Bishop Rachel has joined with the bishops of Norwich, Southwark and Chelmsford in writing an open letter to The Guardian over settler violence against Palestinian communities, particularly in Taybeh, the last remaining Christian-majority town in the West Bank.
“As the war in Gaza persists, the situation in the West Bank is in freefall with increasing levels of settler violence and intimidation against Palestinians.
“Last week, the Heads of Churches in Taybeh, the last remaining Christian majority town in the West Bank, spoke out against the series of systematic attacks by settlers on the town’s land and holy sites, including St George’s, its fifth century church.
“These attacks threaten not just the town’s security and livelihood, but undermine the dignity of its Christian residents and threaten their historical and religious heritage. Residents fear expulsion from their land and homes.
“This is not an isolated incident, but part of a wider strategy of control and coercion rendering life unviable for Palestinians across the Occupied Territory. Successive Israeli governments have used settler violence as an informal tool to annex Palestinian land.
“The current Israeli government appear to support these violent settler acts through the military and police not intervening. As a rule, the military prefers to remove Palestinians from their land rather than confront settlers.
“Complaints are difficult to file. Few investigations are opened. Where inditements are made, it is for minor offences. Where convictions occur, the penalties are token.
“This culture of impunity rewards settler violence. There is no plausible deniability here – settlers aren’t defying the State; they are doing its bidding. Settler violence is State violence by any other name.
“This situation must not continue. The UK government must stop its indecision and publish its legal response to last July’s International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion that found Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to be unlawful.
“It must intensify use of sanctions against individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian in the Occupied Territory. But it also needs to hold the Israeli Government accountable by signalling its willingness to suspend the UK-Israel trade agreement.
“We are under no illusion as to the challenges facing the British Government as it responds to what is a grave situation, but it has a legal and moral duty to ensure that Britain is taking all necessary steps to address this settler violence which threatens not just the peace of the region but the continued presence of Christians in this Holy Land.”
The Rt Revd Guli Francis-Dehqani
The Bishop of Chelmsford
The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek
The Bishop of Gloucester
The Rt Revd Graham Usher
The Bishop of Norwich
The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun
The Bishop of Southwark
Harriet Sherman reports for the Guardian – Bishops call on UK government to take action over West Bank settler violence.
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Thank you Bishop Rachel and the other three Bishops for calling settler violence in the West Bank, in effect violence by the Israeli State; and for reminding out government that it has a legal and moral duty to act.
Best wishes on the tenth anniversary of your leadership amongst us. I will never forget the informal welcome you received in the context of Evensong in the Cathedral.
Thank you for this letter. It takes courage to write as you have in the face of so many who cry ‘Anti-Semite!’ at those who do so. In Cheltenham this week, we have a trio from the beleaguered Christian community of St Andrew’s, Ramallah, including Fr Fadi, living amongst us: they gave searing testimony in the church on Friday evening last. What a joy, we were told, to be driven from Luton Airport to Cheltenham without passing through a single checkpoint! We carry them and all those West Bank residents they represent and live amongst in our prayers.