Press release -

​Statement: Great concern about deeper divisions following Trump’s initiative

Along with many others, including the heads of local churches in Jerusalem, we express deep concern today over President Trump’s plans to unilaterally change the status of Jerusalem by recognising it as the Israeli capital and moving the U.S. embassy to that city. We support maintaining the status of Jerusalem as an open city, shared between two peoples and three religions, where access to sacred sites is assured – in accordance with international agreements. The peace we all seek and yearn for must be based on solutions negotiated by the parties to the conflict and based on international law.

There is an imminent danger that Trump’s initiative will lead to further divisions and violence; not only in Jerusalem but throughout the region, making it impossible to find a peaceful solution for Israel and Palestine.

When unrest and violence increase in this region, it is primarily ordinary people who suffer. Many of these people are already living in vulnerable situations. We empathise with the anguish that our partners in Jerusalem live with.

We are now approaching Christmas, with its message of peace and our prayer is:

God of hope, we come to you in our quest for a just peace.

Let hatred be turned into love, fear into trust, despair into hope, repression into freedom.

Antje Jackelén
Archbishop of the Church of Sweden

Erik Lysén
Head of the International Policy Unit at the Church of Sweden

Topics

  • International

Categories

  • church of sweden
  • peace
  • american embassy
  • usa
  • trump
  • jerusalem
  • erik lysén
  • antje jackelén
  • archbishop

Contacts

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