The future of Gaza
“the earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Rabbis for Human Rights, join the calls for a just and peaceful future for Gaza. And there is a spark of hope ignited by Israel’s Supreme Court.
The WCC released a Statement on 5 February 2025 expressing the view that the statements made by President Trump regarding the US plans for the future of Gaza as being, “tantamount to proposing full-scale ethnic cleansing…”
In the Statement, WCC general secretary Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, calls on President Trump to follow international law for a just peace in Gaza. Rev Pillay refers to President Trump’s proposal as a “blatant disregard of the fundamental rights of the people of Gaza who have struggled and suffered for so many decades.”
The WCC would like all people of faith to stand against any plans or actions that could be considered a violation of human dignity and international law.
“We urge churches and Christian communities worldwide to raise their voices in defence of justice, to advocate for the protection of Palestinian lives and rights, and to press their governments to reject any proposal that facilitates ethnic cleansing and permanent occupation…
We affirm that peace cannot be built on the dispossession and suffering of an entire people but must be rooted in justice, dignity, and the fundamental rights of all. ”
Further reading
WCC calls on President Trump to follow international law for a just peace in Gaza | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org) |5 February 2025
Read the full statement WCC Statement on the future of Gaza | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org) |5 February 2025
Rabbis for Human Rights
“We want to slowly rehabilitate our path towards a just and peaceful future”
Anton Goodman is director of Partnerships for Rabbis for Human Rights. He took time to reflect on how and why Rabbis for Human Rights values its partnership with the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel; the challenges ahead; and ultimately the vision for a just and peaceful future.
Read: Rabbis for Human Rights: “We want to slowly rehabilitate our path towards a just and peaceful future” | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org) | 30 January 2025
Israel’s Supreme Court decision
WCC welcomes decision by Israel’s Supreme Court as a sign of hope | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org) |6 February 2025
“It shows that there is hope for a better future, and that humanity’s shared values can prevail,” Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay