Cardinal: End Gaza War Crimes!

Recent events in Gaza and the West Bank “lends credence to the claim that what is happening is genocidal and ethnic cleansing”, perpetrated by the state of Israel, Cardinal Stephen Brislin told an interreligious Pilgrimage for Ceasefire in Gaza in Cape Town.

The pilgrimage took participants from Simon’s Town to the city centre, with stops along the route for prayer. Leaders included Fr Peter-John Pearson and Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.

Cardinal Brislin could not take part due to prior engagements in the Eastern Cape. In a message to the pilgrimage, the cardinal sends his “prayers, thoughts and solidarity”.

He said that having the pilgrimage on Human Rights Day “highlights the horror of what is happening in the Holy Land as the entire population of Gaza is being starved and deprived of water and medical supplies in an act of collective punishment, while they continue to suffer a relentless bombardment which began six months ago”.

He also noted that attacks “are occurring in the occupied West Bank”.

“The situation of Gaza, the attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as the recent announcement of a new Israeli settlement being planned on Palestinian territory, lends credence to the claim that what is happening is genocidal and ethnic cleansing,” Cardinal Brislin said.

The cardinal has visited Israel, Gaza and the West Bank on numerous occasions as part of an international group of Catholic bishops called the Holy Land Coordination, which intends to foster dialogue and show solidarity with Christians of the region.  In December he condemned the killing by Israeli snipers of two Catholic women at a Catholic church in Gaza.

Israel has conducted airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since an October 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, which resulted in the loss of about 1200 lives. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with over 30000 residents killed by bombs and snipers, and 85% of the population displaced. Acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine exacerbate the crisis. According to the United Nations, 60% of the territory’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January, issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to cease genocidal acts and ensure humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza.

“As Church, we believe in peace, we pray for peace and we work for peace – a peace that is founded on justice and equality for all,” Cardinal Brislin.

“We condemn all violence meted out against civilians, especially the most vulnerable such as women and children,” he said.

“All those who are responsible for targeting civilians, and for other war crimes, must be held accountable for their actions. We appeal for the release of all hostages held by whichever side and in whatever situation they are being held hostage, and we call for an immediate ceasefire,” the cardinal said.

He pleaded with countries and governments that have influence on Israel “to take the necessary concrete actions to ensure that a lasting ceasefire is accomplished”.

He reminded the participants in the Pilgrimage for Ceasefire that its aim “is to promote peace and to promote respect for human rights of all people without discrimination. We cannot be silent, and we join our voices with the millions of people throughout the world who are calling for an end to this terror.”