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Gaza

 

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DEC Gaza Crisis Appeal

 

The six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in place since 19 June 2008, formally ended on 19 December 2008. The inability to reach a consensus on the terms of a new ceasefire led to an outbreak of armed hostilities between Israel and Hamas on 27 December. On 18 January 2009 a ceasefire in Gaza was announced.

 

Although reliable figures are hard to obtain, the UK Department for International Development holds that three weeks of intense fighting have left 1,300 Palestinians dead and 5,300 Palestinians injured, as well as 13 Israelis - nine soldiers and four civilians - dead, with 84 Israelis injured. The cost of reconstruction in Gaza is estimated at over US$2billion.

 

The conflict provoked sharp and intense public and political debate. The following statements are representative of the Church's contribution to this debate:

 

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement on Gaza, 31 December 2008

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2076

 

The Archbishop of York’s statement on Gaza, 16 January 2008

http://www.archbishopofyork.org/2128

 

The statement by Imam Dr Musharraf Hussain and The Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham, Co-Chairs of the 'Christian Muslim Forum' is available at: http://www.christianmuslimforum.org/subpage.asp?id=325

 

The statement by The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, Chair of the 'Council of Christians and Jews' is available at: http://www.ccj.org.uk

 

The statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of Church in Jerusalem is available at: http://www.lpj.org/newsite2006/news/2008/12/gaza-message-en-headschrches2008.html

 

The statement by the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem about Al Ahli Arab Hospital is available at: http://www.j-diocese.org/newsdetail.php?id=3386

 

The Bishop of Chelmsford’s question on Gaza in the House of Lords

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90112-0004.htm#0901126000391

 

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd John Gladwin, asked a supplementary to a question on Israel and Gaza in the House of Lords on January 20. The full text can be found in context at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90120-0002.htm#09012033000156

 

The Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, spoke in the House of Lords on January 21 in response to the Government statement on Gaza. The full text can be found in context at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90121-0010.htm#09012187000229

 

The Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd John Saxbee, asked a supplementary to a question from Lord Faulkner in the House of Lords (Jan 28) on the BBC and the Disasters Emergency Committee Broadcast. The full text can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90128-0002.htm#09012856000282

 

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev John Gladwin, spoke in a 'motion to take note on Gaza' in the House of Lords on Friday (6 Feb). The full text can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90206-0002.htm#09020644000513