LONDON: Palestinian Christians have criticized the Archbishop of Canterbury for his statement on the Israel-Gaza war, accusing him of ignoring their plight due to British domestic political considerations, Western media reported on Wednesday.
Justin Welby spent four days in Jerusalem over the weekend to express solidarity with the Christian community in the area after Israel bombed the Anglican-run Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza.
Before leaving the UK, Welby in a statement called for the release of hostages held by Hamas as well as allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
He also used strong words against Hamas despite the fact that the Palestinian group attacked Israel in retaliation of seventy-five years of brutality against innocent Palestinians.
However, he added Israel’s bombing on Gaza Strip is causing massive civilian casualties and suffering. He also expressed concern about running out of water, food, medical supplies and places of refuge in Gaza.
Anglican perplexed by Welby’s public statements
Anglican parishioners from the West Bank in an open letter to Welby, said that they were completely perplexed by Welby’s public statements.
In the letter they said they do not remember a single statement from their church against the well-documented crimes of the Israeli occupation that has also affected the Anglicans.
They strongly believed that their voices as Palestinian Anglicans were not being heard in Canterbury and their interests were being neglected.
They said that domestic British political considerations were more relevant to him than the accurate recognition of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and of the Anglican Palestinian community.
