In response to the detention and deportation of participants to a World Council of Churches climate conference by Israeli authorities, the WCRC’s Executive Committee last week sent a letter of support to WCC General Secretary Olav Fykse Tveit.

The letter said, in part:

We join with you, Rev. Dr. Tveit, in protesting the “excessive,
unreasonable and wholly unwarranted treatment by the Israeli
authorities” and join in the call on the government of Israel to:

• apologize to those detained and to the WCC
• address these incidents meaningfully
• ensure they are not repeated in the future
• enter into a discussion with the WCC about this incident

Photo: Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. Albin Hillert/WCC