wfn.org | British churches condemn Israeli occupation

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Contact:  Bishop Riah Abu Al-Assal
Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and Middle East
St. George's Cathedral
20 Nablus Road
Jerusalem
972.02.627-1670
970.02.627-3847 fax

    JERUSALEM, March 17, 2002--Word reached the Christians of the Holy Land 
today of the support of the British Council of Churches.  

    The support came as the ecumenical body in Great Britain demanded an end 
to Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, where most of the churches 
in the Holy Land are located.

    Representatives of English and Irish Catholic and Protestant bodies 
called on the international community to work in order to end the Israeli 
occupation of the Arab territories. 
                            
    The full text of the British announcement is as follows:

    Heads of the British churches on Friday (15 March) expressed their 
support to the calls which demand Israel end its occupation of the Arab 
territories it occupied since 1967. 

    This was expressed in conclusion of a conference which was attended by 
more than 300 delegates representing the British and Irish churches.  The 
conferees sent messages to this effect to their counterparts in the region.

    The signatories of these messages expressed their sympathy with the 
Palestinians who live under the Israeli occupation and called on the 
international community to work in order to end the Israeli occupation of the 
Arab territories. 

The conferees vowed to continue work in order to achieve peace and justice in 
the region."

The delegations which took part in the conference represented the Catholic 
Church, and the Anglican, Irish and Methodist Churches.
              
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