Christians support Palestinian bid to full statehood

An alliance of churches and Christian organisations in India is supporting the Palestinian bid to seek full statehood at the United Nations.

The Indian Solidarity Ecumenical Network - Kairos Palestine (ISEN-KP) said it strongly endorsed the communiqué of the patriarchs and heads of local Christian churches in Jerusalem in anticipation of the impending vote at the United Nations general Assembly in their bid for Palestinian statehood.

The ISEN-KP joined the call of churches in Jerusalem for "prayers and diplomatic efforts for peace between Palestinians and Israelis" seeing "this as the most appropriate time for such an opportunity".

Members of the ISEN-KP alliance include the National Council of Churches, Young Women's Christian Association, National Council of YMCA's, Student Christian Movement, Catholic Bishops' Conference and Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society (CISRS).

In a statement, the ISEN-KP said it prayed decision makers and people of good will "do their utmost to achieve the long awaited justice, peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians so that the prophecy of Prophet David is lived again".

"In the context of a rapidly deteriorating situation for Palestinians in the wake of a brutal and relentless occupation, the ISEN-KP joins the struggle for a just peace based on an urgent dialogue involving all parties to the conflict taking into account UN resolutions and the Geneva conventions as applicable to the rights and responsibilities of the affected people," the statement said.

The ISEN-KP reaffirmed the conviction expressed by Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) that "non-violence and rigorous dialogue between people, regardless of religious affiliation, are the pillars around which peace, justice, and reconciliation can originate in the region".

It called on all member churches and organisations of the ISEN-KP to join in prayer and other forms of solidarity along with global ecumenical family to bring about a just and lasting settlement to the long drawn Arab-Israeli conflict.

"Israelis and Palestinians must live each in their own independent states with peace, security and justice, respecting human rights, according to international law. Negotiations are the best way to resolve all outstanding problems between the two sides," the alliance maintained.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas went to the United Nations this past week to request an official recognition of Palestine as an independent state with full status at the UN.

The majority of Christians and church leaders in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip support the Palestinian bid to seek full statehood at the United Nations.