Washington, DC – Three Quaker organizations that focus on international policy said today that they oppose the threatened annexation of the West Bank by Israel and called for such plans to be abandoned. Mounting reports indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government could annex the West Bank starting July 1.
As organizations that are part of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) we are deeply concerned about the threatened Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank. Such an action would violate international law, formalize land theft, further entrench inequalities and the denial of Palestinian rights, intensify human suffering, and make realizing a just and lasting peace more difficult.
As a faith-based organization with a long history of advocating for peace in the Middle East, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) opposes Israel’s proposed annexation of Palestinian territory. We call on Congress to declare it will not recognize a unilateral assertion of Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian lands and that such annexation will irreparably harm the U.S.-Israel relationship.
On the heels of the Israeli election and with the U.S. Administration preparing to release the political component of its peace plan for Israel/Palestine, 22 Christian leaders, including FCNL Executive Secretary Diane Randall, wrote to President Trump outlining their recommendations for U.S. policies that would help bring about a just and lasting end to the conflict in Israel-Palestine.
In a month filled with foreign policy lobbying successes – on ending the war with Iraq, preventing war with Iran, halting U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, blocking funds for dangerous new nuclear weapons, and addressing climate change, among other areas – Israel-Palestine stands out as a conspicuous exception.
Following President Donald Trump’s declaration recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, FCNL joined nine other faith organizations in issuing the following statement.
Stay informed and stay active