Four senior Church of England bishops have written an open letter condemning Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
Rt Rev Rachel Treweek, bishop of Gloucester, Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, bishop of Chelmsford, Rt Revd Graham Usher, bishop of Norwich and Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, bishop of Southwark wrote an op-ed in the Guardian saying there was “little distinction between settler violence and state violence” in Gaza.
“The Israeli government must stop acting as if it is above the law… Israel must bring to an end, without delay, its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
Highlighted in the letter was the “forceful dispoession” of the Kisiya family – Palestinian Christians who have had their land and restaurant in the West Bank taken over numerous times by Israeli settlers.
“Now is the time to move beyond strongly worded resolutions and agree a robust set of measures to ensure Israel’s compliance with [the UN] advisory opinion [to end occupation], and other international court of justice orders issued this year."
It concludes: “We will continue to stand in prayer and solidarity with the Kisiya family, and thousands like them, as they resist the injustice of occupation.”