Churches Against Annexation
Israel is considering whether to annex large parts of the West Bank, with the U.S. government supporting and coordinating the annexation. What does this mean? How will this impact the daily lives of Palestinians and the prospect for peace?
Read more and scroll down for opportunities to get involved.
- Under President Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan, Israel would annex some 30 percent of the West Bank, then negotiate with Palestinians about the future of the rest if they meet various criteria set by Israel and the U.S.
- Specifically, Israel would annex all or part of Area C, some 60 percent of the West Bank, while leaving Areas A and B to Palestinians. The peace process since Oslo set up an Area A of major Palestinian cities, Area B of smaller Palestinian towns, and Area C as mostly Palestinian villages and farmland, but also Israel’s settlements and military bases.
- The purpose is to annex as many Israeli settlements and land, and as few Palestinian residents, as possible. The overwhelming majority of Palestinians would be left in Areas A and B. Around 2.6 million people, not being annexed, would have no rights in Israel. No citizenship and no other rights either, as they would be foreigners. These leftover Areas A and B would be an archipelago of non-contiguous bantustans, spread around only 40 percent of the West Bank’s land.
- Without that contiguity, without any link to the outside world save through Israel, and without the other 60 percent of their land, this vast majority of West Bank Palestinians would be condemned to destitution. Eventual statehood for those millions is not guaranteed in Trump’s plan or Israel’s, and it would be a failed state economically anyway.
- The far fewer 10-15 percent of West Bank Palestinians now living in Area C, still hundreds of thousands, would have other problems. Domestic Israeli law would allow broader confiscation of their lands, much like land has been confiscated in annexed East Jerusalem. It is unclear whether Israel would offer them citizenship, but with or without it they would be discriminated against as the Arab citizens of Israel, and permanent residents in East Jerusalem, already are.
- Area C annexation is not a viable or just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel’s settlers would certainly gain more control over their own lives. Palestinians would have even less control than they have now. Their social, economic and cultural ties would be broken up, and movement between Palestinian areas would become even more difficult than today. Oppression would be the certainty for West Bank Palestinians, as Israelis keep control of many aspects of their lives whether annexed inside Israel or left outside Israel (as in Gaza).
CMEP’s executive director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon says, “As Christians, we cannot support unilateral annexation; because peace must be negotiated between the parties directly involved – Israelis and Palestinians. As Americans, we believe the U.S. must neither foot the bill for annexation, nor provide diplomatic cover for it.”
Sign Our Statement Opposing Annexation
Tell Congress:Support H.R. 8050
Continue to Speak Out Against Annexation
Palestinian Voices: Annexation and its impact on the Christian Community in Israel/Palestine
- For this first webinar, we were thrilled to hear from Rev. Isaac and Father Khader, who recently co-authored a powerful op-ed in Haaretz on the devastating impact annexation will have for the future of the Christian community in Palestine. Learn more about how Christian leaders in Palestine are responding to the possibility of annexation.
Why should Christians in the pews care about annexation and Palestinian human rights?
- Hear from Rev. Shannon Jammal-Hollemans of the Christian Reformed Church and Rev. David Andrews, of The Episcopal Church, on why it is critical for Christians to care about the situation in Israel-Palestine, especially now with annexation looming.
HR 8050: Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act
On Friday, August 14, Rep. Betty McCollum (MN) introduced HR 8050 the Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act to prohibit the US’s recognition of Israel’s claim of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. This act would ensure that the US government neither recognizes nor funds the annexation of any parts of the West Bank. Congresswoman McCollum was joined by Reps. Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Tlaib (MI), Pocan (WI), Omar (MN), Pressley (MA), and Carson (IN). Show your support! Contact your representative today.
- Area C annexation became a mainstream idea in Israeli politics fairly recently, from just before the Trump administration. Many Israelis oppose, as do Palestinians. Enter Trump.
- President Trump appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to build a Plan with David Friedman (who became U.S. Ambassador to Israel) and Jason Greenblatt.
- While they were working on the plan with PM Netanyahu’s Israeli government, the Trump administration set about removing other longstanding aspects from U.S. peace process policy. They closed the Palestinians’ diplomatic office in the U.S., withheld first some and then all humanitarian and economic assistance to Palestinians, ended U.S. support for UNRWA that provides schooling and food to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza and across the Middle East, recognized Israeli annexations of the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, and moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
- These moves pleased many Israelis as taking their side against Palestinians. Then President Trump’s “peace” plan – – the economic part released in June 2019 and the political part in January 2020 – – fit Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Area C annexation ideas, and he and Israeli opposition leader Gantz endorsed Trump’s plan before Israel’s March 2 election.
- That Israeli election essentially ended in a draw, and Gantz decided to join Netanyahu in a coalition government. Their coalition agreement calls for Annexation to be presented to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, as early as July 1.
- As part of the Trump plan, in February 2020 the U.S. government formed a joint commission with Israel to map out what parts of Area C are to be immediately annexed by Israel. Palestinians have no say, indeed ordinary Israelis have no say in the matter.
Israel Annexation: New Border Plans leave Palestinians in Despair, BBC, June 2020
The human rights effects of Area C annexation, and in the article’s left margin is a link to a longer and quite comprehensive study on it. Yesh Din, 2020.
Why Area C annexation (and the Trump plan) won’t work. American Prospect, 2020.
Whatever the Trump plan says, at Revava in July 2019 Netanyahu laid out the Government of Israel’s four principles for Area C annexation Haaretz, 2019
While most of Israel’s political leaders have endorsed some sort of annexation, support among Jewish Israelis is only just below 50 percent. Haaretz, 2019.
Hanan Ashrawi on the Trump administration steps toward annexation. Washington Post, 2019.
Amb. Friedman on the Trump administration steps toward annexation, before plan was presented. Israel Hayom, 2020.
A roundup of differing opinions on whether international opposition will affect annexation. Times of Israel, 2020.
The US-Israel mapping commission is deciding what Israel will annex. Times of Israel, 2020.
Secretary Pompeo saying that annexation is for Israelis to decide. Jerusalem Post, 2020.
The Israeli coalition April agreement on July 1 annexation. Jerusalem Post, 2020.
Naftali Bennett and other settler reps began proposing Area C-only annexation in 2012. They did so in the Government of Israel from 2016. Washington Post, 2016.
An Open Letter from Christian Clergy from the Bethlehem Area, July 7, 2020
Christian Leader letter to Republican and Democratic National Committees Urging Changes to Israel/Palestine section of Party Platforms, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), July 3, 2020
Opposing Israeli annexation, UCC and Disciples leaders amplify Palestinian ‘Cry for Hope’, United Church of Christ, July 1, 2020
Quaker Statement on Potential Israeli Annexation of the West Bank, American Friends Service Committee, July 1, 2020
Background and Rationale for Tell Congress to Say No to Annexation, Christian Reformed Church in North America, June 2020
Annexation Will Undermine Peace in Middle East, The Lutheran World Federation, June 29, 2020
ELCA Presiding Bishop Responds to Annexation Statement, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, June 18, 2020
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s Letter to ELCJHL Presiding Bishop Azar on Annexation, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, June 9, 2020
27 Church Leaders Write to Congress opposing unilateral annexation of the Occupied West Bank, June 4, 2020
Liberation, not Annexation: A Statement and Pentecost Message from Bishop Azar, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, May 31, 2020
WCC and MECC Joint Letter to the European Union, May 11, 2020
A Statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of Holy Land Churches on Israeli Unilateral Annexation Plans, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, May 7, 2020
Opinion: Donald Trump Is Complicit in a Catastrophe for Christians, Munther Isaac and Jamal Khader, Haaretz, May 6, 2020 [May require subscription]
Click Here: Tell Congress to Support H.R. 8050
HR 8050: Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act:
On Friday, August 14, Rep. Betty McCollum (MN) introduced HR 8050 the Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act to prohibit the US’s recognition of Israel’s claim of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. This act would ensure that the US government neither recognizes nor funds the annexation of any parts of the West Bank. Congresswoman McCollum was joined by Reps. Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Tlaib (MI), Pocan (WI), Omar (MN), Pressley (MA), and Carson (IN).
Click Here: 3 Steps to Raise Your Voice on Social Media
Join us in solidarity with #ChurchesAgainstAnnexation by printing out the campaign graphic or creating your own and posting pictures of you individually and with groups on social media. Consider hosting a Zoom small group gathering so you can be in a picture together! Be sure to use #ChurchesAgainstAnnexation and tag us in your post – @ChurchesforMEP – on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Invite others to join the campaign. Share with friends, small groups, your community, and your church and welcome them to participate in #ChurchesAgainstAnnexation. Social media is a great way to raise awareness around this issue.
