Statement of Condemnation and Denunciation Regarding the terrorist attack on Hammoud Church in Karak – Jordan And the terrorist attack in Hebron – West Bank
Elias Bejjani/October 23/2026
بيان إدانة واستنكار بشأن الهجوم الإرهابي على كنيسة الحمود في الكرك – الأردن والاعتداء الإرهابي في الخليل – الضفة الغربية
الياس بجاني/23 تشرين الأول/2026
بتاريخ الجمعة 23 تشرين الأول 2026، وقعت جريمتان إرهابيتان جبانتان تستوجبان أشد عبارات الإدانة والاستنكار والاشمئزاز:
أولاً: المجزرة في كنيسة الحمود للروم الأرثوذكس في محافظة الكرك – جنوب الأردن.
إن إقدام مجموعة مسلحة من الإرهابيين على اقتحام بيت من بيوت الله بمركبة، وإطلاق النار بشكل عشوائي ومتواصل لخمس دقائق داخل كنيسة الحمود وأمام مدخلها، أثناء تشييع جنازة وبحضور ما بين 150 و 200 شخص، مما أسفر عن سقوط ما لا يقل عن 7 شهداء و 34 جريحاً، غالبيتهم من كبار السن بين 50 و 70 عاماً، هو عمل بربري، وحشي، جهادي، تكفيري، إجرامي، شيطاني، لا يمت للإنسانية ولا للدين ولا للأخلاق بأية صلة.
إن تحويل مراسم دفن إلى مجزرة دموية داخل مكان مقدس مخصص للصلاة والسلام والرحمة، يكشف الوجه الحقيقي البشع للإرهاب الجهادي، ويؤكد أن الإسلام السياسي الإرهابي بشقيه السني والشيعي، يشكل خطراً وجودياً ليس على المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية ونسيجها الوطني المسيحي-المسلم فحسب، بل على السلم والأمن الدوليين وعلى الحضارة الإنسانية في كل دول العالم. هذا العمل الدنيء والجبان يستهدف الوحدة الوطنية الأردنية، ويستهدف الوجود المسيحي الأصيل في المشرق، ويستهدف كل قيم التعايش والسلام.
ثانياً: العملية الإرهابية عند حاجز قرب الخليل
وفي السياق الإرهابي ذاته، تم تسجيل إدانة شديدة للعملية الإرهابية الغادرة التي وقعت صباح الجمعة عند حاجز مؤقت على مخرج مدينة الخليل، حيث أقدم مسلحان فلسطينيان مسلحان ببندقية هجومية ومسدس وكمية كبيرة من الذخيرة، على إطلاق النار على الحاجز، مما أدى إلى مقتل جنديين إسرائيليين وإصابة ثلاثة آخرين بجروح متفاوتة.
إن استهداف جنود أثناء تأديتهم لواجبهم الأمني، في حين كانت التحقيقات الأولية لجيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي تشير إلى تخطيط الإرهابيين لتنفيذ اعتداء أكبر ضد مدنيين على الطريق 35، هو عمل إرهابي جبان ومدان بكل المقاييس، خاصة بعد قيام حركة حماس الإرهابية بوصف العملية بـ “البطولية”.
الموقف المبدئي
إن الجريمتين، رغم اختلاف مكانهما، تنبعان من مستنقع واحد هو مستنقع الإرهاب الجهادي العالمي، وهذا يستدعي المواقف التالية:
ن الإسلام السياسي الإرهابي والجهادي، بشقيه السني المتمثل بحماس وداعش والقاعدة وبوكو حرام، والشيعي المتمثل بالنظام الإيراني وحزب الله والحوثيين وباقي الميليشيات، هو العدو الأول للحضارة الإنسانية. لا سلام ولا استقرار في الشرق الأوسط والعالم دون اجتثاث هذا الفكر الظلامي التكفيري من جذوره.
إن إسقاط النظام الإرهابي المجرم في طهران، باعتباره الرأس المدبر والممول والداعم المركزي للإرهاب العالمي، أصبح ضرورة دولية ملحة لحماية السلم العالمي.
إن القضاء الكامل والنهائي على المنظمات الإرهابية حماس وحزب الله وبوكو حرام وداعش وكل أذرع إيران، عسكرياً ومالياً وإيديولوجياً، هو مطلب إنساني وحضاري لا يحتمل أي تسوية أو مهادنة أو احتواء.
إن محاسبة وكشف وملاحقة الدول والأنظمة التي تمول وتسلح وتحتضن الإرهاب الجهادي، وفي طليعتها إيران وقطر وتركيا، وكل نظام يسعى لضرب الحضارة وقيمها عبر تصدير التطرف، هي مسؤولية المجتمع الدولي الحر.
الدم الطاهر الذي سُفك في كنيسة الحمود في الكرك، والدم الذي سُفك عند حاجز الخليل، يصرخ في وجه العالم: كفى صمتاً، وكفى تواطؤاً، وكفى تبريراً للإرهاب.
الرحمة للشهداء الأبرار، والشفاء العاجل للجرحى، والخزي والعار للقتلة الإرهابيين وداعميهم ومموليهم إلى أبد الآبدين.
**الكاتب ناشط لبناني اغترابي
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Phoenicia@hotmail.com
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Statement of Condemnation and Denunciation Regarding the terrorist attack on Hammoud Church in Karak – Jordan And the terrorist attack in Hebron – West Bank
Elias Bejjani/October 23/2026
Today October 23, 2026, two cowardly terrorist crimes were committed that warrant the strongest terms of condemnation, denunciation and revulsion:
First: The massacre at Hammoud Church of the Greek Orthodox in Karak Governorate – Southern Jordan
The fact that an armed group of terrorists stormed a house of God in a vehicle, and opened fire indiscriminately and continuously for five minutes inside Hammoud Church and at its entrance, during a funeral ceremony attended by between 150 and 200 people, resulting in at least 7 martyrs and 34 wounded, most of them elderly between 50 and 70 years of age, is a barbaric, savage, jihadi, takfiri, criminal, satanic act that has nothing to do with humanity, religion, or morality.
Turning a burial ceremony into a bloody massacre inside a sacred place dedicated to prayer, peace and mercy reveals the true ugly face of jihadi terrorism, and confirms that political, terrorist, jihadi Islam in both its Sunni and Shiite wings constitutes an existential danger not only to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its Christian-Muslim national fabric, but also to international peace and security and to human civilization in every country of the world.
This vile and cowardly act targets Jordanian national unity, targets the authentic Christian presence in the Mashreq, and targets all values of coexistence and peace.
Second: The terrorist operation at a checkpoint near Hebron
In the same terrorist context, severe condemnation is recorded for the treacherous terrorist operation that took place on Friday morning at a temporary checkpoint at the exit of the city of Hebron, where two armed Palestinian gunmen, armed with an assault rifle, a pistol and a large quantity of ammunition, opened fire on the checkpoint, leading to the killing of two Israeli soldiers and the wounding of three others with varying injuries.
Targeting soldiers while performing their security duty, while preliminary investigations by the Israel Defense Forces indicate that the terrorists were planning to carry out a larger attack against civilians on Route 35, is a cowardly terrorist act condemned by all standards, especially after the terrorist Hamas movement described the operation as “heroic”.
The Principled Position
Although different in location, both crimes stem from one swamp, the swamp of global jihadi terrorism, and this calls for the following positions:
Political, terrorist, jihadi Islam, in its Sunni wing represented by Hamas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, and its Shiite wing represented by the Iranian regime, Hezbollah, the Houthis and the rest of the militias, is the number one enemy of human civilization. There is no peace or stability in the Middle East and the world without uprooting this dark, takfiri ideology from its roots.
The downfall of the criminal terrorist regime in Tehran, as the mastermind, financier and central supporter of global terrorism, has become an urgent international necessity to protect world peace.
The complete and final elimination of the terrorist organizations Hamas, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, ISIS and all of Iran’s arms, militarily, financially and ideologically, is a human and civilizational demand that tolerates no settlement, appeasement or containment.
Holding accountable, exposing and pursuing the states and regimes that finance, arm and harbor jihadi terrorism, led by Iran, Qatar and Turkey, and every regime that seeks to strike civilization and its values by exporting extremism, is the responsibility of the free international community.
The pure blood that was shed in Hammoud Church in Karak, and the blood that was shed at the Hebron checkpoint, cries out to the world: Enough silence, enough complicity, enough justification of terrorism.
Mercy to the innocent martyrs, a speedy recovery to the wounded, and shame and disgrace to the murderous jihadi terrorists and their supporters and financiers forever.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
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Back Ground Of the two Terrorist attacks
Gunmen open fire at church in Jordan killing at least 7 people
Arab News/October 23, 2026
AMMAN: At least seven people were killed and 34 injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in southern Jordan on Friday. The attack took place at the busy Hammoud Church in Karak governorate and was carried out by “unknown assailants,” the government said.
Jordan’s director of public security Maj. Gen. Obeidallah Maaytah, told a news conference that 27 of the wounded were still being treated. Security forces deployed at the church and were pursuing the suspects, Al-Mamlaka TV said. A witness told the channel that a vehicle arrived carrying the gunmen, who fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing the scene. Between 150 and 200 people were inside and around the church at the time, the witness said, adding that most of the victims were aged between 50 and 70. Security camera footage captured the moment the gunmen attacked the entrance to the church. Two of the attackers appeared to be using handguns while another was carrying a rifle and had his head covered. Jordan’s King Abdullah II vowed that the attack would be met with “the harshest retaliation.”
The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity. All Jordanians, from north to south, are partners in land and fate, and nothing stands between them. Our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation
“Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity,” he said in a statement. “Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation.”
Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan chaired a meeting of Jordan’s security council in Karak to discuss the response to the attack, a government spokesman said.
Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said Jordan has been targeted by a “terrorist attack carried out by a group of extremists.”Karak is home to a significant Christian community in the Muslim-majority kingdom. Hammoud Church is Greek Orthodox – the largest Christian community in Jordan.
The church’s Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III condemned the attack as “vile and cowardly” and said it would only serve to strengthen the bond between Christians and Muslims.
“Despite the immense pain felt throughout all of Jordan, and by all honorable people across the world, this abhorrent, bloody act will not undermine our national unity,” he said.
The US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz described the shooting as a “depraved and brutal attack on a house of worship.”*With AFP and Reuters
2 soldiers killed in West Bank shooting; IDF believes Palestinian gunmen planned larger attack
Emanuel Fabian/The Times Of Israel/October 23/2026
3 injured; shooters, both 27-year-olds from nearby Hebron, killed by troops after 20-minute gunfight; IDF orders preparation for full West Bank lockdown; PM calls for destroying shooters’ entire neighborhood
The slain soldiers were named as Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon. They both served in the 775th “Ari” Battalion of the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade. Roytman was a squad commander.
After conducting a preliminary probe, the Israel Defense Forces said it believed the gunmen were planning to carry out a larger attack against Israeli civilians on Route 35, but realized they would not be able to reach the highway and decided to open fire at the temporary checkpoint instead.
It was also not clear if they were working alone or with a larger network. The Hamas terror group — which has a strong presence in Hebron — called the shooting “heroic,” but did not claim responsibility for it. The two attackers arrived by car at around 7:30 a.m. at a temporary checkpoint set up by the army at the exit to Hebron. The soldiers stationed there, from the Home Front Command’s 775th “Ari” Search and Rescue Battalion, were conducting routine checks on Palestinian cars leaving the city. The two Palestinians exited their car on a side street, armed with an assault rifle and a pistol. Using the buildings as cover, they opened fire on the checkpoint, according to the preliminary probe. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated two of the wounded in critical condition at the scene. They were later declared dead, and the military announced they were soldiers. Three others were described as lightly to moderately wounded and were taken to hospitals in Jerusalem.
One surveillance video showed the gunmen exiting their car, firing at the checkpoint, before retreating. Later, the gunmen were seen climbing over a fence in the area.
“Take cover, come to the ambulance, it’s bulletproof,” a medic could be heard calling out in one clip, as gunshots rang out. “We haven’t yet managed to extract the wounded; there’s been active shooting for more than 20 minutes,” he could be heard saying in another video.
The deputy commander of the Ari Battalion, a company commander, and an officer of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 101st Battalion who was stationed nearby rushed to the scene, flanked the two gunmen on the side street, and killed them. The IDF and Shin Bet were investigating whether the two gunmen acted alone or were part of a larger terror network and received funding and direction from a terror group, the army said. Following the shooting, the IDF said it launched a raid in the Hebron area. Troops were operating at the homes of the two gunmen, the military said, amid plans to demolish them. Hebron and other Palestinian villages and towns in the area were under full closure, according to the military. “This was a serious attack. The troops’ swift action prevented an even more serious attack and further harm to civilians and security forces,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said during an assessment with officers on the shooting.
Zamir noted that “a large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle in which the terrorists arrived at the scene of the attack, which was intended to be used to carry out a larger-scale attack.”
He ordered that preparations be made for additional forces to be deployed to the Central Command if required.
PM orders army to prepare for full West Bank lockdown
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a situation assessment with security chiefs and ordered preparations for a full lockdown across the West Bank, he said on X. The premier said he was joined by Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Shin Bet head David Zini, National Security Adviser Shmuel Ben Ezra, and IDF Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. “Our forces are operating with increased intensity to thwart terrorism and are carrying out extensive waves of arrests,” said Netanyahu. “We will pursue Hamas terrorists and those who send them, everywhere and at all times. You have no safe haven.” The West Bank and Gaza were already expected to be under lockdown on Monday and Tuesday, as a security measure amid the national elections.
Later Friday, Netanyahu visited the site of the shooting attack where he intensified his characterization of Israel’s planned response. He said Israel would “destroy” the entire Hebron neighborhood from which the gunmen hailed. “First of all, we will act to destroy this place, to change it completely,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office. “But we are going to do something that has not been done until now: We will implement the successful and aggressive model we used in the refugee camps, which are essentially terrorist strongholds.”Across the West Bank, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the IDF has cleared tens of thousands of residents from refugee camps where terrorist groups have been operating, leaving them homeless. “We will evacuate the residents, we will go house to house, we will remove the weapons there as well, and all the terrorist infrastructure will be dealt with and destroyed,” Netanyahu said.Israel will also clear homes built without permits along roads in the West Bank, says Netanyahu, citing “a threat to our forces.”
Netanyahu says that the IDF has plans to carry out a major operation in the West Bank, the largest since Israel captured the territory in 1967: “The IDF is prepared to carry it out, and we will determine the timing, but it is on the way.”
Critics have long accused Israel of engaging in collective punishment against Palestinians in response to terror attacks. The Hebron governorate is already under dire economic straits, as the IDF has closed five of the seven entrances to the region where over 1 million Palestinians live, in what has ground life to a halt for the West Bank’s main economic hub.
Ben Gvir, Smotrich call for PA to be ‘dismantled’
In the wake of the attack, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled. The Ramallah-based PA governs the major Palestinian cities in the West Bank, including most of Hebron. “We have to act before it’s too late. The Palestinian Authority must be dismantled and demilitarized, and its terror infrastructure wiped out completely,” said Ben Gvir, who leads the far-right Otzma Yehudit party.
There was no indication of any PA involvement in the incident.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, separately wrote: “There’s no avoiding a large-scale military operation in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, gather weapons and eliminate terrorists.”
While hailing the current government for expanding settlements in the territory, he wrote that “this work won’t be complete without a change to Israel’s security paradigm and the defeat of terrorists through an expansive military campaign.”
A short while later, Smotrich announced that he’d “given an instruction to destroy, immediately, a large swath of illegal Arab structures in the proximity of the scene of the attack.”
“The order will go into effect in the coming hours, and will be carried out over the course of the afternoon,” said Smotrich, chair of the far-right Religious Zionism party.
Avigdor Liberman, of the hawkish, opposition-aligned Yisrael Beytenu party, posted on X: “How many more attacks do we need to absorb before we understand this policy of containment can’t continue? You eliminate terror, you don’t contain it!”
Centrist party leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennet and Yair Lapid all posted statements wishing for the recovery of those wounded and praising the IDF forces that ended the attack.
Leon Kraiem contributed to this report.
