Orthodox Christians for Palestine to Host ‘Not in Christ’s Name’ Summit

POTOMAC, MD — When the War in Gaza first started in 2023, a group of Orthodox Christians from various parishes in the Washington, D.C., area became concerned with the discourse and media coverage they were seeing surrounding the seemingly indiscriminate killing of Palestinians by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

“There is clearly an enormous travesty happening in the world,” Matt Hobbs said. “Why is nobody talking about it?”

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 73,066 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza war, with some studies showing that violent trauma-related deaths have been undercounted, pushing the death toll above six figures. A study by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights found that 70% of those killed in residential buildings or similar housing were women and children, and further studies state that roughly 83% of all casualties have been civilians.

In October of 2023, 18 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the compound of Gaza’s Church of St. Porphyrios. Recently, the Jerusalem Patriarchate mourned the deaths of an Orthodox mother and daughter in another Israeli airstrike.

With tragedies like this in mind, the group of parishioners decided to start Orthodox Christians for Palestine. Hobbs serves on the steering committee along with Dr. Anna Sophia Habib and Joseph Galiano, and Mother Agapia Stephanopoulos (who appeared on Tucker Carlson last year) is also a member. UOJ-America interviewed Galiano last year.

“It is of the utmost importance to raise awareness of the suffering of Palestinian Christians to gain support worldwide, and to dispel the narrative of Christian Zionism that falsely claims Israel protects minorities, while in turn, it commits atrocities,” Galiano said at the time.

Part of OCP’s work has been a monthly speaker series on Zoom titled, “Faith is Action: Conversations on Palestine.” Well-known figures like Fr. Turbo Qualls have offered talks on topics such as the danger of Christian Zionism and the situation of Christians on the ground in Gaza.

Next month, OCP will host its biggest event yet with the “Not in Christ’s Name” summit, held at Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Potomac, Maryland, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The event will bring together Orthodox clergy, academics, human rights advocates, and activists to discuss the situation facing Christians and other religious communities in the Holy Land, examine Christian Zionism from an Orthodox perspective, and explore ways to advocate for Palestinians.

The morning program, “Educate & Inform,” will feature three panels. Speakers will share firsthand accounts of life in the Holy Land, examine pressures on churches, monasteries, local Christian communities, and access to religious sites, and discuss the historical context of restrictions affecting Christians and Muslims. A third panel will consider how Christian Zionism has shaped American political and religious discourse and explore an Orthodox Christian response. Panelists will include Fr. Issa, parish priest of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and Priests Paul Abernathy and Michael Azar.

Following a lunch and keynote address by John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer and whistleblower, the afternoon program, “Mobilize,” will focus on practical advocacy and community action. Three panels will cover how to engage congressional offices, mobilize younger generations, and organize within local communities and parishes. Participants will hear from policy advocates, human rights organizers, athletes, and other activists, with an emphasis on identifying concrete steps for action, including preparation for a congressional Hill Day on the following Monday.

The summit will conclude with closing remarks, followed by Vespers and Byzantine chanting at 5:30 p.m. The program is designed to move participants from learning about conditions in the Holy Land toward practical advocacy and engagement within their communities.

To get a more detailed picture of what Christians in the Holy Land are facing, UOJ-America reached out to Fr. David Khoury and Abp. Theodosios of Sebastia of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

Fr. David serves as parish priest at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Taybeh, the last remaining Christian village in the West Bank. UOJ-America has reported on the violence carried out by Israeli settlers in the region. Notable incidents include:

• Fires set in agricultural areas in June of this year
• Attacks in December of last year
• An American citizen beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank
• Fire set near Taybeh’s cemetery and the historic Church of St. George

“In the town of Taybeh, there is an ancient church whose ruins remain to this day,” Abp. Theodosios said. “Near this ancient church are Christian cemeteries, where Christians who have reposed are buried, awaiting the Resurrection and eternal life. The ancient church, known as the Church of St. George (Mar al-Khader), is a very important historical and public landmark for the people of Taybeh and Palestinian Christians. The area surrounding this church has been subjected to attacks by extremist settlers, who have entered areas of Taybeh and carried out assaults.”

With a flock of roughly 450 people in the village that once held thousands but has dwindled to around 1,200, Fr. David has been forced to navigate the protection of the historic church he oversees and those who belong to it.

“The settlers are assaulting, vandalizing, terrorizing, and terrifying our Christian people in Taybeh to force them to leave their land,” Fr. David said. He also said the Israeli government is helping the settlers by locking the gates at the entrance of each village, hindering the people’s movements.

“We pray to God to give us freedom, to get rid of the Israeli occupation,” he told UOJ-America.

Abp. Theodosios explained that the three prominent Christian groups in Taybeh are Orthodox, Latin, and Greek Catholic. Faced with persecution, the groups maintain good relations and cooperate where appropriate – especially when their flocks are facing the same issues threatening their very livelihood.

“Every year, during the olive harvest season, the people of Taybeh have difficulty reaching their trees and harvesting their olives because of the presence of extremist settlers who attack them,” His Eminence said.

This happens not only in Taybeh, the Archbishop added, but priests, monks, and nuns are also assaulted in Jerusalem while Christian religious symbols are desecrated.

“Of course, we recognize that there are Jews who reject these actions and condemn them, saying ‘no’ to such attacks,” Abp. Theodosios said. “Unfortunately, however, there is racism and hatred directed against Palestinians in general and Christians in particular.”

The hope, His Eminence said, is for the trend of people being forced to leave Taybeh to end. In difficult living conditions, they rely on support from Orthodox faithful around the world, including in America.

“I say to the Christian churches in America: We call upon you and urge you to raise your voices loudly in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and the just Palestinian cause,” Abp. Theodosios said. “We all want peace, and we all pray for peace. But for peace to be achieved, there must be justice. Work must be done toward a just resolution of the Palestinian question, one that safeguards human dignity and freedom.”

Fr. David concluded:

“We tell the international community to focus on Palestine, particularly in Gaza, where they are killing infants, children, pregnant women, and elderly people. All eyes of honorable people should be opened towards our Christian village of Taybeh – the only village of pure Christians left in Palestine.

“People of America need to look outside of themselves to see how much and how long Palestinian people are struggling, starving, and suffering from Israeli occupation of our territories and land. Unfortunately, most people around the world are on the side of Israel, ignoring the issue of human rights. We deeply believe in God for justification.”

To learn more about Orthodox Christians for Palestine, visit here. To register for the summit happening next month, visit here or use the QR code below.