The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church calls for the immediate withdrawal of all financial support from the US government to Israel.
Today as we celebrate the birth of Richard Allen, the apostle of freedom, Israel has trapped 1.6 million desperate Palestinians in the southern Gaza city called Rafah. Most of them are women and children. They have denied them access to food, water, shelter, and health care. After this torture, they plan to murder them. The United States of America will have likely paid for the weapons they use. This must not be allowed to happen.
The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church calls on the United States Government to immediately withdraw all funding and other support from Israel. Since 1954, Israel has shown a willful disregard for the human dignity of Palestinians. Since October 7, 2023, in retaliation for the brutal murder of 1139 Israeli citizens by Hamas, Israel has murdered over 28,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The United States is supporting this mass genocide. This must not be allowed to continue.
There must be an immediate and permanent ceasefire between these two communities. We call for a solution to be negotiated by genuine representatives of the people of Israel and Palestine and condemn
all violence as a means of resolving this conflict. Surely there is a grassroots solution that affirms the dignity and humanity of all God’s people in Palestine and Israel. The tools of empire, colonialism, and domination will not solve the problems they created. The cycle of violence between historically wounded peoples will not be dissolved by the creation of more wounds or through weapons of war. We remain in solidarity with Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a Palestinian Jew, and the Prince of Peace.
We weep for the suffering being inflicted upon the children of God in the Holy Land and all the earth. We cry for freedom and implore those who say they love God to demonstrate a tangible love for their neighbors. We will travail in prayer and pursue justice until freedom reigns for all.
Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Senior Bishop
Bishop Stafford J. N. Wicker, President, Council of Bishops
Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, Chair of Social Action
Bishop Francine A Brookins, Co-Chair of Social Action
Radical Discipleship 
Perhaps the religious leaders could offer a detailed solution to the ongoing conflict between the parties.
Let me ask these questions.
What was the response by the religious leaders to the “genocide” of the innocent victims of the Hamas on October 7? Was a solution offered then?
Who allowed the Hamas group to be in control of the people of Gaza? Who allowed Hamas to construct the tunnels which were located in areas in and near hospitals and other buildings where Hamas could use the people of Gaza as shields to hide behind? Surely many of the people of Gaza observed the construction of the tunnels and the transport of missiles and other weapons?
Wouldn’t that be considered as a latent genocide? How do you “negotiate” with such intentions of brutality that were ignored?
The AME bishops are offering a real solution. They are demanding that the US government order a ceasefire and stop sending billions of dollars to fund genocide. The US government actually does have the power to stop the killing. Unfortunately, your questions are framed by the perspective of the oppressors. In the Gospels, Jesus flipped the framing and prodded his disciples to view the world from the vantage point of the least of the these, those he called “blessed” – the poor, the persecuted, those who mourn and those who hunger for justice. The nation of Israel has been used by the West as a colonial outpost in “the Middle East.” For decades, the land and lives of Palestinian people have been destroyed in the process. That was before Oct 7. Since then, 30,000 Palestinians have been murdered – many more wounded and paralyzed. Responding to all of this injustice and oppression by asking “what about Hamas?” (as you do) is not congruent with the actual history of Palestine – nor with the agape love, justice and mercy that characterized the original followers of Jesus.