World Council of Churches Calls for Ecumenical Response to Middle East Crisis

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, has issued an urgent call for a comprehensive ecumenical response to bring about long-term peace in the Middle East.

The statement was given during the WCC Central Committee meeting currently taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

Kobia proposed the establishment of a Palestine/Israel Ecumenical Forum that will provide a space for coordination of advocacy based on "moral and theological principles" and "translate recommendations into actions that influence the political process".

He said, "We need further analysis and deeper engagement on complex issues — such as the 'right of return', Israel's legitimate security concerns and its full recognition within mutually agreeable borders — topics which have impeded previous peace processes."