Beirut - The head of Lebanon's Christian Phalange Party Amin Gemayel warned Friday against "racial cleansing" targeting Christians in Iraq since the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2005.

Thousands of Iraqi Christians have been reported leaving their homes, particularly in the northern city of Mosul, following attacks.

Gemayel was quoted by local media as saying a caMpaign targeting Iraqi Christians was "part of a campaign to displace them, similar to the displacing of Palestinians" by Israel.

Iraq's Christians, he said, had provided the "first example of Christian-Muslim coexistence."

"What sparks suspicion is that the campaign of racial cleansing targeting Iraqi Christians is under way as the security situation in Iraq is achieving progress."

"It is regrettable that this campaign is under way while the new Iraqi regime and the American forces are watching," he added.

Gemayel urged Lebanese spiritual leaders to form a joint delegation representing all sects to "travel to Iraq on a fact- finding mission" to assess the Iraqi Christian community's status.

It was "Lebanon's role to protect any oppressed minority," Gemayel stressed. (dpa)