Unsighted in Gaza

This is from Melanie Phillips who like me does not belong to the Church of England :-) Posted in here diary earlier this month.

A Palestinian Christian activist was killed this weekend in Gaza. Rami Khader Ayyad, head of the Protestant Holy Bible Society in Gaza City, had been threatened by militants who wanted him to stop selling Christian religious materials. Earlier this year, someone blew up the Society’s shop in Gaza City. The 32-year-old was abducted Saturday night, and found dead yesterday with gunshot and stab wounds, the Associated Press reports. AFP says his body, which showed signs of torture, was found by Hamas-affiliated police. ‘We will pursue anyone who is found to be involved in this case,’ the regime said in a statement. ‘We will not be merciful with those who abuse the security and stability of our people.’ Ayyad’s wife is pregnant with their third child.

As I wrote here some months ago, a campaign of ethnic cleansing by Hamas against Palestinian Christians appears to be under way in Gaza and the West Bank. So might we expect a protest from the Archbishop of Canterbury? If we turn to his website, we do indeed find him speaking out robustly about the plight of Christians… in Iraq. And guess who the culprits are? Yup, you got it in one:


Questioner: Britain and America invaded Iraq and therefore these Iraqi Christians are suffering. Is that a link that you would make?
Archbishop: I’m afraid it’s a very clear link. This is the link that’s made locally and whether justly or not, that is how it’s seen.

Not one mention of the plight of Palestinian Christians persecuted by Hamas. And as for the talk about possible American action against Iran and Syria:


Archbishop: I can only say that I regard that as criminal, ignorant and potentially murderous folly.

So heartening to find the Church of England once again displaying its moral backbone.