D056 Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,
That the 81st General Convention decries the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and the attacks of October 7th by Hamas against Israeli civilians; and be it further
Resolved, That we also lament the ongoing complicity of the United States, of which many of us are citizens, in the continuing devastation in Gaza, and we accept the call of Christ to be makers of peace in the midst of a culture that encourages violence and war; and be it further
Resolved, That the presiding officers set aside a specific day in the upcoming year as a day of fasting, prayer, and mourning for the lives lost in Israel/Palestine in this genocide; and be it further
Resolved, That all members of this church are urged to contact their elected representatives in Congress to ask for a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and that materials for such an ask be made available by the Episcopal Public Policy Network; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of this church ask their elected representatives to call for a moratorium on offensive arms sales or transfers to Israel until such time as Israel comes into compliance with settled international law regarding territorial expansion by force; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of this church are asked to pray and work for a just and equitable peace until such day when that peace arrives, through the help of the God who created all of us.
Explanation
The world watched with horror the unfolding events of October, 2023—first the terrorizing attack by Hamas on Israel, which killed 1,200 people, and then the brutal retaliation by Israel on the people of Gaza. In the ensuing bombardment by Israel, as of June 3, at least 36, 479 Palestinians have been killed, according to al-Jazeera, with an estimated 10,000 additional people missing in the rubble. The devastation is compounded by the ongoing blockade of aide to Gaza—Israel has not allowed water or electricity into the area since the start of the siege, and because Israel has also severely limited the flow of food into the region, starvation is now also a real danger as well.
Along with our clear responsibility to our Anglican sisters and brothers in Palestine, who share with us in the family of the Anglican Communion, we have a deeper call as Christians to stand against the crimes of mass starvation, collective punishment, and the sort of destruction we are witnessing in Gaza, simply because they, like us, are children of God. It is never right to use starvation as a weapon of war. It is never right to use collective punishment against a civilian population, even after suffering a terrorist attack. We have a special responsibility here because so many Episcopalians are US citizens, and therefore are complicit with the actions of our government—the primary ally of Israel on the world stage. Therefore, this resolution calls us as Christians to take action, both prayerfully and concretely, to end the genocide in Gaza.