News
“The ‘nakba,’ the catastrophe Palestinian families experienced 75 years ago, continues to cause unresolved dispossession and suffering for many Palestinians—particularly for the people of Gaza,” said Pillay. “That unarmed civilians – including children – are shot at with live ammunition, even killed, and many injured – cannot be defended legally or morally as an expression of ‘the right to self-defense of a state.’
The WCC has consistently affirmed the long-held understanding that the status of the city of Jerusalem must be resolved through peaceful negotiations. “Jerusalem is a shared Holy City of three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,” said Pillay. “We urge the international community to accelerate all efforts toward a just and viable solution which respects the aspirations of all the people living in the Holy Land in line with international conventions and resolutions.”
Pillay also expressed solidarity with a statement from the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem which reiterates the churches’ call to strive for a just and lasting peace for all people in the Holy Land.
“The statement urges everyone to work together to build a better and more humane future for all,” said Pillay, who also shared a prayer for Palestine and Israel.
