Israel – Page 5 – The Church of England in Parliament

Bishop of Southwark asks about current conflict in Israel and Gaza, and the situation in Jerusalem

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 12th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government, further to their statement on 27 January that they have “considerable concerns” about the International Court of Justice ruling on 26 January regarding the case of genocide against Israel, what assessment they have made of that ruling; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning compliance with it.

Bishop of Bristol expresses strong concern over conflict in Gaza and calls for political leaders to work for peace

The Bishop of Bristol spoke in a debate on the current humanitarian situation in Gaza on 8th February 2024, expressing concern about the rejection of a proposed ceasefire and the impact of total war on civilians:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for securing this debate. Today the future seems bleak after Prime Minister Netanyahu, perhaps understandably, rejected a ceasefire because, as reported, total victory may be achieved in months. In my city of Bristol, women from Jewish and Muslim communities stand silently together in public vigil, and those of all faiths and none march each week campaigning for a cessation of violence on all sides.

Total victory within months—what does that mean for the hostages held in tunnels, for the women who are pregnant without medical support, for babies whose mothers have no breast milk? What we see is a horrible inversion of the word of the prophet Joel: the dreams of old men are shattered and the visions of young men are betrayed. The hopes of so many Jews, Muslims and Christians are destroyed. May God and our political leaders have mercy, source aid and work unrelentingly for peace.

Hansard

Bishop of Norwich calls for resourcing of medics and hospitals to address humanitarian situation in Gaza

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on the situation in Gaza on 8th February 2024, asking that the government give greater support to medics in Gaza and Israel to facilitate resupplying of hospitals in order to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I visited Gaza on 4 October, just three days before Hamas’s evil attacks, to see the Anglican-run 80-bed al-Ahli hospital. The World Health Organization reported on Tuesday that there are 150 patients there—all are critically ill. Everyone is fearful, stressed and exhausted. Medical staff have been detained, shackled and blindfolded by the IDF, and, on release, they are deposited in Rafah and not allowed to return to the hospital. There is an urgent need for medical staff, fuel, food and critical medical supplies, such as bone stabilisers, antibiotics and anaesthetics, across Gaza’s hospitals. Will His Majesty’s Government hear the cries of medics in Gaza and press the State of Israel for the WHO to have sustained access to resupply hospitals across the Gaza Strip so that they can continue to function?

Hansard

Bishop of Worcester asks about steps towards a ceasefire and investigation into the conflict in Gaza

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 29th January 2024:

The Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to secure a ceasefire, and (2) to press for an investigation by the International Criminal Court of violations of international humanitarian law, in Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): The UK wants to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. We are calling for an immediate humanitarian pause to get aid in and hostages out, and as a vital first step towards building a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. But to achieve that:

Bishop of Worcester asks about respect for international humanitarian law in wake of Israel-Gaza conflict

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 26th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how the war in Gaza might affect respect for international humanitarian law in other conflicts.

Bishop of Worcester asks about efforts to uphold international humanitarian law in Israel-Gaza conflict

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 25th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government:

what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) international humanitarian law is upheld in Gaza, and (2) civilians are protected there.
what assessment they have made of whether international humanitarian law is being respected in the war in Gaza.

Bishop of Worcester asks about government approach to peace process in Israel and Gaza

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answer on 24th January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to assess the lessons of the Oslo peace process, especially in relation to the inclusion of regional actors, and (2) to apply those lessons in their response to current calls from regional players for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Church Commissioners Questions: Choral Music, Rough Sleeping, Multimedia Platforms, Church Buildings, Christians in Cuba, and the Anglican Hospital in Gaza

On 11th January 2024, Andrew Selous MP, representing the Church Commissioners, gave the following answers to MPs in the House of Commons:

Choral Music: Cathedrals

Michael Fabricant MP (Con, Lichfield) asked: Whether the Commissioners are taking steps to support choral music in cathedrals.

Andrew Selous MP (Con, South West Bedfordshire): The Church Commissioners provided £1 million to support music in cathedrals during the pandemic. That sum was match funded by the Cathedral Music Trust. The commissioners are extremely grateful to the trust for doing what it did to help ensure that worship in our cathedrals remains of the highest calibre.

Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham raises issue of targeting of Anglican hospital and church in Gaza by Israeli forces

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the targeting of the Anglican Al-Ahli Hospital and the Holy Family Church in Gaza by Israeli forces on 19th December 2023, calling for recognition of Gaza’s Christian community and the prompt release of detained hospital staff:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: I am grateful to the Minister for his comments so far. I want to raise two specific incidents with His Majesty’s Government that are of particular concern to these Benches.

News arrived overnight of the actions of the Israel Defense Forces in destroying the entrance wall of the Anglican Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, closing that facility, detaining most of its staff and leaving a tank on the rubble. The second incident relates to comments made by the deputy mayor of Jerusalem on LBC radio this morning, where she was questioned about a sniper attack on two Christian women in the compound of the Holy Family Church. She said that there were no Christians or churches in Gaza and that they have been “driven out by Hamas”. There remains a small, yet highly visible, Christian community in Gaza, which is very notably engaged in the provision of Gaza’s healthcare facilities.

Bishop of Durham asks about role of faith leaders in Israel & Gaza

On 12th December 2023, the Bishop of Durham asked a question on the involvement of faith leaders in diplomatic conversations on the situation in Israel & Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, this tragic situation is also caught up in the complexity of the religious faiths of the region. In what way are faith leaders involved in the diplomatic conversations to seek to bring peace?

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