The Bishops of the Diocese of North Carolina Respond to Ongoing Violence in Israel and Palestine

When reports first surfaced of the weekend’s attacks in Israel, we joined the world in our shock and deep grief at the bloodshed unequaled in recent years. They are feelings that remain unabated as events continue to unfold. We mourn the loss of life, the trauma, and the displacement and destruction. As people of faith, who stand always with the vulnerable and the suffering, we must speak for the values of justice, mercy, peace and commitment to nonviolence as a mark of the beloved community.

We condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israeli citizens, which violate our deepest religious and human values as well as customary international law. Nothing justifies this kind of violence.

We condemn the taking of hostages, a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

We condemn antisemitism in any place or form.

We condemn all war crimes and acts of violence against civilians, particularly the vulnerable, young and old. All parties to this conflict must abide by customary international agreements of conflict, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions.

We condemn the use of collective punishment and total siege, denying electricity, food and water to all of Gaza, all of which harm noncombatants.

We call for the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow aid to hospitals and travel by relief agencies as well as a way for noncombatants, including women and thousands of children, to leave Gaza.

We call for an end to all dehumanizing rhetoric, and an end to the pursuit of violent retribution by all parties.

We call instead for the long, hard work of truth and accountability, reconciliation and the building of a just and peaceful world.

We join with the heads of churches in Jerusalem in their “fervent hope and prayer that all parties involved will heed [the] call for an immediate cessation of violence. We implore political leaders and authorities to engage in sincere dialogue, seeking lasting solutions that promote justice, peace, and reconciliation for the people of this land, who have endured the burdens of conflict for far too long.”

The offering of prayers is often minimized during a time like this, but it’s a mistake to discount them. There is power in prayer. Prayer can change human hearts and provide “a way where there is no way.”

We pray for all of the innocent civilians, both Israeli and Palestinian, whose lives are at risk, and who are suffering and living with the consequences of political decisions. We pray that those with the power to make those decisions will seek a path to peace.

Above all, we lift up our prayers for justice, mercy, peace and an end to all violence. We call upon you to join us as we pray:

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit
may so move every human heart,
and especially the hearts of the people
of the lands of Israel and Palestine,
that barriers which divide them may crumble,
suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease;
that their divisions being healed,
they may live in justice and peace. Amen.

Faithfully,

Bishop Sam Rodman and Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson