WORLD Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, the Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, has described the Gaza proposal of US President Trump as ‘tantamount to proposing full-scale ethnic cleansing and neo-colonisation of the homeland of the two million Palestinians of Gaza’.

Pillay noted that the proposal violates every applicable principle of international humanitarian and human rights law, flouts decades of efforts by the international community – including by the USA – for a just and sustainable peace for the peoples of the region, and would if implemented constitute multiple international crimes of the most serious kind. He said: “The standing of the United States of America as a responsible member of the international community has been gravely diminished by the proposal itself, not to speak of any actual implementation thereof.”.

In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 4, President Trump said the United States “will take over” the Gaza Strip – possibly with the help of American troops – while the Palestinians who live there should leave. “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too,” said President Trump. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings,” he said, describing his vision for the area as a new ‘Riviera’.

“Coming after so many months of unrestrained violence, death, destruction, and displacement inflicted on the population of Gaza by Israeli armed forces, supported by the USA, this proposal for the ethnic cleansing of the territory unveils the unconscionable end goal of this conflict, long sought by extremist elements in Israeli politics and society,” said Pillay. “President Trump’s proposal is in blatant disregard of the fundamental rights of the people of Gaza who have struggled and suffered for so many decades.

“The World Council of Churches calls on President Trump to reconsider this disgraceful proposal, and to respect international law and equal human dignity and rights of the people of Gaza. Further, the WCC calls on all people of faith and good will to stand against this egregious violation of human dignity and international law.”

Separately, the Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem issued a humanitarian plea for Gaza on February 14, calling for the release of captives from both sides and ‘immediate unfettered humanitarian to those in desperate need’.

“May the God of mercy strengthen the afflicted, soften the hearts of those who hold power, and bring forth a peace that upholds justice, preserves human dignity, and safeguards the presence of all people in the land to which they belong,” they wrote.

(WCC)