is also a story of survival and great resilience. Fortunately, there is time to save northeast Syria as a refuge for these communities, but only if the international community offers immediate support.

It would truly horrific if once again another historic Eastern Christian people were to be ethnically cleansed and obliterated from their homeland as the world did nothing.