The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has voiced its support for an independent Palestinian state as MPs were expected to vote on a motion on whether or not Britain should recognise such a territory before a peace settlement with Israel is reached.
A statement issued today and signed by the chairman of the bishops’ department of international affairs, Declan Lang, and the Church of England’s Lead Bishop for Foreign Affairs, Christopher Cocksworth, said that such a move was long overdue, and would help, not hinder, Israeli-Palestinian talks in the establishment of a new “sovereign state created next to a secure Israel”.
“At a time of great uncertainty in the Middle East and North Africa, we hold that it is the reasonable aspiration of all peoples to belong to a state and enjoy the merits of full and active citizenship on their own lands. We equally believe that the right of Palestinians for such statehood has been long overdue.
“Given the benchmarks established by international law and universal legitimacy, and in light of the support offered by the Christian Church in the Holy Land, we believe Palestinians should also have a state that they can at long last call home. Such a principled recognition by our Parliament and Government will facilitate rather than hamper the negotiations that would inevitably follow between Israelis and Palestinians to agree upon the details of this new and sovereign state created next to a secure Israel.
"Peace needs a bold vision.”
Britain’s current policy states that Britain “reserves the right to recognise a Palestinian state bilaterally at the moment of our choosing and when it can best help bring about peace.”
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