His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday said he was proud of the values of love, compassion and brotherhood that bring Jordanians from different religions and groups together.

During a meeting with representatives of Christian sects at Husn College in Irbid, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein, King Abdullah wished Christians a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

“We are honoured to stand here before Your Majesty, and convey our blessings to you,” Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem said at the meeting.

He commended the King’s efforts in promoting love, peace and understanding.

“You are working diligently to maintain what is true, which is what your ancestors sought before you, the descendants of the holy prophet,” the patriarch added.

“We are proud that Your Majesty is guarding the Christian and Muslim sites in this country, which the entire world considers an international model for interfaith dialogue,” he said.

Fouad Twal, the Latin patriarch of Jordan and Jerusalem, said that “together we will work to build Jordan and strengthen peace, stability and family values”.

“We want to present to the world a model of coexistence between the different religions,” Twal added.

He also stressed on the importance of “maintaining national unity”, praising the King’s reform efforts.

Former minister of labour, Bassem Salem said the Christian communities in Palestine and Jordan appreciate His Majesty’s efforts to preserve Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem.

“We are allowed to rejoice today, in our celebration of Christmas, when we see the values of love and tolerance embodied by a rooted culture in the Jordanian society.”

One of Husn’s community leaders, Eid Ayoub, noted that Muslims and Christians have “lived here for thousands of years since it was a small village.”

Ayoub spoke of some of Husn’s requirements, including the need to develop schools and renovate secondary school buildings.

He also said that Husn residents did not appreciate being merged with the Irbid Municipality, and wish to remain an independent municipality.
 
Ayoub said Husn residents also needed a public library, rehabilitation of the water grid and expansion of the local medical centre into a comprehensive healthcare centre.

Royal Court Chief Riyadh Abu Karaki, Director of His Majesty’s Office Imad Fakhoury, His Majesty’s Adviser for Tribal Affairs Sharif Fawaz Zaben, Chief Islamic Justice Ahmad Hilayel, Royal Court Secretary General Yousef Issawi and Irbid Governor Khaled Abu Zeid also attended the meeting.