A statement of the German Bishops’ Conference on the plans of the Israeli government to annex parts of the West Bank
(Bonn, June 19th 2020) Since the Israeli government has announced plans to annex parts of the West Bank from first of July 2020, the chairman of the Commission of World Church Affairs of the German Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Dr Ludwig Schick (Bamberg), and the chairman of the working group “Near and Middle East”, Auxiliary Bishop Dr Udo Bentz, have expressed their solidarity with the patriarchs and church leaders of Jerusalem: In an appeal of May 7th 2020, these leaders had called upon the United Nations, the Russian Federation, the European Union and the USA to respond to the unilateral annexation plans with a joint, time-delimited and phased peace initiative in accordance with international law. “Only through joint efforts will a comprehensive, just and long-lasting peace be built in this part of the world, that is considered holy by the three Abrahamic Faiths,” declared Archbishop Schick.
Auxiliary Bishop Bentz expressed his fears about Israel’s announcement that it would unilaterally implement the annexation of large parts of the West Bank. “I am deeply concerned about the consequences for the entire region of such unilateral steps by the Israeli government,” said Auxiliary Bishop Bentz. “I appeal to the German government to continue all its’ efforts to ensure that binding international agreements and the corresponding UN resolutions are observed.” Bishop Bentz pointed out that only recently the Holy See once again declared respect for international law to be an indispensable prerequisite for both peoples to live side by side in two states whose borders were internationally recognized before 1967.
Archbishop Dr. Ludwig Schick identified of great tensions and insecurity which increase in the Holy Land also in the churches. Many bishops from the region place their hope in the leaders of the European Union. Church leaders expect the EU to use all political opportunities to dissuade the government of Israel from the annexation plans – which the European states also consider to be contrary to international law. “I worry about a further destabilization of the region. I am convinced that this will create new obstacles to a just peace between the parties. The danger that a two-state solution will vanish would considerably increase,” explained Archbishop Schick.
Archbishop Schick and Auxiliary Bishop Bentz jointly pointed at the situation of Christians. If Israel were to implement its plans from 1 July 2020, the Arab Christians in the region would be threatened once again to be caught between the fronts. “In a confrontation that is increasingly religiously charged, they will hardly have the chance to assert mediating positions. Instead, radical forces on all sides will be strengthened. This is not in our interest as Christians; in the end, it can’t be in anyone’s interest”.
Source: German Bishops’ Conference