Washington - "Jerusalem" dot com - Saeed Erekat - The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches said, " The Israeli occupation continues its practices of oppression of the Palestinians, which contradict the standards of equality in human dignity and human rights for the Palestinians, while the response of the international community continues to reflect blatant double standards.”

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), which met earlier this month in Geneva, issued a statement saying that "Israel's discrimination against Palestinians is overt and systematic, and that the half-century-long occupation continues to be incompatible with equal human dignity" and human rights. for Palestinians living under this system of control, while the international community's response continues to reflect egregious double standards."

The World Council of Churches said that the recent events in Israel and Palestine have highlighted the growing obstacles to achieving a just peace in the region.

The committee expressed "deep concern" about the "rapidly deteriorating situation," citing Israel's recent disruption of Christian religious ceremonies, and the Israeli Supreme Court's decision that granted Israeli settlers the right to expropriate church property near the Jaffa Gate, an immunity enjoyed by Israelis. Extremists, and the threat of forced displacement that has begun in many Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

The statement also referred to "the lack of accountability of the Israeli army personnel who are likely to be responsible for the killing of journalist Sherine Abu Akle," contradicting "Israel's response to the recent attacks on Israelis, in which Palestinians responsible for such attacks were killed, their homes demolished and their families displaced."

In addition to calling on the Israeli government and authorities to "ensure equal human rights for all persons under their responsibility, and to ensure accountability for attacks and abuses against Palestinians, against holy sites, churches, Christian communities, Muslims, and other groups...., the Central Committee appealed to the international community to "speak out against The looming evictions in Masafer Yatta and other threats to displace Palestinian communities in the Occupied Territories.

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 352 churches from more than 120 countries representing more than 580 million Christians worldwide.

It is expected that more than 4,000 participants will gather in Germany next fall, to participate in attending the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, which meets every eight years for prayer, conversation and celebration. It will be monitored whether the General Assembly affirms the Central Committee's statement, names Israeli discrimination, and calls on member churches to act in concrete ways to end the Israeli occupation.