The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby, has expressed significant concern over the arrest and detention of Layan Nasir, a 24-year-old Palestinian Christian woman in the West Bank.
Nasir was taken from her home earlier this month by soldiers and is now held in administrative detention, which allows detention without charge for up to four months, a period that can be renewed indefinitely. This practice, inherited from British mandate laws and criticized internationally, has her held without any legal recourse or clear reason provided for her arrest.
Welby highlighted that this incident contravenes promises made by Israel regarding the treatment of Christians, describing the actions as troubling for what he termed a “deeply threatened minority.”
Nasir’s arrest under such ambiguous circumstances has also been questioned by her parish priest, Fr Fadi Diab of St Andrew’s Ramallah, who pointed out the lack of justification provided by the authorities.
Fr Fadi voiced a strong message that the British government should reconsider its historical role in establishing these laws and urge Israel to abandon such practices, which he deems contrary to international law.
Meanwhile, the community and church leaders call for prayers and international attention to Nasir’s case and the broader issue of administrative detentions affecting over 3,500 Palestinians as of the latest counts.
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