The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, was in Jerusalem last week when the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal was agreed. 

Shortly after returning from the Holy Land, she spoke to Francis Martin about the reaction to the deal on the ground; the prospects for long-term peace in the region; and more widely about the visit, which included meeting Layan Nasir, a young Anglican woman from Birzeit who was released in December, after eight months in “administrative detention”. 

“As a Christian and as a person of prayer, I have to continue to hope that people of peace, people who want to see reconciliation, people who believe in justice, will find a will and a way to work together eventually to lead to a peaceful solution,” she said.

Dr Francis-Dehqani made a previous visit to the region last May (Podcast, 17 May 2024).

The interview was recorded on Sunday (19 January).

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