18 November 2025: Archbishop of York calls for peace & justice in Palestine & Israel
Reflecting on his recent visit to the Holy Land, The Most Reverend & Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, delivered a speech to a gathering of ecumenical Church leaders and Christian agencies. Commending Archbishop Stephen’s speech, The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, called for people to hold onto hope for the region, being willing to challenge unjust structures fearlessly.
Archbishop Stephen’s full speech can be read below – or online here.
Sisters and brothers, it is a great honour and a privilege to be with you and to share these thoughts this morning from a visit that was both horrifying, harrowing but actually deeply beautiful as well. When Hamas attacked Israel, killing people and taking hostages, the whole world was outraged. This was a barbaric and hideous attack on innocent life.
Those of us who for many years have had huge sympathy and support for the plight of Palestinians and the terrible privations and injustices they have experienced cannot and will not condone such barbarism and our hearts go out to those who suffered. We acknowledge the fear and trauma this brings to Jewish people in Israel and across the world and we deplore the rise in antisemitism that has followed from it.
We also know that one horror cannot be undone by another. What is happening to Palestinians, Muslim and Christian, in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem is also barbaric and horrific and completely unacceptable by any humane reading of what has happened. Too much innocent blood has been spilled, and for no apparent purpose except growing fear, growing isolation, and mounting tension and despair.
Although I am sure all of us are relieved that there is some sort of ceasefire in Gaza, it is still a very long way from the peace that is needed, one that can only be made when there is justice for all people in Israel and Palestine. Jeremiah rightly warns that we should be wary of saying ‘Peace, peace, when there is no peace’ (see Jeremiah 6. 14).
As so many of you will know, better than me, from your own work in supporting the people of Gaza, the situation there is beyond imagining. Nearly two million people have been forced from their homes, the majority of which have been damaged or destroyed. Huge parts of Gaza are a wasteland – annihilated by two years of relentless bombing and wanton destruction. The Anglican-run Hospital in Gaza has three intensive care beds – three – to serve a surrounding population of one million people. And still the State of Israel is imposing restrictions on food and other aid getting into Gaza: a breach of international law that has become shockingly normalised over the past two years. Gaza remains, as I have said before, a stain on the conscience of the world.
Last week, as a guest of my dear friend and brother Archbishop Hosam, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, I visited the Holy Land on a pilgrimage of prayer and solidarity with the Christian Church in Palestine and Israel and to see and experience for myself what is it like for people living in the West Bank. Other Bishops have done similar visits over the last 2 years – most notably the bishops of Chelmsford, Norwich, Southwark and Gloucester, and I’m grateful to them for their efforts. Much of what I will say today only builds on what they have said, and echoes their own conclusions.
After visiting Bethlehem, and accompanied by representatives of the YMCA who do amazing work with traumatised people in the area, we visited Palestinian Bedouin communities in the South Hebron Hills. I saw for myself the aggressive and intimidating impact of settler encroachment on Palestinian homes, and settler violence against Palestinian people, all done in violation of the law, both Israeli law and international law, and yet carried out with impunity.
I met a wonderfully gracious man whose brother was shot to death by an Israeli settler a few weeks ago. The killer – there is no doubt as to his identity, the murder was videoed, – was arrested and then shortly afterwards released without charge. In this village, now cut in two by settler encroachment -which has been declared illegal – but the local community cannot get that order enforced instead their own homes are subject to a demolition order. So, the reality is of large mobile settler homes parked literally right up against the boundary of Palestinian homes, surrounded by razor wire, policed by young men in balaclavas and military uniforms, holding what looked to me like automatic weapons – a local and unaccountable militia aggressively policing the land they have just stolen.
When we visited the other part of the village, we were told that the army had been called for and it was best we leave.
Returning to our van on a Saturday afternoon, an army armoured vehicle had arrived alongside the militia and soldiers with guns were waiting for us and blocking our path.
We moved on. It was for me, who hadn’t experienced anything like this before, a bit real. Deeply intimidating, very frightening. We moved on.
Driving a few miles further into the South Hebron Hills we were due to visit the home of one of the young women who works as a counsellor with the YMCA. Her parents, who themselves had recently been victims of settler violence, welcomed us into their home. As we sat down to eat, we got another message that the police, and what I can only call the local militia, had turned out again, perhaps following us, and again we must leave.
It was a painfully poignant moment. We were just about to sit down and eat with a family. The mother’s right arm was badly bruised, perhaps broken from the violence meted upon her in the dark of one night recently when settlers had come to intimidate and frighten her and her husband. She had made some beautiful bread and cakes for us with her left hand. But she was denied the simple kindness of breaking bread with us; and we were denied the gift of her hospitality.
We returned to our van.
The Police told us it wasn’t safe for us to be there, we should go. When we asked why, the Police Officer himself admitted that what made the area unsafe was not our visit but the violence settlers resorted to.
We moved on again.
As I said in my sermon in St. Andrew’s, Ramallah, the following day, it was as if just as Jesus sat down to break bread with Cleopas and his companion at Emmaus, the police had turned up and moved him on.
What we experienced that afternoon, frightening and intimidating though it was, however, is just a tiny, tiny example of what Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank are experiencing every day.
They are being forced out of their homes and off their land. All basic human dignity and freedoms are being stripped away. Their freedom of movement is becoming more and more constrained. There are checkpoints everywhere, and as settlers build their homes, so they build their fences and barricades around them, requiring those whose land they have taken to get their permission to travel through it. Indeed in recent months Palestinian villages have been enclosed with fences and gates put up that are used by the Israelis to control access. This is the reality of area C.
It is truly horrific. It is a deliberate and unacceptable denial of human dignity and human rights. It is happening today and it is accelerating.
On the Sunday evening, we met with two members of the organisation, two amazing people, Rabbis for Human Rights. They bear witness to the fact that, of course, both in Israel and around the world, Jewish people are as horrified as everyone else about this situation. They were also clear that change can only come if there is justice for everyone who lives in Palestine and Israel. They are of course right – this isn’t about taking sides but standing up for the human dignity of everyone and ensuring that everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity or gender can live in peace and security. And this must always be our aim.
While talking with them, we asked what language they would use to describe what is happening. They used very strong terms. First, they described the experience of all Palestinian people living in the occupied Palestinian territory as being like apartheid. Secondly, they said that what had happened in parts of Gaza through the most horrific violence, and what was happening in parts of the occupied West Bank, especially Area C through the forced displacement of Palestinian communities, was ethnic cleansing.
This is, indeed, strong language. It is not language to be used lightly. It is language that can easily be misunderstood or, worse, weaponised against Jewish people who are not to blame for this, especially Jewish communities here. But , like my fellow bishops who have travelled before me, having seen what is happening, and heard the testimony of Jewish, Christian and Muslim people. Sisters and brothers, I have no other words.
If you a Palestinian living in the West Bank, you are denied basic human rights and freedoms. You live in a deeply discriminatory political regime that intentionally and clearly prioritises the political, legal and social rights of Israeli settlers over Palestinians living in the same territory. You experience that humiliating, violent and systemic discrimination on the basis of your racial and national identity. What else can you call that but something like apartheid?
Just to be clear, I’m not saying that the West Bank is as South Africa once was. Apartheid South Africa was apartheid South Africa and the West Bank is the West Bank. The situations are different. What I am suggesting is, as Rabbis for Human Rights and many other Human Rights groups have concluded, that the situation I experienced in the West Bank meets the definition of apartheid as set out in the 1976 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of Crimes of Apartheid. I am not saying that Israel is an apartheid state, but I am saying that Israel’s system of occupation constitutes apartheid.
And if the impact and effect of settler encroachment and violence forces you from your home, and forces you from your land and wipes the memory of your presence from the land, and if the Israeli government places demolition orders on your home, and if the law does nothing to protect you and, worse, defends those who oppress you, then what else can we call that, but ethnic cleansing?
Again, let me be clear I don’t use this language lightly, but the International Criminal Court has clear and precise definitions of what constitutes ethnic cleansing which I think have been met both in parts of Gaza, especially the buffer zone, and parts of the West Bank, especially Area C.
And if, in Gaza, the violence meted out is indiscriminate and sustained; if restrictions on food and medical supplies are imposed for months on end; if snipers target children and starving people queuing for food; if the healthcare system is systematically brought to the brink of destruction;; and if homes, places of worship, museums and the whole fabric of a society is destroyed, then these are genocidal acts as defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention. And that was the conclusion of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry in September this year.
I know this language will be contested, but I think we do no one any favours by pretending it is something else. Let me be absolutely clear – we have a profound responsibility to combat antisemitism and discrimination against Jewish people so it is imperative that we all say – again and again – that it is the Israeli Government that is to blame and not Judaism or the Jewish people and this distinction is really important – these are political decisions, political matters and we have to choose different paths.
On Sunday afternoon, I met with a number of representatives from the Christian community in Ramallah. They all told the same story of humiliation, diminishment, trauma, and fear. At the Eucharist in the morning, I shared in the blessing of a newborn baby – Dina. These things are always very beautiful, it was very beautiful. What can be more beautiful but also more vulnerable, than a newborn child.
What hope is there for that child? What future for that little girl?
The women from this community gave me a letter, a cry from their heart that they would not be forgotten, that their voices would be heard and their plight would be known. They spoke with astonishing grace and dignity.
They do feel let down and forgotten by the rest of the world, and, as Palestinian Christians, by the churches of the world, that here in the land of the Holy One, those who follow him are being squeezed out of existence and forced from their homes. I promised those women I would tell their story and enable their voices to be heard. This is what they said…
“Since the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, we – Palestinian women – have lived under empire and oppression. Like the women of the New Testament, our ancestors endure Roman occupation, poverty, and marginalisation, yet remained steadfast in faith. For over two millennia, we have survived foreign rule and injustice, sustained by the words of Matthew 10.28 ‘Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.’ We know that, as before we shall endure and remained faithful despite death and destruction around us.
“We are reliving the stories of our grandmothers, rewriting our own through the Holy Spirit. Like the Saints who suffered before us, our pain sanctifies not only us, but also the world through divine revelation.”
The letter then goes on to list how these astonishing women are sanctified when they have to flee their homes like the Virgin Mary and the Holy Family fled to Egypt; when their husbands and sons are humiliated at checkpoints like the labourers in the scripture waiting for work; when they are denied medical treatment and have to wait like the paralysed man at the pool of Bethesda; and when they endure punishment just for being Palestinian, like the blind man of John 9 of whom Jesus said, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
And their letter continues –
“If the works of God are to be displayed through our suffering, we accept his will with faith. Yet we urge the Church to recognise its responsibility in enabling the injustice brought upon us… and we ask that you and the Church confront this truth – not symbolically, but through concrete repentance and action…. We faithful women of Palestine continue to pray and to give, like the widow who offered her last coin, trusting that if God is with us, who can be against us? Our endurance and faith are not only acts of survival but of witness – to teach the world what steadfast love looks like.”
And then they spoke directly to me –
“May your Grace carry our cry to the heart of the Church: that faith without justice is hollow, and prayer without courage is silence. Let our voices, joined in Spirit, echo the Gospel’s eternal truth – ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.’”
Which is what I am trying to do now.
Later that afternoon I met with Lulu and Sammy, whose daughter Layan – her story is quite well known in the west – is imprisoned without trial and without any real charge; her so-called crime, membership of an environmental group while she was at university, which has now been retrospectively branded a terrorist group. Against all the norms of international law, she is incarcerated away from her homeland, and no one is allowed to visit her.
What can and should we do about all of this? How do we respond to the heart cry of these courageous Christians sisters?
First, we must continue together to raise our voices in support of the Palestinian people and urge our government and the governments of the world, and especially, I think, the governments in Europe, to unite and to move beyond a ceasefire in Gaza to a proper plan for peace, giving self-determination and self-government to Palestine, something like a two state solution. This is not in Gaza a real estate opportunity, merely replacing one kind of subjugation with another; the people of Palestine must have their own land protected and then be enabled to flourish.
And this must be true for the people of Israel. A secure Israel is also vital for peace. A place where Jewish people can live safely, but honouring the borders and self-determination of others.
Therefore, as Christians here in the UK, we must strain every sinew to ensure that we work for peace and justice in this holy land. We should continue to press our Governments to use their power effectively and boldly. Sanctions on settlement-related enterprises, banning food from settlements, and including territorial clauses in trade agreement are all steps that can and should be taken.
Our own Government has taken some important steps in this direction over the last year as a result of our efforts but it must go further. And I accept that our pleas will have greater weight if Churches better aligned their own investment strategies with the calling to be peace builders. I look forward to the Church of England’s General Synod on the Diocese of Carlisle motion and for us to have the conversation we need about how to achieve this.
Jerusalem itself must be protected as a place of sanctuary, safety and flourishing for each of the three Abrahamic faiths; free to worship and free to live alongside each other, even daring to hope that peace and peaceful coexistence in Jerusalem might be a model not just for Israel and Palestine, but for the whole world. Could the leaders of the three Abrahamic faiths here in the UK make such a statement of intent
But there is a broader danger that spins out of the Israel/Palestine situation. As the bishops of Gloucester, Chelmsford, Southwark and Norwich noted in their joint response to the ceasefire deal, for too long the international community has been complicit in the neglect of international law and the protection of basic human rights in the region. If we tolerate this here then where will we tolerate it next? So, where international law has been broken and rights denied, those responsible must be held accountable, even after the war’s end.
And right now, where next for Palestinian people? Where next for the slow death of the Christian community in the Holy Land? The post-war consensus is under threat as never before and Israel Palestine throws this into sharp relief.
And if we allow the ideologies of hatred and separation, and the dehumanising of one set of people, then what will this do to our own humanity, and who might we choose to turn on, and who will turn on us? The tectonic plates are shifting, and there is a real danger that the values, standards and rights we have cherished will be eroded and overridden to our shame and detriment.
In each of the holy sites I visited, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and of course at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, I was received with joyful and gracious hospitality, by Orthodox and Roman Catholic sisters and brothers alike.
This is the spiritual and theological foundation upon which our vision for peace must be built: for as Christians, as we come closer to Christ, we also come closer to each other. We see the face of Christ in each other. Or if we find that too hard, see the face of others reflected in the eyes of Christ, who looks on each of us with the same steadfast, tender and compassionate gaze of love. For it is Jesus Christ himself who makes the hero of some of his most famous stories people of another faith: a good Samaritan, a Syro –Phoenician woman, a Roman centurion, and the one leper who comes back and says thank you is a Samaritan too. We must also, therefore, see and honour the image of God in our sisters and brothers of other faith communities.
It is this theological vision which is what our world needs and is the greatest bulwark against the erosion of human rights and human dignity, which is the image of God and the face of Christ in every human person. This is the Christian vision, and the recovery of that vision in our social and political discourse can enable us, as those great women in Ramallah asked us, to hunger and search for justice and build peace in the land of the Holy One – and in our own neighbourhoods as well, where we see an increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia and where we are less and less trusting of each other, and this threatens to tear us apart.
I know our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters will have themes in their own traditions that seek to bring us together, not in a way that dissolves our difference of belief, but that recognises we all need to flourish.
This is a big challenge. As the Bishop of Gloucester reflected following her visit last year, the collective trauma of centuries that has been visited upon the Jewish people, the trauma of all people who live in Israel-Palestine, holds a stupefying power and grip. This is an enormously painful and complex conflict there – no easy answers. But I know that what is happening today, what I saw and heard and what I experienced means that what the people of this region are enduring is not going to lead to peace. It is what my fellow bishops concluded following their own visits and I would urge you all, if possible, to visit and see for yourself the reality today. Things must change, and this will take moral clarity and moral courage from everyone. We need both a renewed call for prayer and a call for action, which may emerge from this important meeting today.
The peace of Jerusalem, peace in Israel and Palestine, must mean peace and justice for everyone – be they Christian, Muslim or Jewish. And we in the west, and in the church of this nation, we must be bold and clear in proclaiming God‘s judgement and God’s truth.
30 July 2025: Palestinian statehood – comment from Church of England bishops
The Church of England has released comment from the Archbishop of York, together with the Bishops of Southwark, Gloucester, Chelmsford and Norwich, in response to the Prime Minister’s announcement supporting the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Read the full statement here.
23 July 2025: Archbishop of York speaks out on Gaza
The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, has welcomed a statement by the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd & Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, about the ongoing situation in Gaza. Read the full statement here.
13 July 2025: Bishops call for action on West Bank settler violence
The Bishop of Southwark, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, has joined three other senior Church of England Bishops in calling on the UK Government to intensify sanctions and be willing to suspend the UK-Israel trade agreement in response to escalating settler violence in the West Bank.
In their letter, published in the Guardian on Sunday 13 July, the Bishops state that, in their acts of violence and intimidation against Palestinians, settlers are ‘doing the bidding’ of the the Israeli government:
“The current Israeli government appears 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 indictments 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.”
16 June 2025: Bishop Christopher's contribution to debate on Conflict in the Middle Easts in the House of Lords
“My Lords, I pray for wise judgment and a swift end to the current conflict between Israel and Iran. I pray for restraint and for the safety and well-being of Jewish people, here and around the world. I support the steps that have been made to protect British nationals and I am appalled by the attacks on civilians, wherever they occur.
“On the Statement made in the other place last Tuesday, we on this Bench are clear that the Israeli Government’s prosecution of their war in Gaza is now displacing Palestinians from their homes and destroying the infrastructure necessary to support life. It is a war that cannot be divorced from the accelerated annexation of land we are seeing in the West Bank. I welcome the recent steps the Government have taken to sanction racist and extremist elements in the Israeli Government. I urge them, however, to go further and recognise Palestinian statehood while a recognisable Palestinian structure remains, not to await a more conducive time that may never materialise. Will the Minister look again at the advice to businesses trading with illegal settlements, as well as the current labelling of settlement goods?”
Response from Lord Collins of Highbury:
“Our commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state, but at a time when it has the most impact in achieving that reality, and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. We are clear that that does not need to be at the end of the process. Certainly, UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the United Kingdom can take with regard to Palestinian statehood. It is important to get the timing right, so that it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture. We have noted President Macron’s comments and we are in constant dialogue with all partners on how we can best use the postponed conference to advance Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution.
“On the other elements of the right reverend Prelate’s question, the current guidance and processes are more than adequate in terms of identifying that.”
10 June 2025: Parliamentarians demand sanctions for war crimes against Palestinians
The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, has joined 95 other parliamentarians in writing to the Prime Minister to demand sanctions on Israel for war crimes against Palestinians and systematic violations of international law – including imposing targeted sanctions, a ban on trade with illegal settlements, and a suspension of the existing UK-Israel trade agreement.
The full text of the letter – including the list of signatories – is here and can also be downloaded here.
9 June 2025: Bishop Christopher's contribution to debate on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the House of Lords
“My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister and to His Majesty’s Government for the Statement on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. May I press the Minister on two things? The first is the attack by Israeli forces on the compound of the Anglican al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, killing five, including three journalists and a father escorting his son to the surgical unit for treatment for prior injuries. This is the latest in a number of attacks by the IDF on church hospitals and churches, in defiance of international law. Will the Minister accept that specific actions are now required, since reasoned pleas have been ignored?
“Secondly, in light of what the Minister has said about the UN conference from 17 to 20 June and the conducive time to recognise Palestine, will he confirm that a bold and clear statement will be made at that conference of the Government’s firm intention to recognise the state of Palestine?”
Response by Lord Collins of Highbury:
“I say to the right reverend Prelate that I have been clear about when we will recognise the state of Palestine, and that is when it is most conducive to that two-state solution. We will work with allies to ensure that we can create those conditions. The conference is part of that, but not the sole part. He is absolutely right to condemn the actions in Gaza and the Occupied Territories in terms of the use of violence; I think we can all be very concerned.
“It is frustrating if it appears that we are not doing anything. We are absolutely determined to work with our allies so that the Government of Israel fully understand our concerns. Of course, we voted on 4 June in favour of the UN Security Council resolution focused on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We highlighted that the Israeli Government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict aid are totally unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive. With our allies, we have called for an end to restrictions on aid. We believe that UN and other humanitarian partners must be allowed to operate, and we must be able to get back to a situation where we can get aid to where it is most needed.
“On 19 May, we released a joint statement with Canada and France calling for Israel to cease its renewed military offensive and lift restrictions, so we are using what mechanisms we can. We are also using specific actions bilaterally against the Government of Israel. The initial one was the restriction of arms sales; another concerned the trade agreement. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that we work with our allies to make sure that the Government of Israel know our deep concern about this situation.”
19 May 2025: Fast & pray for Gaza
Bishop Christopher has written to parishes in our diocese to urge them to fast and pray for those affected by the current conflict in Palestine and Israel. Find out more here.
14 April 2025: House of Bishops speaks out on Israel's attack on Al Ahli Hospital
On 13 April 2025, an Israeli air strike destroyed part of al Ahli Arab Hospital, the last fully functional hospital in Gaza City. Witnesses said the strike destroyed the intensive care and surgery departments of the hospital. One child, who had previously suffered a head injury, died as a result of “the rushed evacuation process”, according to a statement from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, part of the Anglican Church, which runs the hospital.
In response to the attack, the Church of England’s House of Bishops has issued this statement.
23 January 2025: Holy Land Coordination 2025 - Final Communiqué
The Bishop of Southwark, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun has recently returned from Jerusalem having participated in the 2025 Holy Land Coordination which coincided with the ceasefire coming into effect on Sunday. During his visit, Bishop Christopher had meetings with Archbishop Hosam Naoum and Dean Richard Sewell at Saint George’s.
Bishop Christopher is a signatory to the Communiqué and the Bishops’ Final Statement of the 2025 Holy Land Coordination (18-23 January 2025) can be read below.
‘A lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.’ 2 Peter 1:19
We came to the Holy Land, this Jubilee Year, as pilgrims of hope. We came in hope that a fragile ceasefire agreement, announced as we travelled here, would hold.
We came looking forward to those, in both Israel and Palestine, who have suffered the atrocities of violence and war, being able to rebuild their shattered lives, to mourn the loss of their loved ones, to come together again as families and to start on the long, uncertain road to recovery.
Joy at the return of Israeli hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners is marred by the knowledge that so many will not return: hostages, prisoners, countless dead. We note widespread concern at the fragility of the ceasefire; that it may bring respite but not the sustained and lasting peace for which the Holy Land cries out. An online meeting with the parish priest of Holy Family Parish in Gaza impressed upon us the devastation being experienced by the whole population.
The impact of war on the whole West Bank is rarely reported at home. We have been privileged to listen first-hand to several communities of Christians in the West Bank. To them we wish to say:
“Thank you for the most generous welcome you extended towards us; for helping us understand the extraordinary efforts being made in the fields of healthcare and education to preserve the dignity of all those living in the West Bank. Your communities are a light in the darkness of a suffering Land. We were moved to hear how often Christians expressed their commitment to stay and rebuild the
lives of their people.
“Thank you, as well, for sharing all the struggles you experience: the severe restriction on movement; the sudden road closures which add hours to short journeys and so inhibit normal daily life but most especially urgent medical assistance; the lack of water and electricity; the impossibility of constructing new buildings; the high level of unemployment after so many work permits were cancelled with the start of war. We recognised the need for the respective governments to work together to resolve these vital issues.
“We saw how settlements, illegal under international law, which were once enclaves have grown to surround you to make enclaves now of your communities. We hear your cry for peace with justice and your anxiety at what will happen when the focus turns away from Gaza; what will happen to your land. There is a clear need for the international community to act together to facilitate realistic and radical development assistance, as part of a process towards achieving a lasting peace.
“We came to tell you that you are not alone; that you are not forgotten. Your faith and resilience strengthen our own faith. We hope that our coming among you encourages you and will inspire Christians from our different countries to return to the Holy Land on pilgrimage. We hope that pilgrims will journey not only to the Holy Sites of Jerusalem, Galilee and Bethlehem, but that they will also come to visit communities like Aboud, Ephraim-Taybeh, and Ramallah so they too can draw inspiration from your faithfulness to the Land in which Jesus was born.” We join with Patriarch Pizzaballa and the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land in their hope that the ceasefire amounts to more than a pause in hostilities and marks the start of a genuine and lasting peace. We share their conviction that this can only be achieved “through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle; (that it will require) a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other’s suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool.1”
Right Revd Nicholas Hudson
Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster
England and Wales
Moderator of the Holy Land Coordination
Most Revd Udo Bentz
Archbishop of Paderborn
Germany
Right Revd Pierre Burcher
Bishop Emeritus of Reykjavik
Nordic Bishops’ Conference
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden
Right Revd Christopher Chessun
Anglican Bishop of Southwark
Church of England
Right Revd James Curry
Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster
England and Wales
Most Revd William Nolan
Archbishop of Glasgow
Scotland
Most Revd Joan Enric Vives Sicilia
Bishop of Urgell
Spain
Principality of Andorra
Right Revd Elias Zaidan
Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy
United States of America
Download a PDF of the Communiqué here.
19 January 2025: Statement from the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East on the Ceasefire in Gaza
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
This past Wednesday evening, the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, announced that, after more than a year of unproductive deliberations, negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas had finally reached an agreement for a ceasefire between the two warring parties.
The first phase of the ceasefire, lasting 42 days, was agreed to begin today.
During this time, hostilities are to cease and armed forces withdraw in order to facilitate the release of an agreed number of hostages and prisoners, a surge in humanitarian relief, and the return of all displaced Gazans to what remains of their neighborhoods and homes.
Concurrently, negotiations are to continue in order to work out the details of two additional phases. These would ultimately result in the release of all remaining hostages, the liberation of many additional Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of occupying forces, and the cessation of all hostilities. If successful, these envisioned phases would essentially bring the devastating 15-month-long war to an end.
Having repeatedly called for such a negotiated outcome, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem welcomes this ceasefire. Moreover, we appeal to fellow Christians and all those of goodwill to continue to advocate and pray not only for the adoption of the full agreement, but also for the region’s leaders and people to invest as much of their political and financial capital towards peacebuilding as they tragically have in waging warfare over these past many months—and in the decades preceding. Only through such a transformative change of hearts, we believe, can there emerge a just and lasting peace between the peoples of the Holy Land, as well as among all those living throughout the Middle East.
At this time, we would like to commend the courageous staff and volunteers of our Ahli Arab Hospital and its clinics in Gaza, who have endured unbearable hardships in extending Christ’s healing ministry to the thousands of wounded patients they have treated throughout the course of the war. They are the true heroes of this disastrous chapter in our region’s history.
We would also like to thank our many partners and donors around the world: Without your generous support, we could not have kept our hospital supplied and running amid the many adversities it has faced. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be more opportunities to contribute towards expanding the work of our hospital in order to meet the increasingly desperate needs of the battered Gazan community in the face of a largely demolished healthcare system.
Finally, we would like to call attention to Christ’s words from the Sermon on the Mount, quoted above: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” These are one of the eight Beatitudes or blessed sayings of our Lord, so-called because those who embody them will not only be blessed by God, but also become a blessing to countless others.
May it be our prayer that, in the days and weeks to come, the Almighty might indeed grant us the blessings of peace in our troubled region—and that those blessings might begin within each one of us.
16 - 23 January 2025: Bishop Christopher joins Holy Land Coordination in Jerusalem
The Christian community in the Holy Land represents a physical link between the modern world and the life and times of Christ – they are the ‘living stones’ of our faith. Since 2000, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has organised the Holy Land Co-ordination and Bishop Christopher attends as an ecumenical guest. Follow Bishop Christopher’s Twitter feed for news from the visit.
16 January 2025: Statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem on the Ceasefire in Gaza
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news,” (Is. 52,7)
Declaration of the Catholic Ordinaries on the Ceasefire in Gaza
The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land welcome the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza, which aims to end the hostilities in Gaza, return the Israeli hostages and release the Palestinian prisoners. We hope that this ceasefire will mark an important end to the violence that has caused immeasurable suffering. It is a necessary step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict.
However, we are aware that the end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict. It is therefore necessary to seriously and credibly address the deep-rooted issues that have been at the root of this conflict for far too long. Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle. This requires a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other’s suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool.
We pray that this ceasefire will bring a sense of serenity and relief to all. May this moment of calm allow all to find solace, rebuild their lives and regain hope for the future.
We sincerely hope that this ceasefire marks the beginning of a new path towards reconciliation, justice and sustainable peace. May this be the first step on a path that promotes healing and unity among all the people of the Holy Land.
We eagerly await the return of pilgrims to the Holy Places in the Holy Land. The Holy Places are meant to be places of prayer and peace, and we long for the day when pilgrims can visit them again in safety and spiritual joy.
Despite the pain we have suffered, we continue to look to the future with unwavering hope. May this ceasefire inspire new efforts for dialog, mutual understanding and lasting peace for all. At the beginning of the Jubilee Year dedicated to hope that does not disappoint, we read in this event a sign that reminds us of God’s faithfulness.
Finally, we call on political leaders and the international community to develop a clear and just political vision for the post-war period. A future built on dignity, security and freedom for all peoples is a prerequisite for true and lasting peace. We urge all parties to implement the immediate steps and negotiate the future steps of the agreement in good faith.
May the Lord bless this land with peace and lead us all on the path of reconciliation and healing.
10 July 2024: Comment on the enforced closure of Al Ahli Hospital
This is reprehensible. Al Ahli Hospital (supported by the Lent Call @SouthwarkCofE) has remained open throughout the conflict serving those in desperate need of medical care and services as well as shelter. I join Archbishop @JustinWelby in condemning the enforced closure https://t.co/udzZr5yWf9
— Bishop of Southwark (@BishopSouthwark) July 10, 2024
27 March 2024: Global Christian Leaders Call for Permanent Gaza Ceasefire
Bishop Christopher has added his name to a letter from more than 140 global Christian leaders calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the halting of arms sales to Israel. Read it here.
21 March 2024: Archbishop of Canterbury statement on famine risk in Gaza
Speaking on Thursday 21 March, Archbishop Justin Welby said:
If nothing changes in the war in Gaza then famine is imminent – this week’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report is yet another reminder of that. For some it’s already too late – children are beginning to die of starvation and dehydration. These deaths, and the famine-like conditions in Gaza, are not the result of some unexpected natural disaster; they are human-made.
Israel’s prosecution of this war has destroyed large parts of the Gaza Strip – decimating infrastructure essential to human survival. The scarcity of humanitarian access to and within the Strip continues to prevent aid workers from distributing life-saving supplies. We should not become numb to this injustice. It can never be normal for parents to use animal fodder or grass to feed their children.
International humanitarian law is resolutely clear that all parties to a conflict must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. That is especially true for Israel as the occupying power and applies urgently in northern Gaza, despite the many challenges of delivering aid in a war zone. Israel’s planned military ground operation in the South will only further worsen an already intolerable situation.
Parachuting aid or building temporary harbours is unlikely to meet the urgent and monumental humanitarian needs of Gaza’s starving population. They are imprecise, inadequate and do not reach those in most need. Reports from the Anglican run Al Ahli hospital in Northern Gaza tell of how US air drops have damaged the hospital’s solar panels and their power capacity. Hundreds of desperate people then entered the hospital taking the aid so that the hospital received nothing.
Meanwhile thousands of trucks are stuck in Egypt and Jordan, containing food, shelter and other essentials, because the Government of Israel refuses to give them access. It is unacceptable that the number of aid lorries entering Gaza in March – an average of 169 per day, – remains significantly below the operational capacity of both the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) border crossings. This number is woefully short of the target of 500 trucks per day required to meet the basic humanitarian needs and to avert a famine in Gaza.
As I have said before, and I repeat again now: the only effective solution to this catastrophic situation is an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and sustained humanitarian access for the provision of essential supplies and services to those in need. Another way must be found. I continue to pray for the Palestinian Christian community in Gaza and the West Bank, for the people of Palestine and Israel, and for justice, peace and security for all the peoples of the Holy Land.
Bishop of Southwark's Lent Call 2024
Each year, the Bishop’s Lent Call raises funds for local community projects in Southwark and our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe and Jerusalem, as well as calling parishes to a time of prayer and contemplation. The Bishop’s Lent Call for 2024 is raising funds for projects that focus on peace with justice in the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and resilience and well-being across our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe. You can find more information on this year’s projects and how to donate here.
19 January 2024: Bishop Christopher calls for ceasefire ‘to end appalling suffering’ in Gaza
The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, has spoken of the dire situation facing Christians and others following a pastoral visit to Jerusalem and the West Bank.
24 December 2023: Statement from the Bishops of the Holy Land Coordination
The Bishops of the Holy Land Coordination were profoundly shocked and distressed at the killing by snipers on 16th December of two Christian women sheltering in the compound of the Holy Family church, Gaza. Messages were sent immediately to the Patriarch, His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and to the Parish Priest, Fr Gabriel Romanelli… Read the full statement here.
13 December 2023: Statement from the House of Bishops
A statement following the House of Bishops meeting of December 12, 2023:
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ this Advent, we are dismayed that the place of our saviour’s birth is once again wracked by violence, death and destruction.
We grieve that innocent children have been disproportionately affected by this conflict.
Of the 1,300 people killed in the abhorrent terrorist attacks of Hamas on 7 October, 33 were children. Of the 250 hostages taken, 34 were children. In Israel’s exercising its right to self-defence, more than 18,000 people have reportedly been killed, over 40 per cent of whom were children. Thousands more have been injured.
We re-affirm our position of 31 October 2023 that there is no equivalence between the atrocities of Hamas against Israeli civilians, and the right and duty of Israel to defend itself. We also want to be clear that we do not believe that the devastating loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe resulting from Israel’s bombardment and siege of Gaza can be morally justified.
The nature and scale of death and destruction we are witnessing across the region is horrific and is inconsistent with the obligations of international humanitarian law as affirmed most recently by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2712 (15 November 2023).
This war has claimed too many lives and destroyed too many homes. The extension of battle to Southern Gaza will only compound the existing humanitarian catastrophe. We appeal for the bloodshed and destruction to stop. An alternative strategy needs to be found that closes down on attacks on Israel from Gaza and ends the violence and blockade undertaken by Israel.
The recent truce (24-30 November 2023) provided a glimmer of hope amidst so much darkness. We were encouraged as hostage families were reunited, civilians found respite from bombardment, and some of the sick and injured found life-saving care and some supplies reached those most in need.
Intensified diplomatic efforts should seek to secure the release of all remaining hostages, the protection of civilians and full humanitarian access to Gaza, alongside steps to establish a reinvigorated political track to address the overarching conflict.
Israel’s security cannot be achieved by continuing with a system of occupation that denies millions of Palestinians their rights and freedoms. The ongoing settler violence in the West Bank, which has resulted in the death to date of 8 Palestinians including one child, is a matter of grave concern as is the fact that since 7 October over 250 Palestinians, including over 60 children have been killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank. There has been much damage to Palestinian homes, farms and schools by settlers without the necessary restraint and prosecution by the Israeli authorities.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is more than another regional conflict but one with both international and domestic resonances. The current war in Gaza risks sowing the seeds of the next several generations of vengeance and violence unless it is resolved equitably now. For this reason, we call on the British Government to appoint a dedicated Minister or Peace Envoy for the Middle East to work with other nations to focus diplomatic efforts and to signal a long term commitment to support any future peace process.
We ask that the Government, as with the US Administration, act to deny visas for travel to any one deemed to be committing acts of violence or undermining peace and security in the West Bank, particularly against Palestinians.
In our communities there is no place for either antisemitism or Islamophobia. It is unacceptable that children fear going to school because they will be spat at, shouted at and hated for no other reason than that they are Muslim or Jewish. We should not impute to children here that for which they cannot be held responsible in Israel-Palestine.
We condemn the fresh growth of antisemitism in Europe, a shameful feature of our Western Christian history that needs to be constantly rebuked. In schools, universities, on streets and in places of work and worship, antisemitism has been the root of so much racism. Once one group is allowed to be attacked, merely for religion, race or heritage it seems to open the gates of hell to all other forms of hatred.
We condemn all those hateful voices stoking prejudice against anyone, for any reason and call on the church to walk alongside those from different communities. Let us never stand silently by, but at whatever risk stand with those who suffer such hatreds.
But more than anything we ask that this Advent, parishes, chaplaincies and all places of worship pray for peace, for wisdom, for justice, and for hope as we give thanks for the birth of Jesus Christ and God coming to dwell with us amid our pain and joy. As each household or gathering comes together at Christmas, give thanks for what we have and pray for the Holy Land and for our brothers and sisters in Christ who live there.
We also warmly encourage support for the Archbishops’ appeal for the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza.
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Bishop Christopher was interviewed about this statement by Martin Stanford on LBC News – you can listen to the interview here.
13 December 2023: Signs of Hope for the Holy Lands as Christmas approaches
The al Ahli Anglican Hospital was the last hospital to cease functioning in Northern Gaza, and now it has become the first to reopen. After closing two weeks ago amidst heavy bombardment, al-Ahli Anglican Hospital is once again open to serve the hundreds of wounded still remaining in Gaza City. Find out more about this – and other signs of hope for the peoples of the Holy Lands here.
During this season, Bishop Christopher asks that you and your church please consider whether you may be able to make a financial donation to support the Archbishops’ joint appeal for the Ahli Hospital in Gaza, and the ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem – perhaps through donations at your crib or carol services. Contributions can be made online here.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum has also shared these Advent reflections with us, which are written by clergy of the Diocese of Jerusalem.
Christian charity Friends of the Holy Land has also released ‘Hear Angels Cry’ – a special song for Christmas. Endorsed by His Holiness Pope Francis, funds raised by the song will support work with those suffering in Gaza and the West Bank this Christmas.
13 November 2023: Archbishop in Jerusalem addresses General Synod
The Archbishop in Jerusalem has addressed members of the Church of England’s General Synod, describing the ‘difficult and controversial’ task of seeking peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land. On the first day of its November 2023 group of sessions, the Most Revd Hosam Naoum spoke to the Synod by video from Jerusalem, asking members of the Synod to hold both Palestinians and Israelis in their prayers following an ‘eruption of violence’ since the attacks of October 7.
The text and video of Archbishop Hosam’s full address to the General Synod is available online here.
13 November 2023: Praying for Israel & Gaza
In November 2023, a new group, chaired by Bishop Martin, was formed to take forward the relationship between the Diocese of Southwark and Diocese of Jerusalem building on the Jerusalem-Southwark Covenant Agreement.
The group is small and at this stage and is designed simply to respond to the current crisis in Israel/Palestine. It will form more fully and more clearly identify its priorities in due course. The group’s current members are Bishop Martin Gainsborough, Revd Peter Welby, Revd Canon Wendy Robins and The Venerable Moira Astin.
In a highly charged political context, it can sometimes be difficult for those who lead public prayers in our churches to know how best to do this. We have put together a few pointers which may be useful to them. These include prayer points given to us mainly by our partners there. Do, please, share them with your intercessors if you think it might be helpful. This page will be updated to reflect the evolving prayer needs of the situation.
We would also encourage people to reach out to synagogues and mosques in their areas to build and strengthen relationships.
In addition, Bishop Christopher has asked that parishes consider giving a percentage of their collections from Advent/Christmas services to the Archbishops of Jerusalem and Canterbury’s joint appeal for the work of the Diocese of Jersualem and the Middle East which has been affected by the devastating war in Israel/Palestine. Individual donations can be made via the Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association (JMECA) cafdonate.cafonline.org/24666
If you would like to donate as a church, please do so by bank transfer to;
Sort code: 18-00-02
Account number: 03283534
If you wish to earmark your donation for a particular appeal, please add details in the reference section.
31 October 2023: Statement from the Church of England's House of Bishops
An appeal for Peace
“They shall not learn war any more” (Isaiah 2.4)
Isaiah’s vision of peace was spoken to a nation in confusion and social discord, divided and fearful. It was a vision of a peace that, though not yet realised, was always to be sought in faith through living in obedient righteousness and generous community in society. It is repeated numerous times in both the Old Testament and in the New as the ultimate destiny of creation, a state of peace, righteousness and harmony. As Christians we believe that the fulfilment of this vision and the gift of peace, individually and collectively, is found in Jesus Christ.
The War in Israel and Gaza
As Bishops of the Church of England we condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas on 7th October. Hamas has killed civilians without mercy, defiled their bodies, treated the most vulnerable brutally and taken hostages. Its continued indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israeli targets puts civilian structures and individuals at risk. All this is built on its denial of the right of Israel to exist. Hamas has oppressed the people it was originally elected to serve and has put them in harm’s way by using them as human shields. Its actions are a violation of international law.
We must also reflect on the actions that Israel has taken in response. We affirm absolutely Israel’s right to self-defence. We wholly support the duty of the Government of Israel to protect its citizens. We echo the concerns raised by President Biden about understandable anger and deep trauma not determining strategy and actions. Israel’s right to self-defence needs to be exercised in adherence to the key principles of international humanitarian law.
The huge number of civilians killed in three weeks of bombardment, principally in Gaza City, and the immense suffering of a people herded south with no escape, are a humanitarian catastrophe. Even defined evacuation routes have been hit. Places of sanctuary and gathering have been bombed. Aid workers have been killed and wounded in large numbers. Critical services like healthcare, water, and electricity have been cut, while the military siege of Gaza has meant that no adequate humanitarian response has been possible.
Also gravely concerning are the reports of rising numbers of Palestinians killed in the West Bank by inhabitants of settlements which are illegal under international law. In mixed communities in Israel, where people have generally lived peacefully side by side, Israeli Arabs now find themselves subject to abuse, harassment and discrimination.
The United Kingdom, Islamophobia and antisemitism
In this country we have seen heightened tensions and threats to social cohesion. We are grateful for and stand with all those faith and community leaders who have made efforts at local and national level to maintain friendships and relationships across some of the sharpening political divides. We also condemn the rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks.
Appeals by the Bishops of the Church of England
In the UK we call for intercommunity groups to maintain the closest possible contact. We pledge ourselves to pray for and take public actions in support of our fellow citizens of Jewish or Islamic faith. We recognise that within the church, too, we must acknowledge our own differences on this matter with care and generosity. The way individuals and communities act here and now could shape and influence what happens next. So, while we must condemn utterly those who foster fear and hatred in our communities, we must also galvanise and support those who are modelling something different and seeking the way of peace.
Recognising the troubled history, we nevertheless cling to the longstanding vision of a peaceful region where the peoples of Israel and Palestine can live in security, justice, peace and harmony in their own lands, we therefore appeal:
- For Hamas to release all hostages unconditionally and unharmed.
- For immediate humanitarian pauses that will enable the wounded and the most vulnerable to be evacuated under ICRC or UN supervision, holding out hope for a ceasefire in the longer term.
- For safe areas to be established across Gaza with communications, food, water and medical support, under international supervision.
- For the Israeli Government to protect the population of the Occupied Territories and arrest anyone threatening them, without fear or favour.
- For all parties to this conflict to adhere to international humanitarian law and to take all necessary steps to minimise harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.
We unite ourselves with the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum, and Christian leaders in the Holy Land in calling for sustained and faithful prayer by all Christians for peace and justice.
17 October 2023: Day of Prayer and Fasting for all people affected by the conflict in Israel and Gaza
As the conflict in the Holy Land continues to escalate, Christians around the world are being urged to mark Tuesday 17 October as a Day of Prayer and Fasting for all people affected by the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
This is in response to a statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, including the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum. The leading ecumenical group in Jerusalem issued the call after an emergency meeting “for prayer and consultation over the grave humanitarian crisis that has befallen all of us”.
They said: “our beloved Holy Land has changed dramatically over the past week. We are witnessing a new cycle of violence with an unjustifiable attack against all civilians. Tensions continue to rise and more innocent and vulnerable people are paying the ultimate price as the dramatic level and death and destruction in Gaza clearly show.”
The leaders say that the order to evacuate the north of Gaza – the displacement of 1.1 million people to southern Gaza – “will only deepen an already disastrous humanitarian catastrophe.”
They say: “Gaza’s entire population is being deprived of electricity, water, fuel supplies, food and medicine. According to UN sources, 423,000 people have already been displaced because of the destruction of their homes. Many civilians in Gaza have said to us that there are no realistic ways in which they can evacuate to safety in any direction.
“We call upon the State of Israel, with the support of the International Community, to allow humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza so that the thousands of innocent victims may receive medical treatment and basic supplies. Moreover, we call upon all parties to de-escalate this war in order to save innocent lives while still serving the cause of justice.”
They add: “in support of all those who have suffered in this war and of all the families reeling from the violence, we call upon the people of our congregations and all those of goodwill around the world to observe a Day of Prayer and Fasting on Tuesday, October 17th
“There is yet time to stop the hatred”.
In a subsequent statement, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, said: “once again we find ourselves living through hard times In the Land or the Holy One, where we are surrounded by war, violence, hatred, and destruction. Many in our region now live with great fear and uncertainty.
“Nevertheless, from Jerusalem, the City of the Resurrection, I send you all hope for the assurance of a better life: one with a brighter future, mare blessed circumstances, and freedom from bloodshed, injustice, and death.
“We condemn all acts of violence and kitting, especially of civilians and the innocent. And we advocate for a just and comprehensive peace for all living here. In order to stop the vengeful cycle of violence, we exhort everyone to exercise self-control. Since everyone loses in war, we also call for all parties to pursue peaceful, diplomatic solutions towards a just and lasting agreement for both peoples in a two-state solution. Only in this way can we all enjoy freedom, Justice, and peace.”
Archbishop Hosam, who is also the Primate of the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and Vice Chair of the Anglican Communion Standing Committee, added: “to this end, we pray without ceasing for justice, reconciliation, peace, and an end to hatred and war. We also pray for God to change the hearts of all leaders and decision-makers in our countries and around the world, For we are in dire need or hearts that love, show mercy, and are willing to live in unity with others – hearts that respect human dignity and choose life rather than death.
“We therefore all upon all our congregations, institutions, and parishioner families to join with our sister Churches in the Land of the Holy One In observing this coming Tuesday, October 17th as a day or Fasting and Prayer for peace, reconciliation, and an end to the war. We suggest organising prayer services and / or joining with other congregations in their services so that we can pray together with one heart and spirit.
“We entrust the countries of our Lord’s earthly home into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, asking him to have mercy on us all and to give us his peace and blessing. Amen.”
- Click to read the full statements by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, and Archbishop Hosam Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem
- Click here for a statment from the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Anthony Poggo
- Click here for a statement issued by Archbishop Justin Welby
- Find out about our partnership with our sister Diocese of Jerusalem here
