Haris Doukas hosts Bethlehem Mayor Kanavati in Athens
Athens Mayor Haris Dukas welcomed the Mayor of Bethlehem, Kanavati, in the Greek capital. The meeting included Palestine’s Ambassador to Athens, Yusuf Dorkhom, and Eleni Kakalo from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). A joint press conference was held at the Athens City Hall.
During the press conference, Kanavati highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, particularly the impact on children: “No water, no electricity, no medicine, no hospitals. In Gaza, if something happens to you, there’s nothing you can do.”
While Bethlehem has not experienced a disaster on the scale of Gaza, Kanavati noted serious local challenges, saying, “I do not want to speak of our losses in Bethlehem because the most significant losses are in Gaza. Innocent people are dying, civilians are targeted. Churches and mosques are attacked. Everything moving in Gaza is a target. The same is true in the West Bank.”
Kanavati condemned the attacks on Palestinians, emphasizing that “nothing happening here is humanitarian.” He called on the international community, especially those maintaining good relations with both sides, to find a realistic and fair solution to end the war, save children from starvation, and preserve humanity.
He stressed that no amount of humanitarian aid can fully meet the needs, stating: “Everything is lacking. All resources, medicines, doctors, operating rooms… The more aid we get, the better. But beyond that, what we must do is end this war through our governments. We want more aid, but more importantly, an end must come to this madness, this genocide, this wound inflicted on humanity, and what is being done to the children of Gaza.”
Children Burned in Their Homes, Broadcast Live
Ambassador Dorkhom criticized Israel’s attacks, saying, “What kind of injustice is this? Why is the world allowing it? Gaza has become a ruin where tents are burned and bombed. Children are being burned in their homes. We are watching this live on television. Ambulances are blocked from reaching the injured; we see the bodies of children eaten by animals.”
He described the collapse of essential services, including education and healthcare, noting: “We have over 70,000 casualties. There is nowhere to flee. No safe shelter. The United Nations cannot provide protection. No food is entering Gaza. Humanitarian aid is blocked. Air-dropping aid is costly, and when containers fall on people, they can die.”
Dorkhom called for the international recognition of the State of Palestine: “All leaders speak of a two-state solution. They all recognize the State of Israel, but they do not recognize the State of Palestine.” He emphasized that international law and sanctions against Israeli aggression can only be applied if Palestine, with its 1967 borders, is recognized.
Mayor Dukas recalled that the Athens City Council called for a ceasefire in Gaza in May and urged recognition of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders.
Hunger as a Form of Violence
Eleni Kakalo of Médecins Sans Frontières highlighted the humanitarian crisis, noting that children have had limbs amputated without anesthesia, and patients have died due to lack of antibiotics. She emphasized the long-term effects of hunger, stating: “Hunger does not just mean losing a few kilos. It is the greatest violence that can be inflicted on a human being.”
