US Christians Ask Biden to Restore Relations with Palestine and Demand Israel

Washington, MINA – As many as 17 churches and Christian religious institutions in the United States (US) asked President-elect Joe Biden to restore relations with Palestine and hold Israel accountable for its crimes.

In a letter they sent to Biden on Monday, they stressed the need to consider the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian territory and the Golan Heights, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The new US administration calls for respect for all parties and their participation in negotiations to achieve a fair and comprehensive peace based on international law.

Institutions and churches stress the need to reaffirm the US position on the illegality of settlements under international law and to take the necessary actions to restore and continue funding for the United Nations Relief and Works for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and its affiliated agencies operating in the West Bank, Gaza.

They also demanded that US $ 3.8 billion in annual aid to Israel not be used for violations of Palestinian children’s rights.

The institute and the church noted that during the years of President Donald Trump’s administration, some 200 bills were passed at the local parliaments in forty states aimed at criminalizing and punishing the US citizens who exercise their constitutional right to criticize and boycott Israel.

Some of the churches that signed the letter have millions of followers, including the Methodist Church, which has about eight million members in the United States and the “Presbyterian” Church with about two million members.

The composition of Palestinians also includes Christians who are Christians, including several figures such as Hanan Asrawi and Jerusalem is also the holy city of Christians. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)