70 yeas since the Nakba
Ecumenical statement by 14 U.S. denominations 70 years since the 
establishment of the State of Israel and the Palestinian Nakba
“In times when lawlessness and wickedness triumph, the gospel makes itself known,” wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In support of the March of Return on the Gaza border and in solidarity with the people of Palestine on the 70th commemoration of the Nakba, 14 U.S. Christian denominations have issued a prophetic statement of faith, confession, and commitment to action. From the statement:
“For us as US churches and ecumenical organizations, the reality of life is repeatedly and consistently shared with us by our closest partners, the Palestinian Christians, their churches, and institutions. Their voices echo that of the broader Palestinian society. They speak with authenticity and honesty of the deplorable conditions of occupation and inequality in which they live; they yearn with great hope for a day when they will know the justice that is promised for them; they pray fervently for peace and for an end to the conflict, occupation, and dispossession; and they call out with clarity for people of conscience, particularly the global church and people of faith, to take action in support of their calls.
We know that our own government’s seemingly unqualified and unquestioning support for Israel is a significant enabling factor for Israel’s continuing and repeated violations of international conventions and laws. The US’s unequaled military aid to Israel, its regular defense of Israel in diplomatic arenas, especially the UN Security Council, national and state efforts to criminalize the use of economic measures as a moral act, US support for the blockade of Gaza, and the move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, are but some of the ways the US has acted without regard to Palestinian rights.”
The tide is turning, and, as it has in the past when the forces of racism and state violence have appeared to overwhelm the imperative for justice, the church has responded. Now as in other times of crisis in human affairs, the church is leading the way in the struggle for equality and compassion.
Read the full statement: