The Archbishop of York, together with the Bishops of Southwark, Gloucester, Chelmsford and Norwich, respond to the Prime Minister’s announcement on the possibility of recognising a Palestinian state.
As we continue to pray for everyone caught up in the devastating violence and suffering in Palestine and Israel, we welcome His Majesty’s Government’s statement yesterday calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, pledging to work with international partners on a long-term settlement, and the additional steps being taken to help get aid into Gaza.
We call upon the Israeli Government to commit to an immediate ceasefire and to desist from actions that are leading to starvation in Gaza as well as from policies leading to the progressive annexation of the West Bank.
We condemn unequivocally the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023. The hostages should be immediately and safely released without conditions attached to their freedom.
We continue to call for an immediate end to this war and for negotiations leading to lasting justice, security and peace.
But the fact remains: a deliberate famine is being inflicted on the people of Gaza.
Air drops of aid are dangerous and entirely inadequate substitutes for what is needed: the unimpeded delivery of aid through the UN and other established humanitarian organisations.
His Majesty’s Government has a legal and moral obligation to use every possible political, economic and diplomatic means at its disposable to end this abomination. This approach is clearly still not being taken – and so the urgent question remains: what more will it take?
Meanwhile the prospect of the United Kingdom recognising Palestinian statehood is welcome, overdue, and cannot come soon enough. As settlement expansion continues in the West Bank, the UK must recognise Palestine while there is still land on which a state could be recognised.
The UK has a particular historical and moral duty to recognise the State of Palestine, and it is therefore disappointing that this recognition has been made conditional. The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is not a bargaining chip, and there can be no conditions placed on it.
We urge the Government to move ahead with recognition of Palestine regardless of the facts on the ground.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we continue in prayer each day for our Palestinian Anglican sisters and brothers and for all the Christian communities, as well as for all Palestinians, Israelis and peoples of the region.
May God bring an end to these terrible injustices and guide our feet into the way of peace.
- The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell
- The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun (House of Lords Lead Bishop for the Middle East)
- The Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek
- The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani
- The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher
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Hamas is NOT a terrorist group. Palestine has a right in law to use force against an invading aggressor that is inflicting gross violence with the object of exterminating its indigenous population. (Compare French resistance fighters in WW2)
Dear Bishop Rachel, I am so grateful for all you are doing and saying on behalf of all the people who are suffering in Israel and Gaza because of the present situation there. May God bless, strengthen and comfort you as you use your power and status to speak out on our behalf for peace with justice in the Middle East.
This sits uneasily when Ghazi Hamad, the Hamas spokesman in Qatar, has said that British recognition of Palestinian statehood would be “one of the fruits of October 7”. Time to keep one’s sword from the fire, I would say.
Dear Bishop Rachel
Thank you for your leadership and for saying what every decent person is thinking.
God bless you.
Judith
Thank you Bishop Rachel and the other four Bishops for calling for the unconditional release of hostages and a ceasefire together with the recognition of the State of Palestine.