Palestinians walk amid the rubble following Israeli airstrikes that razed swaths of a neighborhood in Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
In a bold move, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church has issued a call for the U.S. to halt all funding and support to Israel, citing what it describes as a “mass genocide” being perpetrated against Palestinians. This statement, released by the Council of Bishops of the AME Church, marks a significant stance against Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The bishops of the AME Church did not mince words, accusing Israel of denying Palestinians access to basic necessities such as food, water, shelter, and healthcare. They further alleged that Israel’s intentions go beyond mere deprivation, claiming that the ultimate goal is to “murder them” after subjecting them to torture, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The bishops charge that Israel is denying Palestinians “access to food, water, shelter, and health care” and said that “after this torture, they plan to murder them.”
This call for the cessation of American assistance to Israel is unprecedented coming from the AME Church, one of the oldest Black church denominations in the country. The timing of the statement, released on the birthday of Richard Allen, the enslaved person who founded the AME Church in 1787 after purchasing his freedom, adds historical weight to the message. The bishops referenced figures provided by the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry, which claim that Israel has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, since the start of the conflict. They condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which they described as a four-month onslaught involving attacks by air, land, and sea, Forward, a newsletter for American Jews, reported.
“We remain in solidarity with Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a Palestinian Jew,” the bishops wrote.
The statement added, “There must be an immediate and permanent ceasefire between these two communities. Surely there is a grassroots solution that affirms the dignity and humanity of all God’s people in Palestine and Israel. The tools of empire, colonialism, and domination will not solve the problems they created.”
They continued, “The cycle of violence between historically wounded peoples will not be dissolved by the creation of more wounds or through weapons of war. We remain in solidarity with Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a Palestinian Jew, and the Prince of Peace.”
The letter was signed by: Senior Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Bishop Stafford J. N. Wicker, president of the Council of Bishops, and the organization’s two social action chairs, Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield and Bishop Francine A. Brookins.
Palestinians walk amid the rubble following Israeli airstrikes that razed swaths of a neighborhood in Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
