The General Assembly condemns resumption of war in Gaza

The Church of Scotland has written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP to ask him to ensure the UK Government does all it can to help permanently end the war in Gaza.

Last month, the General Assembly condemned the resumption of the war on Gaza, the blockade of food and humanitarian aid, the ongoing forcible displacement of Gazans and the continued holding of hostages.

Read the letter below (or here)

Dear Foreign Secretary

We write as the Israel Palestine Committee of the Church of Scotland, and on behalf of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which met during the week of the 19th May. The Church of Scotland regularly prays for our leaders and representatives as they continue to do what they can to work for a world which gives justice with peace to all peoples.

The Church of Scotland has a long term presence in Israel – through our two churches led by Mission Partners from Scotland, a school, and two hotels. We have close partnerships with other organisations in Israel and Palestine who hold the same objectives of peace, justice and human rights for all peoples.

At the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May we heard an address by Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Archbishop in Jerusalem for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East which is one of our Partner Churches. The Assembly spoke out condemning the resumption of the war on Gaza, the blockade of food and aid, the ongoing forced displacement of Gazans, and the continued holding of hostages. We were instructed as follows:

• Advocate to the Government of the UK that it must exert all efforts towards the upholding of International Humanitarian Law, the establishment of a ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade on food and humanitarian aid, and the release of the remaining hostages.

• Renew the call to the Government (as we did in August 2024) to stop granting export licences for the sale of weapons to Israel.

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Previous General Assemblies have repeatedly and strongly urged the UK Government to recognise without delay the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, as a contribution to securing lasting peace and justice for all. We ask again that you do this, and join the 147 other UN member states that do so. Without this tangible recognition of the right of self determination for the Palestinian people, calls by the UK Government for a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution are hollow.

We were glad to read the joint statement from leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank that was published on 19 May. We welcomed the acknowledgement that the minimal food now being let into Gaza is wholly inadequate, and that you oppose the expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza.

However, the indication that the actions of the Israeli state in Gaza only ‘risks breaking International Humanitarian Law' appears to not go far enough. There is clear evidence of mass killings of civilians, of mass forced hunger, of mass forced displacement. Pressure from the UK Government, in collaboration with that from other countries, for the resumption of sufficient and properly administered humanitarian aid, and a permanent ceasefire, is absolutely vital to prevent further suffering by the people of Gaza, and to enable the hostages still held in Gaza to be released.

We further call on the UK Government to suspend all arms export licenses to Israel. Recent statistics have shown that in the 4th quarter of 2024, despite a partial arms export ban, licenses for £127.6m of military equipment to Israel were approved. This seems a glaring contradiction, when held against your statement on the 20th May that denounced Israel's actions as "morally unjustifiable… and wholly disproportionate." Continuing to grant these licenses makes the UK complicit in Israel's ongoing violations of international law.

We welcomed the reference in the joint statement to the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, especially considering the recent approval by Israel of another 22 illegal settlements. Delegates on a recent ecumenical solidarity visit to Israel Palestine visited Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank, met with residents of the villages, and heard first hand of the enormous pressures they are under from the actions of illegal settlers.

Harassment, demolitions, and violent attacks on people and property are an almost daily occurrence. We urge the UK Government to impose further sanctions, and for these to be levied against those organisations operating illegally in the West Bank – not just individuals.

We firmly believe that a permanent ceasefire, an end to the suffering of Gazans, and the end of the 58 year occupation of the West Bank, will bring about the sustainable peace that both Palestinians and Israelis desire.

We would be happy to meet with you or your colleagues to talk further about our work in Israel and to share some of our experience.

We look forward to hearing from you with a response to this letter, which we can share with our members.

Yours sincerely.

Michael Yuille (Convener) Rev Alistair Cumming (Vice-Convener)Israel Palestine Committee.Church of Scotland.