Leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent Black Christian denominations, called this week for the United States to end its financial aid to Israel, saying the monthslong military campaign in Gaza amounted to “mass genocide.”
Black churches and other faith groups have pushed for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war for months in advertisements, open letters and social media campaigns. Black faith leaders across denominations have amplified their calls as the number of dead rises. More than 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials there, many of them women and children.
In its statement, the A.M.E. council said Israel’s military had cornered Palestinians in Rafah and “denied them access to food water, shelter and health care.”
It continues: “After this torture, they plan to murder them. The United States of America will have likely paid for the weapons they use. This must not be allowed to happen.”
“We are hoping that Biden will address the money, but we are not saying we don’t support him or Israel — this is about funding a war,” he said, adding that the denomination would continue to host and support voter registration drives.
A $95 billion foreign aid package, which includes $14 billion Mr. Biden requested for Israel, was passed by the Senate this week. Israel already receives more than $3 billion a year from the United States for weapons and defense.
Still, Black faith leaders say that their congregations have grown increasingly dismayed by the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
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