CAFOD has joined the Just Peace Coalition of faith leaders, churches and Christian charities calling for a just and lasting peace for everyone who calls the Holy Land home.
As part of this coalition, CAFOD is supporting the Time to Act campaign, which calls for an end to the devastating violence and the illegal occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory.
This cross-denominational campaign responds to an appeal from Palestinian Christians to the global Church to stand against injustice with courage, compassion and action, uniting people of all faiths - including Muslims and Jews - in the pursuit of justice and peace.
The Just Peace Coalition brings together churches and Christian organisations across the UK to respond to that call. This is not simply a moment of awareness. It is time to act.
Bishop Jim Curry, Lead Bishop for the Holy Land, said:
"The Holy Land is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. It needs be a place where the dignity of every person is recognised and protected. Lasting peace can only be built on a foundation of equal human and civil rights; justice and mutual respect for all Israelis, Palestinians and people of every religious belief.
"I warmly support the Time to Act campaign and the call for a future in which every person can live peacefully, free of violence and intimidation, knowing that their God-given dignity is upheld. It is vital that our government listens to those calling on the international community to help bring about a just peace and ensure that international law is respected and upheld."
Bishop Stephen Wright, our Chair of Trustees at CAFOD, echoed this:
“In his recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo reminds us that 'all of us, at every level, can contribute to building the foundation of peace, which is justice. We do not merely seek any kind of peace — such as an absence of conflict at any cost — but instead, the true peace born of justice’.
"Time to Act offers an opportunity for all of us to play our part in responding to the call to work urgently for a just peace in the Holy Land.”
Cross denominational partners who have joined CAFOD in the Just Peace Coalition include:
Christian Aid
Iona Community
Methodist Church
Quakers in Britain
United Reformed Church.
One of the greatest obstacles to building peace in the Holy Land is the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements which displace Palestinian families.
As Palestinians are forced from their home, settlers are using this land to grow and export produce – such as dates and wine - across the world.
We must stop the trading of all goods and services produced on land that has been illegally occupied.
Write to the trade secretary today demanding that the UK follows in the footsteps of countries such as Spain and Ireland and bans trade with illegally occupied Palestinian land.
