The Reverend Fr Manuel Musallam | |
|---|---|
منويل مسلم | |
| Born | 16 April 1938 |
| Alma mater | Seminary of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Beit Jala |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
Congregations served | Holy Family Church, Gaza (1995–2009) |
Manuel Musallam (Arabic: منويل مسلم; born 16 April 1938)[1] is a Palestinian Catholic priest. His pastoral work has taken him to Jordan, the West Bank, and to Gaza. He is a Palestinian activist, strongly opposed to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, and the Judaization of Jerusalem.[2] He has opened the doors of Christian schools to Muslim families, worked to achieve an understanding between Fatah and Hamas and has been instrumental in brokering solutions to both infra-Muslim and Muslim-Christian tensions. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, appointed him head of the Department for the Christians of the Palestinian Foreign Office.[2] He is an orator of distinction, and a founder of Palestinian Folklore Groups, for which he was awarded a gold medal.[1] Father Musallem retired to Birzeit, aged 71, on health grounds, in May 2009.[3][1]