General Assembly calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The General Assembly has backed fresh calls to urge the UK Government to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Commissioners also agreed that it must stop granting export licenses for the sale of armaments to Israel and reinstate United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) funding immediately to provide humanitarian aid.

Church members were encouraged to consider previous General Assembly statements to refrain from buying goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

The General Assembly agreed to call on the whole Church of Scotland to pray for peace in the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and restate the 2015 General Assembly call urging the UK Government to recognise, without delay, the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel as a contribution to securing lasting peace and justice for all.

A report of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team stated: "On the 7 October 2023, Hamas launched an horrific attack into southern Israel, leading to the deaths of around 1,200 people, alongside the capture of over 200 hostages.

It acknowlegded that it is "right for the Church to condemn the terror of Hamas and to demand the release of every hostage".

"It is also right to condemn the widespread destruction of life, homes, hospitals, and health centres, by the Israeli military, and the deprivation of food and medicine which is leading to a humanitarian disaster."

Injustice

Making the case for a goods boycott, Allan Gordon, an elder at St Michael's Church in Edinburgh, said: "For 15 years, Palestinian Christians have been calling for the Churches to stand against the injustices they are experiencing.

"They have appealed to us repeatedly, as brothers and sisters in Christ, to support them in many ways.

"It seems that this non-violent action on our behalf may force the state of Israel to return to serious negotiations about working for peace and justice for all in Palestine and Israel."

Mr Gordon said UNRWA delivers lifesaving humanitarian aid to Palestinians but Israel called for a suspension of funds, claiming the refugee aid agency supported terrorism.

He told commissioners that an independent review ruled that the allegations were baseless and said "it is time the UK ended its freeze on donations".

Heart breaking

A young Palestinian woman called Joanne Billeh from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East addressed the General Assembly.

A resident of Jordan, she said: "Christian Palestinians are a minority in comparison to other communities in the Middle East so my whole life we have always looked after each other as a community together.

"As a young Palestinian, I have never been to Palestine.

"There is little chance of being able to go and see the land which I spent my whole childhood hearing all kinds of magical stories about.

"My grandma spent her entire childhood there and was forced to leave in the 1948 Nakba and it honestly breaks our hearts.

"I speak on behalf of all Jordanians, Palestine is a land that we only know from stories, photos, videos.

"Despite having so much loyalty for the land of Palestine, I cannot start to imagine what the Palestinians living there feel."

Rev Dr Grant Barclay, clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow, shared the thoughts of Catholic patriarch, Cardinal Pierre Battista Pizzaballa, who has just visited Gaza.

He took with him the Catholic priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who was recently in Glasgow – a man who has not been able to return to Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

We are not afraid

Dr Barclay said: "The patriarch writes ‘I enter Gaza during the week of Pentecost, I was among my people who are currently enduring much suffering from the war and the destruction it has left.

‘I brought with me the promise of that new life and I was very surprised that they were the ones who taught me a lesson I will never forget.

‘Their steadfast faith carried with heart-warming smiles left a mark on me and my life.

‘I saw hope and optimism in their eyes, they told me we will stay here as long as the Church stands with us, we are not afraid.

‘I was really impressed by their attitude.

‘The scale of the destruction I have witnessed is unbelievable and the poor living conditions such as lack of water and electricity and absence of security are dire.

‘The sound of bombing is frequent, it is felt at every moment.

Nightmare

‘I also visited the cemetery where I blessed the graves of the faithful departed, especially the martyrs who were killed by a sniper near the monastery.

‘At the end of my visit I celebrated the feast of Pentecost with the parish of Gaza and I urged them with the power of the Holy Spirit to keep the flame alive in their hearts and assured them as a Church we will not abandon them and will be among the first to help rebuild Gaza and assist its people in achieving a dignified life.

‘I want to send a clear message to decision makers, enough killing, the war must end and avenues for various aid must be opened to avoid an eminent humanitarian crisis.

‘I hope this nightmare ends quickly'.