Christians in Israel ‘discriminated against and marginalised’, bishops say

Bishops from the United Kingdom and Ireland have condemned the plight of Christians in Palestine, warning that “the misery of occupation” has been made worse by cuts to humanitarian funding by the US government, writes Liz Dodd.

On their return from a week visiting Christians in Israel and Palestine, members of the Holy Land Coordination group warned: “Health care, education and other basic services for refugees are being increasingly threatened, exacerbating the ongoing violations of their fundamental human dignity.”

The group, which included Bishops Declan Lang and William Kenney from England and Wales, Bishop William Nolan from Scotland, and Bishops Alan McGuckian and Noel Treanor from Ireland, called for a democratic, two-state solution whereby sovereign states of Israel and Palestine could exist in peace.

“We call upon our own governments to help meet the funding gaps now faced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and redouble their efforts towards a diplomatic solution,” they said in a statement.

The focus of the annual pilgrimage this year was the plight of Christians who live in Israel, a group that the bishops warned was “systematically discriminated against and marginalised”.

Passed in July, the “nation state” law, which stipulates only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country, creates a “constitutional and legal basis for discrimination against minorities, undermining the ideals of equality, justice and democracy”, the bishops said, calling for Christians to be recognised as “full citizens”.

Bishop Nolan called on Scottish Catholics to visit the Holy Land to help beleaguered Christian communities there, many of which are dependent on pilgrims and tourism.