Leaders of churches in Jerusalem in an Easter message have urged Christians around the world to work to end an international financial boycott of the Palestinian government

Leaders of churches in Jerusalem in an Easter message have urged Christians around the world to work to end an international financial boycott of the Palestinian government imposed after the Islamist Hamas movement came to power in 2006.

“Many vital areas of community are in a desperate plight as a result of the withholding of this aid – not east justice, economy, medical and educational,” the 13 patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem said in a statement.