On Holy Saturday, we held a multi-faith vigil for Palestine in the Lower Gardens in Bournemouth. We walked in solemn procession to the pier, dug a grave in the sand and buried dolls representing the 15,000+ babies killed by Israel in Gaza. I spoke briefly about the Palestinian Christian community and their resilient faith contrasted by the silent complicity and cowardice of Western church leaders unwilling to hear and respond to their cry for justice.
“Gaza today has become the moral compass of the world”,[1] insisted the Reverend Dr. Munther Isaac in his now famous 2023 Christmas sermon, entitled, “Christ in the Rubble.”[2] It is sobering to realise that for the first time in history, genocide is being recorded live on social media by the victims themselves. No one can now say they did not know.
I am sure like me you are here because you feel you have no choice. It is a moral imperative to show solidarity with people in Gaza and Palestine. It is sobering to realise that for the first time in history, genocide is being recorded live on social media by the victims themselves. No one can say they did not know.
I am deeply ashamed of our government’s refusal to impose sanctions on Israel, to ban arms exports and support the ICC and ICJ investigations into genocide and war crimes, or even simply demand that Gazans be given immediate and full access to food, water, fuel, shelter and medical supplies.
But I feel anger toward so called religious leaders who are failing to give moral leadership and pressure the government to comply with UN resolutions and uphold the rule of international humanitarian law. Where are the Archbishops and Bishops today? They still refuse to acknowledge let alone condemn Israel for imposing apartheid, and perpetrating ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and Palestine.They are false prophets crying ‘peace, peace’ when there is no peace. They have not only lost their voices but lost their moral authority also.
It is hard to comprehend the enormity of the indiscriminate death and destruction Israel has wrought on Gaza. More women and children have been murdered or injured in Gaza than are here today in this demonstration.
What can we do? We can pray to the God of justice to bring an end to this evil, will punish war criminals and bring swift justice and lasting peace to Palestinians free in their own land. And we can act. If our political leaders won’t impose sanctions, we can boycott and divest from companies profiting from or facilitating the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. And remember to use your vote wisely in the forthcoming May local elections.
I invite you to join me in a minutes silence to remember the bereaved, the injured and traumatised in Gaza and Palestine today.
1. How can you/Peacemakers justify publishing pictures and slogans (for example) inferring that Hamas are ‘heroes’ and resistance is beautiful’ (presumably a reference to 7 Oct)? or the slogan ‘from the River to the sea Palestine will be free…’? 2. In your view, does the publication on social medial of these images and slogans amount to antisemitism (and spreading it)? 3. Would you consider removing the pictures that would be offensive and antisemitic?
I replied,
“Thank you for your enquiry which only reached me this afternoon. As a conservative evangelical you may know that in years past I was a regular contributor to EN when John Benton was editor and we both pastored neighbouring churches in Guildford.
I see that my Zionist critics (we both know who they are) are trying once again to distract attention from the purpose of the post in question which concerns a peaceful national march involving tens of thousands of people challenging Israeli war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza.
May I ask you some questions too?
1. Has EN recently criticised (on biblical and theological grounds) the Israeli genocide in Gaza? 2. Has EN challenged the heretical teaching of Christian Zionists (including my critics) who defend Israeli supremacism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing in Palestine? 3. Has EN challenged the weaponising of the discredited IHRA re-definition of antisemitism?
I suggest these are more important issues involving the life and death of millions of people in Palestine today which EN should address…”
This article was originally published in May 2024. Between October 2023 and February 2024, the Church of England Archbishops and Bishops issued five statements on the genocide in Gaza (carefully avoiding using the term). Since February 2024, they have been completely silent despite mounting and indisputable evidence of genocide and war crimes, reported by the United Nations, to the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and indeed even by Christian leaders in Palestine. It has indeed been a year of shameful silent complicity, not just by the Church of England but virtually every Western mainstream denomination.
“Gaza today has become the moral compass of the world”, insisted the Reverend Dr. Munther Isaac in his 2023 Christmas sermon, entitled, “Christ in the Rubble.” After his sermon went viral, his words were subsequently quoted by UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.
A short video introduction to the article – viewed 18k times in the first week.
Lamentably, many Christian leaders in the USA and Europe have stood by, silent and complicit, unwilling to criticise Israel for what is increasingly recognised as a genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people.
This article will analyse the Church of England official statements about Gaza since 7th October 2023, together with criticisms, and provide an assessment of the Church’s moral integrity in its stance on Gaza.
Photos taken at the National March for Palestine held in London on 30th November 2024. In supporting this demonstration against genocide on Gaza, it should not be inferred that publication of these photos necessarily implies endorsement of all of the statements appearing on all the placards.
it was a delight to attend an amazing brunch at Palestine House in High Holborn in Central London, opposite Holborn tube station recently. I shared a table with friends from Croydon PSC.
Offered every Sunday 11:00-13:00, the cafe and restaurant also serves Lebanese and Palestinian food every day. Palestine House is available as a venue for events as well as a place to chill.
The best of the photos taken at the Gaza Rally in London on Saturday 3rd August. It was heartening to see so many young activists.
Chris Nineham of Stop the War said this evening that 100,000 attended the protest in London today. It was the 17th demonstration since October last year and as large as the first. This is no longer a protest against Israeli genocide in Gaza, it is a protest against Israel’s agenda to lead the West into a war against Iran and Lebanon. We are now in uncharted waters.
