Church Leaders Speak Out: Condemning Israeli Actions in Gaza

The United Reformed Church (URC) has taken a bold stance against the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, passing an emergency resolution that condemns the ongoing military campaign as a potential breach of international law. Rev Steve Faber, the URC’s moderator of the West Midlands Synod, emphasized that the condemnation is directed at the Israeli government and its military, not the Jewish people. He stated that the world is “witnessing genocide and we must have the courage to name it as such.” This move follows the lead of the World Council of Churches (WCC), which has also spoken out against the violence and oppression in Gaza and the West Bank.

A Call for Justice and Accountability

The resolution, which was adopted with overwhelming support by the Assembly, commends the WCC statement that calls for an end to “apartheid, occupation, and impunity in Palestine and Israel.” Rev Faber emphasized that the issue is about ethics, not ethnicity, and that the church must speak out against injustice. The resolution also accuses the Israeli military campaign of grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, acts which may amount to genocide and/or crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This bold stance by the URC highlights the growing concern within the Christian community about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza [2].

A Nuanced Discussion

During the debate, a member of the Assembly with Jewish heritage expressed support for the resolution, highlighting the nuance within the Jewish diaspora regarding the actions of the State of Israel. They emphasized the importance of combating antisemitism while also acknowledging the complexity of the issue. The adoption of the resolution with overwhelming support demonstrates the URC’s commitment to speaking out against injustice and promoting peace and justice in the region. As Rev Faber noted, “there’s a time to keep silence and a time to speak. And I think it’s way beyond time that the churches were speaking out loudly and clearly on this issue”