The Trump administration has apparently ended humanitarian assistance to six hospitals that serve the Palestinians. The presiding bishop and Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and the Conference of Catholic Bishops have together raised their grave concerns regarding this decision.
The six medical institutions affected include Augusta Victoria Hospital (Lutheran), St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital and Princess Basma Rehab Centre (Anglican/Episcopal), St. Joseph’s Hospital (Catholic), together with Islamic Charitable Hospital and Red Crescent Maternity Hospital. All of them provide invaluable medical aid for the most vulnerable Palestinians not only in East Jerusalem, but also in Gaza and the West Bank.
In their joint statement the church leaders wrote, “It is difficult for us to understand why this humanitarian assistance is being brought to a halt, given that lives are being threatened unnecessarily.”
