Archbishop ʿAṭallah Ḥannā emphasized that love is the foundation of building nations, while racism, takfīrī ideology, and religious fanaticism bring only destruction and division. His remarks came as part of his strong condemnation of the terrorist attack that targeted the Church of Mār Eliās in Damascus, which he described as a tragic and alarming sign of a deeper phenomenon of hatred that is striking Arab societies, one that must not be ignored or tolerated.