A statement on the violence in the Middle East

We mourn the tragic loss of life in the Middle East over the past year. Even in the light of the suffering of Gazans over so many years, the extreme attack by Hamas militants on civilians in Israel on October 7th, causing the single biggest loss of life to the Jewish community since the Holocaust, is horrifying.

The abduction of women and men to be held as hostages substantially increases fear and suffering within the population of Israel.

The Government of Israel’s chosen response has seen the deaths of over 40,000 people in Gaza. Schools, universities, houses, water systems have been targeted and whole areas of Gaza reduced to rubble. Religious and cultural buildings, tower blocks, houses and a university have been blown up after they have been evacuated.

The physical devastation is so extensive it is difficult to imagine how a community could be rebuilt in the future.

The physical and emotional trauma of the people of Gaza is also profound. So many have been physically injured or are grieving for lost family members. In the West Bank the expulsion of Palestinians from houses and neighbourhoods has increased.

These actions on the part of the Government of Israel do not appear consistent with an intention to establish a future peaceful settlement. Rather they are likely to convince a new generation of Palestinians that Israel is their enemy.

In recent days we have witnessed the deadliest attacks in Lebanon for many years. Somehow the cycle of violence must be halted.

We trust that on both sides there are many who, while increasingly fearful, nevertheless desire political accommodation over conflict.

Our prayers are for a viable future for Israelis and Palestinians; a future that is respectful of another’s dignity and that turns in a markedly different direction to the violence of the past year.

We are convinced that such a future is only likely to be realised with the principled involvement of the wider international community.

The Revd Helen Cameron
President of the Methodist Conference

Carolyn Godfrey
Vice-President of the Methodist Conference