The President of the Palestinian Authority has met with leaders of the Christian Churches of Britain in London following his talks with the British government over the stalled Middle East peace process.
The meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Dr. Rowan Williams comes at a nadir in Anglo-Israeli relations and on the same day the Israeli Foreign Ministry chided Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as being grossly “ill informed” about the conflict in the Middle East.
According to a statement released after the 17 Jan 2012, President Abbas told the church leaders that Israel and the Palestinians must resume peace talks. The Arab Spring provided a “rare opportunity” to bring peace to the region, the Palestinian leader said.
What a shame.
The Archbishop would do well to meet with Palestinian officials about the treatment of Christian in general, and Anglican Christians specifically, in the territories administered by the Fatah and Hamas factions of the Palestinian movement. Minority rights, including Christian rights, in a proposed Palestinian state should be secure. But why is the Archbishop involving himself in political issues such as the establishment of a new nation and its boundaries?
#2–Because he is a political hack. OK, now do you want to know what I really think?