[World Council of Churches] World Council of Churches general secretary the Rev. Jerry Pillay, on behalf of the global fellowship, expressed grave concern regarding the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East following the first direct confrontation between Iran and Israel.

“We firmly believe that violence and warfare offer no sustainable solutions and only serve to further harm vulnerable communities and destabilize the region,” he said. “We reaffirm our conviction that safety and security are not singular achievements but collective realities that depend on the access of all people to justice, peace, and human dignity equally.”

He described five calls to action and then concluded, “As followers of Christ, who calls us to be peacemakers, we are compelled to speak against the spiraling cycle of violence and to work tirelessly for a world where peace is rooted in justice.”

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