Call to European Churches: Why are you silent in the face of genocide?
In a Christmas letter signed by Latin Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah, Palestinian Christians ask of European Churches – Why are you silent in the face of Genocide? The letter points to opinions by international legal bodies and historians of the holocaust that Israel is committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza. So, why are European churches reluctant to call for a ceasefire and accountability by the leaders of Israel for their crimes?
Pope Francis is to be commended for unveiling a nativity scene in the Vatican, which has the baby Jesus lying on a Palestinian keffiyeh, in solidarity with the suffering people of occupied Palestine. Of course, this gesture has received hostile criticism and that is always the risk of standing up for justice. It is shameful that other church bodies have not taken a similar step.
The Anatomy of a Genocide
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestine Territories, recently issued her fourth report to United Nations General Assembly. Her 27-page report can be read in here. Alternatively, you can hear her on YouTube give the 2024 annual lecture organised by Amnesty Northern Ireland. Albanese condemns the atrocities committed on the 7th of October 2023 by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups. She lists in detail the genocidal actions of the State of Israel in Gaza since then. The deliberate killing of people, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the denial of food and water are designed to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinians in Gaza.
Amnesty International report
Amnesty international concurs that Israel is committing genocide on Palestinians in Gaza. The full report is available on the Amnesty International website. For a six-minute summary watch the video which forms part of the report. This video includes the statements by Israeli leaders that the people of Gaza are ‘human animals’ who must be denied any basic essentials to sustain life.
Enact the Occupied Territories Bill
On Thursday 19th of December at the opening of the 34th Dail there was a demonstration on Molesworth Street spelling out the words, ‘ENACT THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES BILL NOW’. The red letters were printed on the reverse of election posters from all the political parties who are represented in the Dail. While there is political consensus in Ireland that the bill should be enacted, there is a danger that the bill first proposed by Senator Frances Black may be watered down to avoid offending American business interests. The ICJ (International Criminal Court) judgement of July states that the Israeli Settlements on stolen Palestinian land are illegal and must be removed. All UN member countries are under an obligation not to aid or assist Israel’s illegal actions. We need a strong bill that will ban all economic activity between Ireland and Israeli Settlements.
The Christmas message
The Christmas message is not one of cosy sentimentality, rather it is one of divine identification with the poor and marginalised. The Christ of Bethlehem was born under Roman imperial occupation. Palestinian babies born today are born under the shadow of brutal Israeli occupation, with the connivance of powers such as the USA, Germany and the UK, who supply Israel with the weapons to continue its campaign of genocide.
Christians, who hear the voice of the angels, must stand with the marginalised and work for justice and peace.
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