An American nun's statements have sparked widespread controversy after she spoke about her experience in the Palestinian territories, explaining that Christians there suffer from conditions similar to those faced by Muslims under Israeli occupation.
Mother Agapia Stefanopoulos, who has lived in Bethany since 1996, confirmed in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that Hamas is considered a 'resistance movement defending its people and land.'
She pointed out that Israeli policies make life for Palestinians, whether Christian or Muslim, 'extremely difficult' due to restrictions on movement, land confiscation, and settlement construction.
She added that the number of Palestinian Christians has significantly declined since the Nakba in 1948 due to oppression and displacement, emphasizing that the issue is national, not religious.
The nun criticized the blind support from some Christian Zionists in the United States for the occupying state, noting that they ignore the suffering of Palestinian Christians and justify settlement and land confiscation.
She also mentioned that churches and Christian institutions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been subjected to bombing and destruction, considering this part of a systematic targeting of Palestinians.
She clarified that Palestinian Christians live in natural solidarity with Muslims, pointing out that the majority of students in Christian schools in Bethlehem and Jerusalem are Muslims.
The interview, which surpassed 12 million views, highlighted the conditions of Palestinian Christians and Muslims under occupation, and what they face from settler violence and Israeli restrictions.
The issue is not religious but national, as Christians face the same discrimination due to their Palestinian identity.
شارك برأيك
American nun: Hamas is a resistance movement and Christians suffer because of the occupation.