Violence in the Holy Land - Church Statements

Moves by Israel to ethnically cleanse the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem of its Palestinian residents to make way for extremist Jewish Settlers has led to violence around the Al Aqsa mosque and in Gaza and Israel. You will have probably seen images on broadcast and printed media of the suppression of Palestinian demonstrations by armed Israeli police and of rocket fire and arial bombardment of civilian areas.

I wish to draw your attention to a number of church statements about this distressing situation in which people are being killed and injured.

A statement from the heads of churches in Jerusalem
https://www.lpj.org/archives/latin-patriarchate-reacts-to-recent-violence-in-jerusalem.html

A statement from the World Council of Churches
https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-calls-for-end-to-violence-urges-respect-of-status-quo-of-holy-sites-in-jerusalem

A statement from the Methodist Liaison office in Jerusalem
https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/news/latest-news/all-news/methodists-join-other-christians-in-appealing-for-peace-and-an-end-to-provocative-actions-in-jerusalem/

A statement from the British Quakers
https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-call-for-end-to-violence

I also attach a statement from the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator
https://www.ochaopt.org/content/statement-humanitarian-coordinator-lynn-hastings-escalation-violence-occupied-palestinian

John Parkin
Chairperson – Kairos Ireland
https://kairosireland.org