Indian Christian collective condemns Israel weaponizing food

Kottayam, Oct 15, 2024: As a community of partners for mutual enrichment and accompaniment, a critical voice in defense of justice, human rights and dignity and a catalyst for alternatives, we, the members of the Indian Christian Collective for Justice (ICCJ) call for permanent ceasefire in Palestine and an end to the genocide and occupation there.

We grieve the loss of all lives – Palestinians, Israelis, and others – and our hearts are broken by the images coming out of Gaza and the West Bank. With the illegal settlements in the West Bank, Israel has led to the cutting down Palestinians’ ties to their land. We recognize the pain and anger of our Palestinian brothers and sisters by the occupation of their land, and we are deeply sorrowful at the increasingly horrific and inhuman conditions in Gaza.

We condemn Israel’s cruel blockade of humanitarian aid and relief that has led to widespread starvation and epidemics in Palestine, particularly in Gaza. As a collective committed to seeking justice both within the Church and in the wider society, ICCJ condemns Israel’s weaponizing of food and water. With almost total control of what can go in and out of Gaza, Israel has caused a great shortage of water and large-scale starvation. The billions of dollars funding Israel’s genocidal attacks on Palestinians could be redirected to provide clean drinking water and food for communities most targeted by this cycle of violence.

We realize that the economic and political vested interests of some of the powerful nations of the Global North – especially of the U.S. – have sustained Israel’s warfare on Gaza and the carnage of the Palestinians. We call upon these nations to desist from supporting this oppressive regime and join the rest of the world in calling for a just and peaceful system of two nations. Additionally, we have seen Israel’s incursions into Lebanon and other nations in the region threatening a global war which we strongly condemn.

We are also alarmed and pained by the continuing silence of India to the genocide and human tragedy in Palestine, especially Gaza. It is a fact India had a glorious past of supporting freedom movements in Palestine as also in South Africa, and in other nations. This reality draws our attention to the apathy of our leaders to the struggles of the people of Palestine and in India, especially in Manipur to live with security and dignity. We call upon our authorities to be sensitive to the cries for peace and justice, both in India and outside.

Further, we express our deep disappointment and concern at the Indian churches, of which we are a part, for their reluctance to support the struggles of the people in the Middle East for their human rights. Worse still, our churches have allowed the promotion of Zionist thinking, Islamophobia and ‘dispensational eschatology’ among Indian Christians, in the process pushing the ordinary Christians to assume positions that are incompatible with the spirit of the gospel of liberation preached by Jesus. We urge the Indian churches to realize their prophetic mission of standing for the oppressed and the marginalized, in Palestine, Manipur and other such places and to pray and act accordingly.

As a collective of Christians – activists, social scientists, academics, writers, artists, church workers, youth and students and all such who are engaged in actions, advocacy, study and writing to uphold and promote values that are crucial for a just, free and inclusive society – we call on the Indian state and church to shed their apathy and come out decisively in defense of the rights of the people in Palestine and in Manipur and in other places.

We urge the churches to raise their prophetic voices and hold the authorities accountable for their support of the ongoing atrocities, address the root causes of injustice, and challenge those who seek to maintain the status quo and to protect corporate profits. We reiterate our commitment to challenge, enable and accompany churches, faith communities, and ecumenical institutions to respond to the prophetic call to seek justice and to uphold dignity and freedom for all.