This message is slightly adapted from one I received from Twila Schock of ELCA Global Mission. You can help support the Lutheran schools in the Holy Land at this link: www.elca.org/goodgifts
Find out more about the schools of the ELCJHL at this link: http://www.elcjhl.org/ (click on Educational Ministry).
Please take a look.
Twila writes:
Before every confirmation class, my childhood pastor would offer a prayer of thanksgiving, concluding with “And keep us ever mindful of those who go without these good gifts.” Lutheran Schools in the Holy Land also lift up prayers of thanksgiving, as they carry out their Christian educational ministry, preparing Muslim and Christian children alike for peaceful life in a challenging context.
As you consider your end-of-year giving, I invite you to remember Lutheran Schools in the Holy Land. Your gifts are needed to:
+ offer scholarship support. Most families are only able to provide 40 percent of the basic tuition fee.
+ provide computers and educational games for Al-Mahaba kindergarten pupils.
+ build a library for the Dar Al-Kalima School.
+ enhance the Nature’s Classroom program at the Beit Jala Environmental Education Center.
+ complete the chemistry, biology, and physics labs for the Beit Sahour School.
Find a letter from Bishop Munib Younan (below).
Please give now and give generously. Send checks made out to "ELCA Global Gifts" with "Lutheran Schools in the Holy Land" or "GMG0152" noted on the check's memo line to ELCA Global Mission, 8765 W Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631. See pages 18–19 of the ELCA Good Gifts catalog for suggestions related to Holy Land Schools or give online at www.elca.org/goodgifts (look under "Partner").
With thanksgiving,
The Rev. Twila Schock, Director
Global Mission Support
--- ---
From the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)
“Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill”
(Proverbs 1:5)
Salaam and grace to you from Jerusalem, City of Peace!
There is a big difference between learning and memorizing. Memorizing can help you pass tests and excel in trivia games. Learning—with a focus on communication, critical thinking and creativity—helps you develop skills for life. This is the holistic approach taken by the ELCJHL’s Dar al-Kalima School in Bethlehem. Dar al-Kalima (“House of the Word” in Arabic) was founded in 2000 to serve as an educational model for and to build healthy society in Palestine. For this reason, developers of Dar al-Kalima built so-called extra-curricular subjects, like sports, music and art, into the school day.
The Extra-Curricular Program (ECP), as it is called, offers a wide variety of options, from traditional subjects such as geography and chemistry to non-traditional offerings such as drama, embroidery, art, music and story-telling. Students choose their ECP schedule based on their own interests and are encouraged to value and care for their own personal development, paying equal attention to academic, physical and spiritual needs. The aim is to encourage students to be pro-active participants in the learning process, to foster self-confidence, to develop leadership skills and to prepare them for the challenges of their context. Christian values lie at the heart of this approach.
Students also have access to facilities of the Dar al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center, a fitness center and clinic located on the campus of the school. Classes in swimming, aerobics and dance are offered regularly.
To a western audience, Dar al-Kalima’s program may not sound very special. But let me assure you that, for a society that relies on the old “chalk and talk” education model and consigns its students to a fate based on his or her standardized test score, Dar al-Kalima’s approach is nothing short of revolutionary. Further, boys and girls, Muslims and Christians study together in our schools, helping them develop the skills for living in a pluralistic society such as ours.
As we begin a new school year, we are especially mindful of all our international partners, without whom we could not offer Palestinian children the opportunity to learn and become the person God has created them to be.
May you experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
Bishop Munib Younan
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Prayers and wishes for Advent and Christmas in Bethlehem 2009
The Arab Educational Institute, affiliated with Pax Christi International and the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum of the World Council of Churches, is collecting prayers for Christmas. Here is the website: http://www.aeicenter.org/
Prayers and Wishes for Advent and Christmas in Bethlehem 2009
Pax Christi sent this memo:
For the 10th consecutive year, Christmas celebrations will take place in a difficult climate for people in the Holy Land. As we prepare to celebrate Advent and Christmas in the security of our homes and communities, let us not forget to pray for justice, peace and security for Palestine and Israel.
Sending a wish or a prayer by email is an important way of communicating with many people who long to hear a word of hope. Our partners in Bethlehem greatly appreciate receiving wishes and prayers from people outside the region, both as personal and spiritual gestures of comfort and hope on the occasion of Christmas. These messages are one way of breaking through the isolation our Bethlehem partners experience.
Please e-mail your Christmas messages and prayers for peace before the 25th of December 2009 (Western Christmas) and/or the 7th of January 2010 (Eastern Christmas). While English is the preferred language, non-native English speakers may also send wishes and prayers in their mother tongue.
Messages can be e-mailed to the Arab Educational Institute at the following address: aei@p-ol.com
-- --
More information is at this link: http://storage.paxchristi.net/2009-0720-en-me-PS.pdf
To read the prayers from around the world, go to this link: http://www.aeicenter.org/ChristmasPrayers2009/index.htm
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, ATexas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
ELCA response to Kairos Palestine now online
The Kairos Palestine document, "A Moment of Truth," is now available on the ELCA's Peace Not Walls website - http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Justice/Peace-Not-Walls/Palestine-Kairos-Document-Initiative.aspx
The statement is a word of hope to Palestinian Christians and a challenge for churches to work toward an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and to re-examine theologies that support the Israeli occupation.
The Palestine Kairos website is here - http://www.kairospalestine.ps/
The Rev. Mark Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, issued this response:
"Today the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has received with somber, yet hopeful hearts this authentic word from our brothers and sisters in the Palestinian Christian community.
" Their perspective on the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinians warrants our respect and attentiveness. This appeal, from a broadly ecumenical group of theologians and church leaders, is directed above all to members of their own churches. It is primarily a word of hope in a time of overwhelming pessimism in the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict, a pessimism that could lead to despair.
"These Christian leaders’ words seek to clearly communicate both the depth of their disillusionment with current political realities and the resoluteness of their faith in God. We join with these Christians in expressing our hope that in this conflict and throughout the world, peace with justice may be realized.
"Recalling earlier Kairos documents, we join these leaders in their search for signs of hope and positive responses in the midst of a dire and seemingly intractable situation. Their hope, their affirmation of love for every person, and their nonviolent resistance to the occupation inspire us to continue to do what we can to stand with our companions and partners seeking a lasting and just peace for all in the region.
"In this Advent season, as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promised justice and peace, we join our Christian sisters and brothers in Palestine in this hope." (Dec. 11, 2009)
Go to this link for the full text of Bishop Hanson's response: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Presiding-Bishop/Messages-and-Statements/091217.aspx
---
Don't know what Kairos means? You are not alone. Wikapedia explains: "Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of undetermined period of time in which something special happens. (...)
The term "kairos" is used in theology to describe the qualitative form of time. In rhetoric kairos is "a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved." In the New Testament kairos means "the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts (e.g. Mark 1.15, the kairos is fulfilled)."
---
The Rev. Robert Smith, ELCA Europe and Middle East Desk Director, made a comments at the Kairos launch in Bethlehem. Here is an excerpt from what he said,
"We are called to revisit and challenge our theologies because theology matters. While Christians in the West often cannot see the effects of their theology in civil society and culture, this document comes from an ecumenical Christian perspective confident that their word will contribute directly to the lives of their people and the surrounding realities, unlike many western churches who sometimes seem to have lost their nerve. These Palestinian Christians are confident in their word and in God’s word to inspire hope, and to foster hopeful resistance. Many Christians in the West have become less aware of the power of Christian hope to change political realities. As a result, those political realities supported by theological systems—the baptizing of western settler/colonial imperialism and the perpetuation of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land perpetrated by many forms of Christian Zionism, for example—are less likely to draw a theological or church-based response. We have too often been unaware of these theologies and ignorant of how they are exported to other contexts in order to support conflict and political division."
See Smith's full statement at this link: http://www.elca.org/~/media/Files/Our%20Faith%20in%20Action/Justice/Peace%20Not%20Walls/2009%2012%2013%20%20%20Smith%20Comment%20on%20Kairos%20Doc.doc
---
Here are some links to news reports:
Badil Resource Center -
http://www.badil.org/en/events-calendar/icalrepeat.detail/2009/12/11/398/-/Yzc3NTA0MjM5NWI0YzY2ZDgzNDRiZGRjYjA1ZWEwZGY=
Bishop David Thomson's blog (Anglican, Huntington) - http://bpdt.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/launch-of-historic-palestine-kairos-document/
Electronic Intifada - http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10943.shtml
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Bi-Partisan Letter to Secretary Clinton Supporting Higher Education Opportunities for Students from Gaza
Ask your Member of Congress to sign bi-partisan letter to Secretary of State Clinton supporting higher education opportunities for students from Gaza. This action alert comes from Churches for Middle East Peace.
See the full alert with active links at this CMEP web page: http://www.cmep.org/Alerts/2009/2009dec14.html
Bi-Partisan Letter to Secretary of State Clinton Supporting Higher Education Opportunities for Students from Gaza
Ask Your Member of Congress to Sign on Today! ~ December 14, 2009 ~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC-4) and Congressman James Moran (D-VA-8) are collaborating on a bi-partisan letter to Secretary Clinton asking her to ensure that students from Gaza have access to higher education. The letter requests "an effective mechanism to evaluate and approve requests for Gaza residents to study in the West Bank in a timely manner."
http://action.cmep.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1427
Ask your Member of Congress to support the Inglis-Moran letter to Secretary Clinton because education is vital to prosperity, stability and peace in the region!
The recent case of Berlanty Azzam, a young Christian woman that was forcibly deported to Gaza only months before she was due to complete her degree at Bethlehem University highlights the difficult situation facing students from Gaza. The restrictions on travel between the West Bank and Gaza have meant that talented young Palestinians from Gaza are left with few opportunities to realize a better future for themselves and their society.
Contact your Representative and tell them to end the restrictions on student travel from Gaza to the West Bank because access to higher education increases the changes for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land!
Background Reading
"Deported Palestinian student can't finish studies," Lawahez Jabari, MSNBC, December 14, 2009. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/12/14/2151587.aspx
Churches for Middle East Peace
Email: info@cmep.org
Phone: 202-543-1222
Web: http://www.cmep.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, ATexas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
See the full alert with active links at this CMEP web page: http://www.cmep.org/Alerts/2009/2009dec14.html
Bi-Partisan Letter to Secretary of State Clinton Supporting Higher Education Opportunities for Students from Gaza
Ask Your Member of Congress to Sign on Today! ~ December 14, 2009 ~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC-4) and Congressman James Moran (D-VA-8) are collaborating on a bi-partisan letter to Secretary Clinton asking her to ensure that students from Gaza have access to higher education. The letter requests "an effective mechanism to evaluate and approve requests for Gaza residents to study in the West Bank in a timely manner."
http://action.cmep.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1427
Ask your Member of Congress to support the Inglis-Moran letter to Secretary Clinton because education is vital to prosperity, stability and peace in the region!
The recent case of Berlanty Azzam, a young Christian woman that was forcibly deported to Gaza only months before she was due to complete her degree at Bethlehem University highlights the difficult situation facing students from Gaza. The restrictions on travel between the West Bank and Gaza have meant that talented young Palestinians from Gaza are left with few opportunities to realize a better future for themselves and their society.
Contact your Representative and tell them to end the restrictions on student travel from Gaza to the West Bank because access to higher education increases the changes for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land!
Background Reading
"Deported Palestinian student can't finish studies," Lawahez Jabari, MSNBC, December 14, 2009. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/12/14/2151587.aspx
Churches for Middle East Peace
Email: info@cmep.org
Phone: 202-543-1222
Web: http://www.cmep.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, ATexas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
The United States, Israel and Palestine: What Does Justice Require of US? - Sabeel Conference in Seattle
Seattle Sabeel Conference Feb. 19-20: The United States, Israel and Palestine: What Does Justice Require of US?
Sabeel Conferences around the country are bringing awareness of Palestine and the Israeli occupation to new participants and encouragement to seasoned activists.
This February Seattle will host the premiere event of Sabeel - Puget Sound, "The United States, Israel and Palestine: What Does Justice Require of US?"
Sabeel - Puget Sound works with and on behalf of Palestinian Christians to promote justice through nonviolence in the Holy Land. The conference will explore the situation in Israel and Palestine today, the experience of occupation, the role of U.S. policy, and nonviolent strategies for peace.
The Sabeel conference will be Feb. 19-20 at St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle (1245 Tenth Avenue East).
The keynote speaker will be the founder and leader of Sabeel, the Rev. Naim Ateek. Speaking from his own perspective as an Arab-Israeli citizen, Ateek is the respected author of books and articles including Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation and A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation.
Kathy Christison, a former CIA political analyst, is a featured presentor. Christison has worked on Middle East issues for 35 years and is the author of Perceptions of Palestine and The Wound of Dispossession as well as Palestine in Pieces: Graphic Perspectives on the Israeli Occupation, which she co-authored with her husband, Bill. The couple will make a presentation, "The U.S.-Israeli Partnership and the Impact on Palestine: Palestine Fragmented, Justice Denied."
Kathy Christon's 2008 article, "One State or Two? The Debate Over Israel and Palestine, " is available at Counterpunch: http://www.counterpunch.org/christison03112008.html
Other speakers include Ben Gurion University's Neve Gordon, Evergreen State College's Steve Niva, and war crimes investigator Tom Nelson.
Mark Braverman, Jewish-American author of Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land, will focus on the future of interfaith relations and the role of religious beliefs and theology in current discourse on Israel/Palestine. Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), is also slated to speak.
Co-sponsors of the event include the Palestine Concerns Task Force of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, the Middle East Focus Group of Saint Mark's Cathedral, the Episcopal Bishop's Committee for Israel/Palestine, American Jews for a Just Peace, the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace, American Muslims of Puget Sound, Middle East Peace Builders, and the Rauschenbusch Center for Spirit and Action.
For reservations call Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006, or online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/.
For more information, find us on Facebook or see the Friends of Sabeel website: http://www.fosna.org/
Friends of Sabeel--North America, PO Box 9186, Portland, OR 97207, email friends@fosna.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Sabeel Conferences around the country are bringing awareness of Palestine and the Israeli occupation to new participants and encouragement to seasoned activists.
This February Seattle will host the premiere event of Sabeel - Puget Sound, "The United States, Israel and Palestine: What Does Justice Require of US?"
Sabeel - Puget Sound works with and on behalf of Palestinian Christians to promote justice through nonviolence in the Holy Land. The conference will explore the situation in Israel and Palestine today, the experience of occupation, the role of U.S. policy, and nonviolent strategies for peace.
The Sabeel conference will be Feb. 19-20 at St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle (1245 Tenth Avenue East).
The keynote speaker will be the founder and leader of Sabeel, the Rev. Naim Ateek. Speaking from his own perspective as an Arab-Israeli citizen, Ateek is the respected author of books and articles including Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation and A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation.
Kathy Christison, a former CIA political analyst, is a featured presentor. Christison has worked on Middle East issues for 35 years and is the author of Perceptions of Palestine and The Wound of Dispossession as well as Palestine in Pieces: Graphic Perspectives on the Israeli Occupation, which she co-authored with her husband, Bill. The couple will make a presentation, "The U.S.-Israeli Partnership and the Impact on Palestine: Palestine Fragmented, Justice Denied."
Kathy Christon's 2008 article, "One State or Two? The Debate Over Israel and Palestine, " is available at Counterpunch: http://www.counterpunch.org/christison03112008.html
Other speakers include Ben Gurion University's Neve Gordon, Evergreen State College's Steve Niva, and war crimes investigator Tom Nelson.
Mark Braverman, Jewish-American author of Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land, will focus on the future of interfaith relations and the role of religious beliefs and theology in current discourse on Israel/Palestine. Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), is also slated to speak.
Co-sponsors of the event include the Palestine Concerns Task Force of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, the Middle East Focus Group of Saint Mark's Cathedral, the Episcopal Bishop's Committee for Israel/Palestine, American Jews for a Just Peace, the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace, American Muslims of Puget Sound, Middle East Peace Builders, and the Rauschenbusch Center for Spirit and Action.
For reservations call Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006, or online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/.
For more information, find us on Facebook or see the Friends of Sabeel website: http://www.fosna.org/
Friends of Sabeel--North America, PO Box 9186, Portland, OR 97207, email friends@fosna.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 12, 2009
December 2009 ELCA Middle East Network Newsletter
The Middle East Network Newsletter is out from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Read all the way to the end to find a great list of new resources at the ELCA's Peace Not Walls website: Advent meditations and new prayers and litanies, "Working for Peace" describing ways your congregation can help, and user guides suggesting forum sessions for adults and youth.
ELCA Middle East Network Newsletter
December 11, 2009
Israeli High Court Decides Against Bethlehem University Student
Bethlehem University student Berlanty Azzam will not be allowed to complete her college degree but instead must remain in Gaza according to a decision handed down by the Israeli High Court on December 9. Azzam was two months short of completing her degree when she was forcibly deported to Gaza by the Israeli military who accused her of being in the West Bank illegally. The Israeli human rights organization, Gisha, which has been pursuing the case, notes that the military "makes no claim that she poses any security threat." Many advocates worked on behalf of Azzam, including ELCA Bishop Bruce Burnside, chair of the Conference Committee on Middle East Issues, who wrote in a letter to the U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem, "it is with a sense of urgency that I write to ask you to do whatever you can to see that Ms. Azzam is allowed to return to Bethlehem University to complete her studies ... Clearly it is in her interest, and the interest of a peaceful future, to allow students to complete their higher education and to go on to become capable and knowledgeable members of their communities." Churches for Middle East Peace (http://ga6.org/ct/g1LYbS51WB_h/) also advocated for Azzam. In a December 9 update relaying the news of the Israeli High Court's decision, Brother Jack Curran of Bethlehem University writes that while he had previously talked about "justice delayed," he now sums up the outcome with the words, "justice as an elusive reality." Reporting on his conversation with Berlanty he writes, "somehow - by the grace of God - she was still positive and strong - ever hopeful that 'maybe at least they will give me permission to go for Christmas. - and please, Brother, let everyone who supported me know that I really appreciate all of their help.'" For next steps, Brother Jack suggests a pause, saying, "For now, we want to take a moment to reflect and consider what to do and how to move forward." The full press release from Gisha giving details and background can be read at http://ga6.org/ct/OdLYbS51WB_Y/.
-----
3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service December 19
The 3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service will take place Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time/5:00 PM Bethlehem Time. This joint simulcast service will bring together worshipers at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with those at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Palestine. Participants in Washington include the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church; the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington; the Rt. Rev. Richard H. Graham, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod; the Very Rev. Samuel T.Lloyd III, dean of the Cathedral; and the Rev. Canon Stephen Huber, Cathedral vicar. In Bethlehem, participants include the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem; the Rt. Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; and the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb from Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The service will be broadcast live at http://ga6.org/ct/WdLYbS51WB_F/ - plan now to join in person or on-line. For more information, go to http://ga6.org/ct/tpLYbS51WB_y/.
-----
Send Prayers for Bethlehem during Advent and Christmas
From the World Council of Churches: Since December 2000, a new Christmas tradition has been taking shape: sending peace messages to people in Bethlehem. Once again, individuals, communities, churches and congregations, organisations and partners from across the world are invited to e-mail Advent and Christmas wishes and prayers for justice and peace to Bethlehem. This year, the project is being carried out in collaboration with the World Council of Churches and its Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF). Please e-mail your Christmas messages and prayers for peace before the 25th of December 2008 (Western Christmas) and/or the 7th of January 2009 (Eastern Christmas). Messages can be e-mailed to the Arab Educational Institute at the following address: aei@p-ol.com. For more information go to: http://ga6.org/ct/WpLYbS51WB_J/.
-----
Nine Synod Bishops Travel to Israel and Palestine
Nine ELCA bishops traveled to Israel and the West Bank November 28 - December 8 as part of a "Bishops' Academy II" trip planned for those who were unable to participate in the first Bishops' Academy trip to the region in January of this year. The trips are an important part of the church's commitment to implement the "Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine," adopted by the ELCA in 2005. The itinerary for the Nov.-Dec. journey included a tour of a Palestinian refugee camp, worship in a synagogue, meetings with Israelis and Palestinians, and visits to ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Lutheran World Federation. For the ELCA news release on the trip, go to http://ga6.org/ct/67LYbS51WB_P/
-----
National Interreligious Leadership Initiative travel to Jordan, Israel and Palestine
The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative, of which Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is a member, will have a delegation visiting Jordan, Israel and Palestine from December 17-23. Bishop Margaret Payne of the New England Synod will participate on behalf of Bishop Hanson in the delegation that includes nine other Christian leaders, as well as three Jewish and four Muslim leaders. They plan to meet with religious and political leaders in all three locations, as well as U.S. officials, and pay a visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital.
-----
Economic Measures in Support of Justice in the Holy Land
In 2007 at the Churchwide Assembly the ELCA passed a resolution to:
Call upon the ELCA to underscore the call for economic initiative by this church and its members in the "Peace Not Walls" Campaign. Such initiatives in consultation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land could include:
+ Purchasing products from Palestinian providers and
+ Exploration of the feasibility of refusing to buy products produced in Israeli settlements. Also to be explored is the entire investment activity by this church. Examination of investments would exclude the option of divestiture.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of ELCA has been busy working through this directive with the following updates:
+ A guideline for developing a purchasing policy with a specific section on the Middle East has been developed and can be found at http://ga6.org/ct/b1LYbS51WB_k/
+ CSR has been an active participant in a newly formed group of partners working on Middle East issues. The group, called the Ecumenical Action Group for a Just Peace in Israel-Palestine, is comprised of several full communion partners of the ELCA as well as other Protestant denominations and Catholic religious orders. All have partners on the ground in the Holy Land.
+ The Ecumenical Action Group has gathered research around thepresence of corporations in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and those involved in profiting from the occupation and has gained insights from the work of our ecumenical partners in Europe.
+ Members of the Ecumenical Action Group filed resolutions asking for:
- A report on a company's human rights policy in areas of conflict
- A new human rights policy
- A foreign military sales program policy and
- A report, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary and classified information, of foreign sales of military and weapons-related products and services
+ ELCA joins with these ecumenical partners at the dialogue table with corporations talking about their presence on the settlements and how they participate in the occupation. Often discussions center on diversity of their work force. In this situation ELCA is blessed to have the stories from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land's (ELCJHL) schools and their training programs and the abundance of well trained potential employees. At other times the discussion centers on the understanding of the corporation of the facts on the ground. ELCA again is able to describe the Christian presence and our work there with medical facilities including Augusta Victoria Hospital as well as the schools.
+ This group has also followed the work of many of the peace groups in the Holy Land. We have been watching the work of "Who Profits" http://ga6.org/ct/IpLYbS51WB_V/ an on-going grassroots investigation effort by activists in The Coalition of Women for Peace http://ga6.org/ct/g7LYbS51WB_8/, a leadingIsraeli feminist peace organization. In addition this year we have noted the Stolen Beauty campaign focusing on Ahava products (beauty products from the Dead Sea laboratories http://ga6.org/ct/I1LYbS51WB_D/.)
+ This coming year a trip for this Ecumenical Action Group is planned to meet several corporations on the ground in the Holy Land to exchange views about the situation.
-----
East Jerusalem Update a
East Jerusalem has been a particularly volatile area in recent months due to house demolitions, home evictions, the expansion of Jewish settlements and residency revocations for Palestinians. See the November update from Ir Amin, an Israeli non-profit organization which works for a shared Jerusalem: http://ga6.org/ct/OpLYbS51WB_H/. Read about residency revocations in the article, "Israel stripped thousands of Jerusalem Arabs of residency in 2008," by Nir Hasson at http://ga6.org/ct/O7LYbS51WB_T/.
-----
Walk the Green Line
Invitation from the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI): We are beginning to get people to sign up for Walk the Green Line May 24-28, 2010. Visit the web site and make a decision to participate in this amazing experience. You can support IPCRI, make a political statement and see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and chances for peace with your own eyes. http://ga6.org/ct/I7LYbS51WB_Z/
-----
New Peace Not Walls resources online
Advent meditations and new prayers and litanies at http://ga6.org/ct/bpLYbS51WB_l/
Summary of Peace Not Wall implementation personnel and partners http://ga6.org/ct/6dLYbS51WB_p/
Holy Land Youth Mission application, flier, poster, and fundraising ideas at http://ga6.org/ct/61LYbS51WB_0/
The following new educational resources at the updated Web page: http://ga6.org/ct/O1LYbS51WB_R/
Working for Peace, a new two-sided color flier describing ways your congregation can engage in the Holy Land http://ga6.org/ct/b7LYbS51WB_o/
User guides that suggest content and format for such educational sessions as a three-part adult forum, a single youth forum, a single forum on theological issues http://ga6.org/ct/bdLYbS51WB_9/
Downloadable fliers from the ELCJHL http://ga6.org/ct/b7LYbS51WB_o/.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this. http://ga6.org/join-forward.html?domain=elca_advocacy&r=g7LYbS5quD4_
--- --- ---
ELCA Middle East Network Newsletter
December 11, 2009
Israeli High Court Decides Against Bethlehem University Student
Bethlehem University student Berlanty Azzam will not be allowed to complete her college degree but instead must remain in Gaza according to a decision handed down by the Israeli High Court on December 9. Azzam was two months short of completing her degree when she was forcibly deported to Gaza by the Israeli military who accused her of being in the West Bank illegally. The Israeli human rights organization, Gisha, which has been pursuing the case, notes that the military "makes no claim that she poses any security threat." Many advocates worked on behalf of Azzam, including ELCA Bishop Bruce Burnside, chair of the Conference Committee on Middle East Issues, who wrote in a letter to the U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem, "it is with a sense of urgency that I write to ask you to do whatever you can to see that Ms. Azzam is allowed to return to Bethlehem University to complete her studies ... Clearly it is in her interest, and the interest of a peaceful future, to allow students to complete their higher education and to go on to become capable and knowledgeable members of their communities." Churches for Middle East Peace (http://ga6.org/ct/g1LYbS51WB_h/) also advocated for Azzam. In a December 9 update relaying the news of the Israeli High Court's decision, Brother Jack Curran of Bethlehem University writes that while he had previously talked about "justice delayed," he now sums up the outcome with the words, "justice as an elusive reality." Reporting on his conversation with Berlanty he writes, "somehow - by the grace of God - she was still positive and strong - ever hopeful that 'maybe at least they will give me permission to go for Christmas. - and please, Brother, let everyone who supported me know that I really appreciate all of their help.'" For next steps, Brother Jack suggests a pause, saying, "For now, we want to take a moment to reflect and consider what to do and how to move forward." The full press release from Gisha giving details and background can be read at http://ga6.org/ct/OdLYbS51WB_Y/.
-----
3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service December 19
The 3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service will take place Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time/5:00 PM Bethlehem Time. This joint simulcast service will bring together worshipers at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with those at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Palestine. Participants in Washington include the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church; the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington; the Rt. Rev. Richard H. Graham, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod; the Very Rev. Samuel T.Lloyd III, dean of the Cathedral; and the Rev. Canon Stephen Huber, Cathedral vicar. In Bethlehem, participants include the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem; the Rt. Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; and the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb from Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The service will be broadcast live at http://ga6.org/ct/WdLYbS51WB_F/ - plan now to join in person or on-line. For more information, go to http://ga6.org/ct/tpLYbS51WB_y/.
-----
Send Prayers for Bethlehem during Advent and Christmas
From the World Council of Churches: Since December 2000, a new Christmas tradition has been taking shape: sending peace messages to people in Bethlehem. Once again, individuals, communities, churches and congregations, organisations and partners from across the world are invited to e-mail Advent and Christmas wishes and prayers for justice and peace to Bethlehem. This year, the project is being carried out in collaboration with the World Council of Churches and its Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF). Please e-mail your Christmas messages and prayers for peace before the 25th of December 2008 (Western Christmas) and/or the 7th of January 2009 (Eastern Christmas). Messages can be e-mailed to the Arab Educational Institute at the following address: aei@p-ol.com. For more information go to: http://ga6.org/ct/WpLYbS51WB_J/.
-----
Nine Synod Bishops Travel to Israel and Palestine
Nine ELCA bishops traveled to Israel and the West Bank November 28 - December 8 as part of a "Bishops' Academy II" trip planned for those who were unable to participate in the first Bishops' Academy trip to the region in January of this year. The trips are an important part of the church's commitment to implement the "Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine," adopted by the ELCA in 2005. The itinerary for the Nov.-Dec. journey included a tour of a Palestinian refugee camp, worship in a synagogue, meetings with Israelis and Palestinians, and visits to ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Lutheran World Federation. For the ELCA news release on the trip, go to http://ga6.org/ct/67LYbS51WB_P/
-----
National Interreligious Leadership Initiative travel to Jordan, Israel and Palestine
The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative, of which Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is a member, will have a delegation visiting Jordan, Israel and Palestine from December 17-23. Bishop Margaret Payne of the New England Synod will participate on behalf of Bishop Hanson in the delegation that includes nine other Christian leaders, as well as three Jewish and four Muslim leaders. They plan to meet with religious and political leaders in all three locations, as well as U.S. officials, and pay a visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital.
-----
Economic Measures in Support of Justice in the Holy Land
In 2007 at the Churchwide Assembly the ELCA passed a resolution to:
Call upon the ELCA to underscore the call for economic initiative by this church and its members in the "Peace Not Walls" Campaign. Such initiatives in consultation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land could include:
+ Purchasing products from Palestinian providers and
+ Exploration of the feasibility of refusing to buy products produced in Israeli settlements. Also to be explored is the entire investment activity by this church. Examination of investments would exclude the option of divestiture.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of ELCA has been busy working through this directive with the following updates:
+ A guideline for developing a purchasing policy with a specific section on the Middle East has been developed and can be found at http://ga6.org/ct/b1LYbS51WB_k/
+ CSR has been an active participant in a newly formed group of partners working on Middle East issues. The group, called the Ecumenical Action Group for a Just Peace in Israel-Palestine, is comprised of several full communion partners of the ELCA as well as other Protestant denominations and Catholic religious orders. All have partners on the ground in the Holy Land.
+ The Ecumenical Action Group has gathered research around thepresence of corporations in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and those involved in profiting from the occupation and has gained insights from the work of our ecumenical partners in Europe.
+ Members of the Ecumenical Action Group filed resolutions asking for:
- A report on a company's human rights policy in areas of conflict
- A new human rights policy
- A foreign military sales program policy and
- A report, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary and classified information, of foreign sales of military and weapons-related products and services
+ ELCA joins with these ecumenical partners at the dialogue table with corporations talking about their presence on the settlements and how they participate in the occupation. Often discussions center on diversity of their work force. In this situation ELCA is blessed to have the stories from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land's (ELCJHL) schools and their training programs and the abundance of well trained potential employees. At other times the discussion centers on the understanding of the corporation of the facts on the ground. ELCA again is able to describe the Christian presence and our work there with medical facilities including Augusta Victoria Hospital as well as the schools.
+ This group has also followed the work of many of the peace groups in the Holy Land. We have been watching the work of "Who Profits" http://ga6.org/ct/IpLYbS51WB_V/ an on-going grassroots investigation effort by activists in The Coalition of Women for Peace http://ga6.org/ct/g7LYbS51WB_8/, a leadingIsraeli feminist peace organization. In addition this year we have noted the Stolen Beauty campaign focusing on Ahava products (beauty products from the Dead Sea laboratories http://ga6.org/ct/I1LYbS51WB_D/.)
+ This coming year a trip for this Ecumenical Action Group is planned to meet several corporations on the ground in the Holy Land to exchange views about the situation.
-----
East Jerusalem Update a
East Jerusalem has been a particularly volatile area in recent months due to house demolitions, home evictions, the expansion of Jewish settlements and residency revocations for Palestinians. See the November update from Ir Amin, an Israeli non-profit organization which works for a shared Jerusalem: http://ga6.org/ct/OpLYbS51WB_H/. Read about residency revocations in the article, "Israel stripped thousands of Jerusalem Arabs of residency in 2008," by Nir Hasson at http://ga6.org/ct/O7LYbS51WB_T/.
-----
Walk the Green Line
Invitation from the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI): We are beginning to get people to sign up for Walk the Green Line May 24-28, 2010. Visit the web site and make a decision to participate in this amazing experience. You can support IPCRI, make a political statement and see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and chances for peace with your own eyes. http://ga6.org/ct/I7LYbS51WB_Z/
-----
New Peace Not Walls resources online
Advent meditations and new prayers and litanies at http://ga6.org/ct/bpLYbS51WB_l/
Summary of Peace Not Wall implementation personnel and partners http://ga6.org/ct/6dLYbS51WB_p/
Holy Land Youth Mission application, flier, poster, and fundraising ideas at http://ga6.org/ct/61LYbS51WB_0/
The following new educational resources at the updated Web page: http://ga6.org/ct/O1LYbS51WB_R/
Working for Peace, a new two-sided color flier describing ways your congregation can engage in the Holy Land http://ga6.org/ct/b7LYbS51WB_o/
User guides that suggest content and format for such educational sessions as a three-part adult forum, a single youth forum, a single forum on theological issues http://ga6.org/ct/bdLYbS51WB_9/
Downloadable fliers from the ELCJHL http://ga6.org/ct/b7LYbS51WB_o/.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this. http://ga6.org/join-forward.html?domain=elca_advocacy&r=g7LYbS5quD4_
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Friday, December 11, 2009
A Palestinian Christian Call to End the Occupation
Today in Bethlehem, a historic moment of unity among Palestine's Christians. The Palestine Kairos Document echoes a call by South African theologians at a crucial moment in the struggle against apartheid. This is a critical moment for Palestine. See the website dedicated to this action: http://kairospalestine.ps/?q=node/2
World Council of Churches - News Release
For immediate release - 11/12/2009
A PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN CALL TO END THE OCCUPATION
A group of Palestinian Christians representing a variety of churches and church-related organizations have issued an animated and prayerful call for an end to occupation of Palestine by Israel.
The call, issued at a 11 December meeting in Bethlehem, comes at a time when many Palestinians believe they have reached a dead end. It raises questions to the international community, political leaders in the region, and the churches worldwide about their contribution to the Palestinian people's pursuit of freedom. Even in the midst of "our catastrophe" the call is described as a word of faith, hope and love.
Referred to as "The Kairos Palestine Document" the call echoes a similar summons issued by South African churches in the mid-1980s at the height of repression under the apartheid regime. That call served to galvanize churches and the wider public in a concerted effort that eventually brought the end of apartheid.
The authors of the Kairos Palestine Document, among them Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem Munib Younan, and Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, have raised the challenge of the urgency for peace with justice to religious and political leaders in Palestinian and the Israeli society, international community, and to "our Christian brothers and sisters in the churches" around the world. They believe that current efforts in the Middle East are confined to managing the crisis rather than finding pertinent and long term solutions to the crisis.
Decrying empty promises
Expressing their pain, the signatories of the call decry the emptiness of the promises and pronouncements about peace in the region. They remind the world about the separation wall erected on Palestinian territory, the blockade of Gaza, how Israeli settlements ravage their land, the humiliation at military checkpoints, the restrictions of religious liberty and controlled access to holy places, the plight of refugees awaiting their right of return, prisoners languishing in Israeli prisons and Israel's blatant disregard of international law, as well as the paralysis of the international community in the face of this tragedy.
Rejecting Israeli justifications for their actions as being in self-defence, they unambiguously state that if there were no occupation, "there would be no resistance, no fear and no insecurity."
They argue: "God created us not to engage in strife and conflict but together build up the land in love and mutual respect. Our land has a universal mission, and the promise of the land has never been a political programme, but rather the prelude to complete universal salvation. Our connectedness to this land is a natural right. It is not an ideological or a theological question only." They reject any use of the Bible to legitimize or support political options and positions that are based upon injustice.
Declaring the occupation of Palestinian land as a sin against God and humanity, they steadfastly adhere to the signs of hope such as "local centres of theology" and "numerous meetings for inter-religious dialogue", recognizing that these signs provide hope to the resistance of the occupation. Through the logic of peaceful resistance, resistance is as much a right as it is a duty as it has the potential to hasten the time of reconciliation.
Asserting that this is a moment demanding repentance for past actions, either for using hatred as an instrument of resistance or the willingness to be indifferent and absorbed by faulty theological positions, the group calls on the international community and Palestinians for steadfastness in this time of trial. "Come and see [so we can make known to you] the truth of our reality", they appeal. Poignantly, they conclude, "in the absence of all hope, we cry out our cry of hope. We believe in God, good and just. We believe that God's goodness will finally triumph over the evil of hate and of death that still persist in our land. We will see here 'a new land' and 'a new human being', capable of rising up in the spirit to love each one of his or her brothers and sisters."
The authors are:
• Patriarch Michel Sabbah
• Bishop Dr Munib Younan
• Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna
• Rev. Dr Jamal Khader
• Rev. Dr Rafiq Khoury
• Rev. Dr Mitri Raheb
• Rev. Dr Naim Ateek
• Rev. Dr Yohana Katanacho
• Rev. Fr Fadi Diab• Dr Jiries Khoury
• Ms Sider Daibes
• Ms Nora Kort
• Ms Lucy Thaljieh
• Mr Nidal Abu Zulof
• Mr Yusef Daher
• Mr Rifat Kassis - coordinator of the initiative
Media contact in Jerusalem: Ranjan Solomon +972-54-733-7857
Full text of the Kairos Palestine Document:
In English http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/Kairos%20Palestine_En.pdf
In Arabic http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/Kairos%20Palestine_Ar.pdf
Auf Deutsch http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/Kairos%20Palestine_Ger.pdf
En français http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/Kairos%20Palestine_Fr.pdf
For the list of signatories: http://kairospalestine.ps/?q=node/2
Churches in the Middle East: solidarity and witness for peace: http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3113
Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
---- ---- ----
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Thursday, December 10, 2009
`Moment of Truth' document to be launched Dec. 11
Palestinian Christians will launch a document entitled "Moment of Truth" which articulates the striving of Palestinians, the international community, and the churches to end the unjust Israeli occupation.
Sabeel points to this event in its weekly "Wave of Prayer." Sabeel is the Palestinian Christian liberation movement [http://www.sabeel.org/index.php]. Its call to prayer for this week notes a number of upcoming events involving internationals in the Holy Land.
Sabeel Wave of Prayer for Dec. 10.
The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum of the World Council of Churches will hold its meetings in Bethlehem this weekend. In conjunction, on Friday Palestinian Christians will launch a document entitled "Moment of Truth." The document clearly articulates the responsibility of local Palestinians, the international community, and the churches to act in cooperation to end the unjust Israeli occupation.
This Tuesday, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss a proposal to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state and of Israel. We are thankful for the EU's recognition that the current situation in Jerusalem must change. We pray that a lasting peace built on justice will come to this city.
On Saturday, Sabeel young adults will visit the pediatric ward of the Lutherans’ Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mt. of Olives to spend time with children from throughout Palestine who are fighting cancer and undergoing dialysis. This holiday season, we offer special thanks for the people and organizations that cross borders and deal with complex permit restrictions in order to offer comfort and healing to the sick.
Last week, Muslim Jerusalemites held special Friday prayers in Sheikh Jarrah to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Sheikh Jarrah who are being forced from their homes by Israeli courts, the Jerusalem municipality, and Jewish settlers. Following prayers, Israeli peace activists held a march in front of the settlements. We pray that momentum for nonviolent resistance to the occupation will continue to grow, both in Palestine and Israel and around the world.
Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week. http://www.sabeel.org/etemplate.php?id=58
For more information see the website of Friends of Sabeel North America: http://www.fosna.org/
--- --- ---
Sabeel points to this event in its weekly "Wave of Prayer." Sabeel is the Palestinian Christian liberation movement [http://www.sabeel.org/index.php]. Its call to prayer for this week notes a number of upcoming events involving internationals in the Holy Land.
Sabeel Wave of Prayer for Dec. 10.
The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum of the World Council of Churches will hold its meetings in Bethlehem this weekend. In conjunction, on Friday Palestinian Christians will launch a document entitled "Moment of Truth." The document clearly articulates the responsibility of local Palestinians, the international community, and the churches to act in cooperation to end the unjust Israeli occupation.
This Tuesday, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss a proposal to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state and of Israel. We are thankful for the EU's recognition that the current situation in Jerusalem must change. We pray that a lasting peace built on justice will come to this city.
On Saturday, Sabeel young adults will visit the pediatric ward of the Lutherans’ Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mt. of Olives to spend time with children from throughout Palestine who are fighting cancer and undergoing dialysis. This holiday season, we offer special thanks for the people and organizations that cross borders and deal with complex permit restrictions in order to offer comfort and healing to the sick.
Last week, Muslim Jerusalemites held special Friday prayers in Sheikh Jarrah to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Sheikh Jarrah who are being forced from their homes by Israeli courts, the Jerusalem municipality, and Jewish settlers. Following prayers, Israeli peace activists held a march in front of the settlements. We pray that momentum for nonviolent resistance to the occupation will continue to grow, both in Palestine and Israel and around the world.
Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week. http://www.sabeel.org/etemplate.php?id=58
For more information see the website of Friends of Sabeel North America: http://www.fosna.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Water and settlements: updates from the World Council of Churches
I'm a little behind in providing updates on news from the World Council of Churches. Here are two recent news stories related to Palestine and Israel. One deals with water rights, the other the WCC's statement on settlement expansion.
19/11/2009
Israel Should Revoke Decision to Expand Settlement, says WCC
Churches and other ecumenical partners of the World Council of Churches (WCC) have received an appeal to "mobilize their members and the public" in resistance to Israel's approval for the construction of 900 new housing units in the Gilo settlement on traditionally Palestinian land in East Jerusalem. The WCC general secretary, the Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, called on organizations related to the Council "to act with resolve, in concert," with the intention "to reverse this decision of the Israeli government and the settlement programme it represents." In a public statement, Kobia expressed "great disappointment" at this development and emphasized that the WCC "strongly condemns the decision of the government of Israel to expand the illegal Gilo settlement as we believe that this decision will hinder attempts now in process to restart the peace negotiations."
Quoting a position adopted by the WCC Central Committee at its meeting in September 2009, Kobia warned that, "if settlements continue to expand and proliferate, they will further complicate negotiations and may destroy any chance for peace". He continued: "People of conscience and good faith around the world are looking to the government of Israel now to move toward the resolution of an interminable conflict rather than continue with decades-old policies that have driven it toward the point of no return."
Full text of the WCC general secretary's statement:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=7366
WCC solidarity with churches in the Middle East:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3113
World Council of Churches - Feature
03/12/2009
No Water for the Neighbours
By Miranda and Paul (*)
Rows of neat suburban houses stand on the parched, barren hillside. A water tower looms over them, irrigating lush greenery in the gardens. But outside this West Bank settlement's perimeter fence sits the tiny Bedouin community of Umm Al Kher, whose residents are desperate for water.
Here in the South Hebron Hills, there has been scarce rainfall for many months. Grey rock and dry, rugged earth spread off in every direction. But locals who met observers from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel said the effects of the recent drought are exacerbating a man-made water crisis.
The community is not connected to any water supply network and the Israeli army will not issue permits to dig wells. The community is forced to buy tanked water from Mekorot, the Israeli national water company, which charges 5 shekels (around $1.30) per cubic meter. That cost prohibits the shepherds of Umm Al Kher from irrigating crops. Umm Al Kher's only other water supply is a pipe no bigger than a garden hose that trails across from the pump in the settlement.
"Sometimes they turn the water off for days at a time," one resident of Umm Al Kher told Miranda, an Ecumenical Accompanier from Britain. "We have enough water for drinking and washing but no water for agriculture."
Ecumenical Accompaniers, who are sent by the World Council of Churches to provide protective presence and human rights monitoring throughout the West Bank, regularly visit the villages of the South Hebron hills. These isolated communities struggle with the combined challenges of land confiscation and violence by Israeli settlers on the one hand and movement and building restrictions imposed by the Israeli military on the other.
Amnesty International recently completed an investigation into Israel's water policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It revealed a host of measures that prevent Palestinians throughout the West Bank and Gaza from obtaining adequate water. Demolitions of storage facilities and denial of access to aquifers, along with bans on digging wells, mean that up to 200,000 Palestinians in rural communities have no access to running water at all.
Israeli settlers, meanwhile, face no such challenges. With their intensive irrigation farms, lush gardens and swimming pools, they consume on average around 300 litres each per day. Average Palestinian consumption is around a quarter of that, and well short of the 100 litres minimum recommended by the World Health Organization. In some cases Palestinians survive on as little as 20 litres a day, usually brought in by tanker. For communities that rely on agriculture for a living, the lack of water is critical.
No water for farms, no passage for shepherds
These problems are exacerbating the impact of a long-running drought. Bedouins coping with dry spells in the past would have moved around in search of good pasture. But these days, much of the best grazing land is off limits, confiscated by the Israeli settlements that are spreading inexorably across the landscape.
Palestinian shepherds are tied down by movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and the threat of violence from Israeli settlers which bars them from grazing in certain areas. Armed youths from the settlement regularly threaten the village itself. Recently, they broke through the barrier fence to steal the Bedouins' few scrawny chickens. There is also frequent abuse and stone throwing.
Salim, a shepherd from Umm Al Kher, says that complaining about water problems ignores the root cause. In order to improve the water situation, Umm Al Kher needs to build pipes, but the village is in an area where the Israeli authorities refuse to grant building permits to Palestinians.
As recently as October, the Israeli authorities told international non-governmental development organizations that they are breaking the law if they build in the village. The Oslo Accords of 1994 placed the village in "Area C," meaning it is under full Israeli military and civilian control. The Israeli authorities do not grant permits to Palestinians in Area C, so although the residents have papers proving they own the land, they cannot build on it.
The frustration this creates is palpable within the village. The residents live underneath electricity wires that run from the settlement to a nearby chicken factory also belonging to the settlers. But Umm Al Kher's residents are not connected to the electricity network. And even though they have papers proving they own this patch of land, every structure the Bedouins have built here since 1967 has a demolition order hanging over it, including the tents. Several buildings have already been destroyed - including a toilet block.
Eid, the son of a village elder, was defiant. "Every time they destroy our buildings, we will build them again. This is our land," he said.
His determination does not hide the fact that Umm Al Kher is in a precarious spot. Winter rains may make these hills green pastures for a few months, but the long term future of Bedouin communities like Umm Al Kher hangs in the balance.
(*) Miranda and Paul are members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel - http://www.eappi.org/
Sign up to instant updates from EAPPI at www.twitter.com/eappi and join the EAPPI Facebook Group at http://bit.ly/eappi-facebook or by searching for "EAPPI".
Churches in the Middle East: solidarity and witness for peacehttp://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3113
WCC member churches in Palestine and Israel:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=4746
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) was launched in August 2002. Ecumenical accompaniers monitor and report violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, support acts of non-violent resistance alongside local Christian and Muslim Palestinians and Israeli peace activists, offer protection through non-violent presence, engage in public policy advocacy and stand in solidarity with the churches and all those struggling against the occupation. The programme is coordinated by the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Opinions expressed in WCC Features do not necessarily reflect WCC policy. This material may be reprinted freely, providing credit is given to the author.
Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
19/11/2009
Israel Should Revoke Decision to Expand Settlement, says WCC
Churches and other ecumenical partners of the World Council of Churches (WCC) have received an appeal to "mobilize their members and the public" in resistance to Israel's approval for the construction of 900 new housing units in the Gilo settlement on traditionally Palestinian land in East Jerusalem. The WCC general secretary, the Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, called on organizations related to the Council "to act with resolve, in concert," with the intention "to reverse this decision of the Israeli government and the settlement programme it represents." In a public statement, Kobia expressed "great disappointment" at this development and emphasized that the WCC "strongly condemns the decision of the government of Israel to expand the illegal Gilo settlement as we believe that this decision will hinder attempts now in process to restart the peace negotiations."
Quoting a position adopted by the WCC Central Committee at its meeting in September 2009, Kobia warned that, "if settlements continue to expand and proliferate, they will further complicate negotiations and may destroy any chance for peace". He continued: "People of conscience and good faith around the world are looking to the government of Israel now to move toward the resolution of an interminable conflict rather than continue with decades-old policies that have driven it toward the point of no return."
Full text of the WCC general secretary's statement:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=7366
WCC solidarity with churches in the Middle East:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3113
World Council of Churches - Feature
03/12/2009
No Water for the Neighbours
By Miranda and Paul (*)
Rows of neat suburban houses stand on the parched, barren hillside. A water tower looms over them, irrigating lush greenery in the gardens. But outside this West Bank settlement's perimeter fence sits the tiny Bedouin community of Umm Al Kher, whose residents are desperate for water.
Here in the South Hebron Hills, there has been scarce rainfall for many months. Grey rock and dry, rugged earth spread off in every direction. But locals who met observers from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel said the effects of the recent drought are exacerbating a man-made water crisis.
The community is not connected to any water supply network and the Israeli army will not issue permits to dig wells. The community is forced to buy tanked water from Mekorot, the Israeli national water company, which charges 5 shekels (around $1.30) per cubic meter. That cost prohibits the shepherds of Umm Al Kher from irrigating crops. Umm Al Kher's only other water supply is a pipe no bigger than a garden hose that trails across from the pump in the settlement.
"Sometimes they turn the water off for days at a time," one resident of Umm Al Kher told Miranda, an Ecumenical Accompanier from Britain. "We have enough water for drinking and washing but no water for agriculture."
Ecumenical Accompaniers, who are sent by the World Council of Churches to provide protective presence and human rights monitoring throughout the West Bank, regularly visit the villages of the South Hebron hills. These isolated communities struggle with the combined challenges of land confiscation and violence by Israeli settlers on the one hand and movement and building restrictions imposed by the Israeli military on the other.
Amnesty International recently completed an investigation into Israel's water policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It revealed a host of measures that prevent Palestinians throughout the West Bank and Gaza from obtaining adequate water. Demolitions of storage facilities and denial of access to aquifers, along with bans on digging wells, mean that up to 200,000 Palestinians in rural communities have no access to running water at all.
Israeli settlers, meanwhile, face no such challenges. With their intensive irrigation farms, lush gardens and swimming pools, they consume on average around 300 litres each per day. Average Palestinian consumption is around a quarter of that, and well short of the 100 litres minimum recommended by the World Health Organization. In some cases Palestinians survive on as little as 20 litres a day, usually brought in by tanker. For communities that rely on agriculture for a living, the lack of water is critical.
No water for farms, no passage for shepherds
These problems are exacerbating the impact of a long-running drought. Bedouins coping with dry spells in the past would have moved around in search of good pasture. But these days, much of the best grazing land is off limits, confiscated by the Israeli settlements that are spreading inexorably across the landscape.
Palestinian shepherds are tied down by movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli army and the threat of violence from Israeli settlers which bars them from grazing in certain areas. Armed youths from the settlement regularly threaten the village itself. Recently, they broke through the barrier fence to steal the Bedouins' few scrawny chickens. There is also frequent abuse and stone throwing.
Salim, a shepherd from Umm Al Kher, says that complaining about water problems ignores the root cause. In order to improve the water situation, Umm Al Kher needs to build pipes, but the village is in an area where the Israeli authorities refuse to grant building permits to Palestinians.
As recently as October, the Israeli authorities told international non-governmental development organizations that they are breaking the law if they build in the village. The Oslo Accords of 1994 placed the village in "Area C," meaning it is under full Israeli military and civilian control. The Israeli authorities do not grant permits to Palestinians in Area C, so although the residents have papers proving they own the land, they cannot build on it.
The frustration this creates is palpable within the village. The residents live underneath electricity wires that run from the settlement to a nearby chicken factory also belonging to the settlers. But Umm Al Kher's residents are not connected to the electricity network. And even though they have papers proving they own this patch of land, every structure the Bedouins have built here since 1967 has a demolition order hanging over it, including the tents. Several buildings have already been destroyed - including a toilet block.
Eid, the son of a village elder, was defiant. "Every time they destroy our buildings, we will build them again. This is our land," he said.
His determination does not hide the fact that Umm Al Kher is in a precarious spot. Winter rains may make these hills green pastures for a few months, but the long term future of Bedouin communities like Umm Al Kher hangs in the balance.
(*) Miranda and Paul are members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel - http://www.eappi.org/
Sign up to instant updates from EAPPI at www.twitter.com/eappi and join the EAPPI Facebook Group at http://bit.ly/eappi-facebook or by searching for "EAPPI".
Churches in the Middle East: solidarity and witness for peacehttp://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3113
WCC member churches in Palestine and Israel:http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=4746
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) was launched in August 2002. Ecumenical accompaniers monitor and report violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, support acts of non-violent resistance alongside local Christian and Muslim Palestinians and Israeli peace activists, offer protection through non-violent presence, engage in public policy advocacy and stand in solidarity with the churches and all those struggling against the occupation. The programme is coordinated by the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Opinions expressed in WCC Features do not necessarily reflect WCC policy. This material may be reprinted freely, providing credit is given to the author.
Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Bethlehem Prayer Service will be webcast from the National Cathedral Dec. 19
Third Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service webcast live from the National Cathedral
Join worshippers at Washington, D.C., or gather with others online to watch the service broadcast live on the internet: http://www.nationalcathedral.org/.
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Third Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service
Saturday, December 19, 2009
9:30 AM Gathering, 10:00 AM Service (All times are Eastern Standard Time.)
A joint simulcast service with the people of Bethlehem at the Bethlehem Chapel of the Washington National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC
Are you in the DC area? Then you are invited to join worshipers in the Bethlehem Chapel. If you are elsewhere, we encourage to you gather with others in your own community to watch the service by internet as it is broadcast live at http://www.nationalcathedral.org/.
In Bethlehem, behind the wall that separates neighbor from neighbor, patient from hospital, student from school and farmer from land, Palestinian Christians continue to bear witness to their faith this Christmas, as they have done for generations. Once again, let us join our voices with theirs in seeking and offering hope for a better future.
Prayers, readings, and hymns will alternate between Washington, D.C., and Palestine via the Internet, bringing together people of different lands, languages, and ethnic backgrounds in celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace.
In Bethlehem, participants include the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem; the Rt. Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb from Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.
Participants in Washington include the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington; the Rev. Richard H. Graham, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod; and the Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III, dean of the Cathedral.
Sponsored by:
Ad Hoc Committee for Bethlehem
Bright Stars of Bethlehem
Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
Sharing Jerusalem
Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace (WIAMEP)
For updated information about the service, go to http://www.brightstarsbethlehem.org/
Bright Stars of Bethlehem (BSB) is a US 501(c)3 organization founded in 2003 to promote and spread the word about the many outreach ministries of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem to build hope and a brighter future for Palestine. Bright Stars provides funding and support to local initiatives serving the educational, medical, professional and spiritual development needs of people living in Christ's birthplace.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Join worshippers at Washington, D.C., or gather with others online to watch the service broadcast live on the internet: http://www.nationalcathedral.org/.
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Third Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service
Saturday, December 19, 2009
9:30 AM Gathering, 10:00 AM Service (All times are Eastern Standard Time.)
A joint simulcast service with the people of Bethlehem at the Bethlehem Chapel of the Washington National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC
Are you in the DC area? Then you are invited to join worshipers in the Bethlehem Chapel. If you are elsewhere, we encourage to you gather with others in your own community to watch the service by internet as it is broadcast live at http://www.nationalcathedral.org/.
In Bethlehem, behind the wall that separates neighbor from neighbor, patient from hospital, student from school and farmer from land, Palestinian Christians continue to bear witness to their faith this Christmas, as they have done for generations. Once again, let us join our voices with theirs in seeking and offering hope for a better future.
Prayers, readings, and hymns will alternate between Washington, D.C., and Palestine via the Internet, bringing together people of different lands, languages, and ethnic backgrounds in celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace.
In Bethlehem, participants include the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem; the Rt. Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb from Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.
Participants in Washington include the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington; the Rev. Richard H. Graham, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod; and the Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III, dean of the Cathedral.
Sponsored by:
Ad Hoc Committee for Bethlehem
Bright Stars of Bethlehem
Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation
Sharing Jerusalem
Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace (WIAMEP)
For updated information about the service, go to http://www.brightstarsbethlehem.org/
Bright Stars of Bethlehem (BSB) is a US 501(c)3 organization founded in 2003 to promote and spread the word about the many outreach ministries of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem to build hope and a brighter future for Palestine. Bright Stars provides funding and support to local initiatives serving the educational, medical, professional and spiritual development needs of people living in Christ's birthplace.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Monday, November 30, 2009
Nine ELCA synod bishops are visiting the Middle East
Forty-five Lutheran (ELCA) bishops visited the Holy Land earlier this year; now nine more will travel to the region as part of the bishops' initiative to support the ELCA's churchwide strategy, "Peace Not Walls - Stand for Justice in the Holy Land."
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 24, 2009
Nine ELCA Synod Bishops Preparing for Middle East Visit
09-265-JB
Here's a link to the story on the ELCA website: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4355
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Nine synod bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are preparing to visit Israel and the West Bank Nov. 28-Dec. 8, as part of the ELCA Conference of Bishops' initiative to support a churchwide strategy for engagement in the region.
The trip, Bishops' Academy II, includes bishops who were unable or opted not to join colleagues whotraveled to the region in January of this year. At that time Israelis and Palestinians were fighting in Gaza, and the conflict's effect on the bishops' visit was unknown as the bishops were preparing to begin their trip.
Forty-four bishops attended Bishops' Academy I, representing the ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). They visited the West Bank and Israel, and met with religious, political and community leaders. The bishops also visited religious sites. Their visit focused on support and encouragement for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
On this trip the itinerary will be similar. The bishops will meet with United Nations representatives; visit and worship with ELCJHL congregations; meet with groups of Christians, Jews and Muslims; visit the holocaust memorial Yad Vashem; hold discussions at a synagogue and participate in a Shabbat service; meet students in Lutheran schools; visit a refugee camp; plant trees and worship near the Israeli separation barrier; visit the Lutheran World Federation's Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem; and visit Hebron, a West Bank city where Palestinians and Israeli settlers reside.
The trip's purposes are to deepen awareness of the situation in the region; to demonstrate accompaniment by building relationships with religious groups to promote peace; and to strengthen the church's advocacy for a just peace, said the Rev. Peter C. Johnson, ELCA Global Mission regional representative, Cairo, Egypt, in a telephone interview. Johnson will lead the bishops on their visit.
The itinerary will be as balanced as possible, acknowledging that the ELCA is in an accompaniment relationship with the people of the ELCJHL, Johnson said. Also coordinating the visit is Martin Shoffner, ELCA Global Mission, Jerusalem.
"I hope they will have a deep understanding of the complexities on the ground," Johnson said of his hopes for the bishops' visit. "This is another opportunity for the ELCA to enter deeply into an area of the world in crisis for many years. I hope this will help the church engage in this area more publicly."
"They (ELCA bishops) are welcome to visit us," said the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the ELCJHL. "We are happy they can finally come. I want to assure them that even though there is no war now, things are not better because there is (still) an impasse in the region." He said people in the region are concerned about the U.S. government's role in the Middle East.
"We are very worried about the situation. But this is the reason for accompaniment -- that you come and visit in a time of need," Younan said.
ELCA synod bishops planning to be part of Bishops' Academy II are the Rev. Michael L. Burk, Southeastern Iowa Synod, Iowa City; the Rev. Warren D. Freiheit, Central-Southern Illinois Synod, Springfield; the Rev. Robert D. Hofstad, Southwestern Washington Synod, Tacoma; the Rev. B. Penrose Hoover, Lower Susquehanna Synod, Harrisburg, Pa.; the Rev. Michael A. Last, Western Iowa Synod, Storm Lake; the Rev. Mark E. Narum, Western North Dakota Synod, Bismarck; the Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, Metropolitan New York Synod; the Rev. Thomas A. Skrenes, Northern Great Lakes Synod, Marquette, Mich.; and the Rev. Steven S. Talmage, Grand Canyon Synod, Phoenix.
In most cases, the bishops are taking spouses on the trip. Bishops and spouses provided synodical and personal funds for the visit.
---
Information about Bishops' Academy I is at http://www.ELCA.org/cob/academy2009 on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
Monday, November 23, 2009
ELCA Middle East Network News, the Thanksgiving edition
Middle East Network Newsletter
November 23, 2009
Thanksgiving Action on Goldstone Resolution
Take a moment this week to thank your representative for voting"no" or "present" on H. Res. 867 which called on the administration to shelve the "Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict," commonly known as the'Goldstone Report.' The 58 representatives who stood up for transparency, accountability, and respect for international law and human rights need to hear from their supporters. Call today with the message: "Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful that you didnot support H. Res. 867. Keep up the good work." Go to http://ga6.org/ct/y1LYbS51faAF/ to find out how your representative voted.
Find your Representative here http://ga6.org/ct/ypLYbS51faAD/.
For more information see previous ELCA action alerts at http://ga6.org/ct/y7LYbS51faAJ/.
-----
Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land calls for respect for religious sites
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) reports, "The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, comprised of leaders of Jerusalem's Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities, has released a statement calling for respect for the holy sites of all three religions," and goes on to note, "The Nov. 13 statement came in response to recent clashes on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound ..." To read the ELCJHLreport, go to http://ga6.org/ct/n7LYbS51fBSq/.
-----
Augusta Victoria Hospital featured in the Jerusalem Post
In a November 13 article titled, "At Augusta Victoria Hospital, medicine transcends politics," Abe Selig of the Jerusalem Post writes, "Every morning, a big Mercedes bus pulls up outside the Augusta Victoria Hospital and its passengers make their way through the old steel gates ... All are Palestinians from the West Bank, and in many ways their lives depend on this east Jerusalem hospital near Mt. Scopus - either for medical treatments that their local hospitals cannot provide, or for a paycheck." To read the article, go to http://ga6.org/ct/ydLYbS51faA-/.
-----
Bethlehem University student deported to Gaza by Israeli military
Two months short of completing her bachelor's degree at Bethlehem University, 21 year-old student Berlanty Azzam was forcibly deported to Gaza by the Israeli military who accused her of being in the West Bank illegally. The Israeli human rights organization, Gisha, which has taken up Azzam's case, notes that the military "makes no claim that she poses any security threat," and bases the deportation order on "the fact that her address in the Israeli-controlled Population Registry is listed in Gaza." The case has received the attention of many advocates, including Churches for Middle East Peace found here - http://ga6.org/ct/ndLYbS51fBS1/, which sent a letter to Secretary Clinton and asked Members of Congress to contact the State Department. As the case works its way through the Israeli court system, Azzam expressed hope and appreciation in a phone call reported by Brother Jack Curran of Bethlehem University: "I'm just waiting to come back to Bethlehem. I'm really praying for a positive answer - really, I am ... God bless you and all of the people who are working so hard to help me - and others like me here in Gaza. Thank you so much!" For more, go to http://ga6.org/ct/81LYbS51fBSz/.
-----
Plans move forward to expand Gilo settlement
A plan to construct 844 new housing units in the Israeli settlement of Gilo, located in East Jerusalem, received a green light from the Jerusalem Regional Planning Board on November 17. Lara Friedman of Americans for Peace Now writes, "This does not mean implementation is inevitable - by no means - but it does mean that it now requires the investment of serious political capital to stop." To learn more, go to http://ga6.org/ct/h1LYbS51faAK/.
The White House issued a statement found here http://ga6.org/ct/i1LYbS51fBSA/, saying, "We are dismayed at the Jerusalem Planning Committee's decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem..." and went on to state, "The U.S. also objects to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes ..." Churches for Middle East Peace reports on the plans for Gilo in a November 20 Bulletin. Visit http://ga6.org/ct/hpLYbS51faAC/ for more.
-----
3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service
The 3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service will take place Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time/5:00 PM Bethlehem Time. This joint simulcast service will bring together worshipers at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with those at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Palestine. The service will be broadcast live at http://ga6.org/ct/87LYbS51fBSL/ - plan now to join in person or from wherever you are on the globe. For more information and updates, go to http://ga6.org/ct/hdLYbS51faAZ/.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://ga6.org/join-forward.html?domain=elca_advocacy&r=d7LYbS5q3kso
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America e-Advocacy Network at:
http://ga6.org/elca_advocacy/join.html?r=d7LYbS5q3ksoE
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
November 23, 2009
Thanksgiving Action on Goldstone Resolution
Take a moment this week to thank your representative for voting"no" or "present" on H. Res. 867 which called on the administration to shelve the "Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict," commonly known as the'Goldstone Report.' The 58 representatives who stood up for transparency, accountability, and respect for international law and human rights need to hear from their supporters. Call today with the message: "Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful that you didnot support H. Res. 867. Keep up the good work." Go to http://ga6.org/ct/y1LYbS51faAF/ to find out how your representative voted.
Find your Representative here http://ga6.org/ct/ypLYbS51faAD/.
For more information see previous ELCA action alerts at http://ga6.org/ct/y7LYbS51faAJ/.
-----
Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land calls for respect for religious sites
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) reports, "The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, comprised of leaders of Jerusalem's Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities, has released a statement calling for respect for the holy sites of all three religions," and goes on to note, "The Nov. 13 statement came in response to recent clashes on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound ..." To read the ELCJHLreport, go to http://ga6.org/ct/n7LYbS51fBSq/.
-----
Augusta Victoria Hospital featured in the Jerusalem Post
In a November 13 article titled, "At Augusta Victoria Hospital, medicine transcends politics," Abe Selig of the Jerusalem Post writes, "Every morning, a big Mercedes bus pulls up outside the Augusta Victoria Hospital and its passengers make their way through the old steel gates ... All are Palestinians from the West Bank, and in many ways their lives depend on this east Jerusalem hospital near Mt. Scopus - either for medical treatments that their local hospitals cannot provide, or for a paycheck." To read the article, go to http://ga6.org/ct/ydLYbS51faA-/.
-----
Bethlehem University student deported to Gaza by Israeli military
Two months short of completing her bachelor's degree at Bethlehem University, 21 year-old student Berlanty Azzam was forcibly deported to Gaza by the Israeli military who accused her of being in the West Bank illegally. The Israeli human rights organization, Gisha, which has taken up Azzam's case, notes that the military "makes no claim that she poses any security threat," and bases the deportation order on "the fact that her address in the Israeli-controlled Population Registry is listed in Gaza." The case has received the attention of many advocates, including Churches for Middle East Peace found here - http://ga6.org/ct/ndLYbS51fBS1/, which sent a letter to Secretary Clinton and asked Members of Congress to contact the State Department. As the case works its way through the Israeli court system, Azzam expressed hope and appreciation in a phone call reported by Brother Jack Curran of Bethlehem University: "I'm just waiting to come back to Bethlehem. I'm really praying for a positive answer - really, I am ... God bless you and all of the people who are working so hard to help me - and others like me here in Gaza. Thank you so much!" For more, go to http://ga6.org/ct/81LYbS51fBSz/.
-----
Plans move forward to expand Gilo settlement
A plan to construct 844 new housing units in the Israeli settlement of Gilo, located in East Jerusalem, received a green light from the Jerusalem Regional Planning Board on November 17. Lara Friedman of Americans for Peace Now writes, "This does not mean implementation is inevitable - by no means - but it does mean that it now requires the investment of serious political capital to stop." To learn more, go to http://ga6.org/ct/h1LYbS51faAK/.
The White House issued a statement found here http://ga6.org/ct/i1LYbS51fBSA/, saying, "We are dismayed at the Jerusalem Planning Committee's decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem..." and went on to state, "The U.S. also objects to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes ..." Churches for Middle East Peace reports on the plans for Gilo in a November 20 Bulletin. Visit http://ga6.org/ct/hpLYbS51faAC/ for more.
-----
3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service
The 3rd Annual Bethlehem Prayer Service will take place Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time/5:00 PM Bethlehem Time. This joint simulcast service will bring together worshipers at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with those at the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Palestine. The service will be broadcast live at http://ga6.org/ct/87LYbS51fBSL/ - plan now to join in person or from wherever you are on the globe. For more information and updates, go to http://ga6.org/ct/hdLYbS51faAZ/.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://ga6.org/join-forward.html?domain=elca_advocacy&r=d7LYbS5q3kso
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America e-Advocacy Network at:
http://ga6.org/elca_advocacy/join.html?r=d7LYbS5q3ksoE
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog, A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Israel is denying Palestinians access to basic minimum of clean, safe water
Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water
Janet Lewis wrote recently about water issues in the West Bank, about the same time an important Amnesty International report was released.
Janet Lahr Lewis is a missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church serving in the Middle East as liason between ecumenical groups, Israel and Palestine.
Here is a link to news about the Amnesty report: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/israel-rations-palestinians-trickle-water-20091027
And the report itself: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/027/2009/en/e9892ce4-7fba-469b-96b9-c1e1084c620c/mde150272009en.pdf
-- --
Janet's report:
"During the past two weeks a Volunteer in Mission team was here from the W. Pennsylvania Conference. The team spent the first week visiting the holy sites and our partner projects where they heard about several issues of concern, one of which is the lack of water. The second week was spent in the village of Taybeh where they spent the mornings in the fields with host families in order to assist in the olive harvest…or rather what there is of it this year. After five years of not enough rain, there was not much to pick.
"There is a Western misconception about this `Land of Milk and Honey.' We have understood that to mean that things are easy here. God’s bounty is plentiful here. But this is not the case. For those who do not live here, it is easy to misinterpret this biblical reference. Moses led `his people' out of Egypt, a place where there was an abundance of water supplied by the Nile river and the surrounding land was fertile and food plentiful. Later from Mt Nebo Moses looked down over the Jordan Valley and instead of seeing a land of plenty he saw the Judean desert, not exactly what he may have expected. Moses surely understood that they would no longer be able to rely on water being plentifully supplied by a fast flowing river like the Nile. They would have to rely on the rain to water the earth; the rain that would enable the crops to grow and the animals and people to survive. This could only be accomplished if they obeyed their covenant with God so that God would supply the rain to sustain their lives here. As scripture reveals, they did not, so God denied them the rain and the land vomited them out. This is much different than our Western perception of Moses looking down onto a place where life would be easy and food plentiful.
`As the VIM team easily noticed, water is a precious commodity here, and life is anything but easy. What was denied by God to the people of Moses, is now being forcibly denied to the Palestinians by the Israeli government. The number one rule in warfare strategy is to control the water supply. Nothing can survive without water. Deny them water and the people will die. It’s that simple." Janet
-- --
Here is an account from the BBC: Israel 'cuts Palestinian water' - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8327188.stm
Israel 'cuts Palestinian water'
Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says.
In a report, the human rights group says Israeli water restrictions discriminate against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
It says that in Gaza, Israel's blockade has brought the water and sewage system to "crisis point".
Israel says the report is flawed and the Palestinians get more water than was agreed under the 1990s peace deal.
'Basic need'
In the 112-page report, Amnesty says that on average Palestinian daily water consumption reaches 70 litres a day, compared with 300 litres for the Israelis.
It says that some Palestinians barely get 20 litres a day - the minimum recommended even in humanitarian emergencies.
Amnesty says that Israel denies West Bank Palestinians to dig wells, and has even destroyed cisterns and impounded water tankers.
At the same time, the report claims, Israeli settlers are enjoying swimming pools and green gardens.
In Gaza, Israel refuses access to many of the building materials needed to renovate the ailing water system, the document says.
It adds that Israel uses more than 80% of the water from the Mountain Aquifer - the main source of underground water in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
"Water is a basic need and a right, but for many Palestinians obtaining even poor-quality, subsistence-level quantities of water has become a luxury that they can barely afford," Amnesty's Donatella Rovera said.
"Israel must end its discriminatory policies, immediately lift all the restrictions it imposes on Palestinians' access to water."
Ms Rovera also urged Israel to "take responsibility for addressing the problems it created by allowing Palestinians a fair share of the shared water resources".
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said the report was factually inaccurate, accusing the Palestinians of mismanaging water resources.
He also rejected the claim that Israel was preventing Palestinians from drilling for water.
The spokesman said Israel had approved 82 such projects but the Palestinians had only implemented 26 of them.
Story from BBC NEWS
---- ---- ---- ----
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Janet Lewis wrote recently about water issues in the West Bank, about the same time an important Amnesty International report was released.
Janet Lahr Lewis is a missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church serving in the Middle East as liason between ecumenical groups, Israel and Palestine.
Here is a link to news about the Amnesty report: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/israel-rations-palestinians-trickle-water-20091027
And the report itself: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/027/2009/en/e9892ce4-7fba-469b-96b9-c1e1084c620c/mde150272009en.pdf
-- --
Janet's report:
"During the past two weeks a Volunteer in Mission team was here from the W. Pennsylvania Conference. The team spent the first week visiting the holy sites and our partner projects where they heard about several issues of concern, one of which is the lack of water. The second week was spent in the village of Taybeh where they spent the mornings in the fields with host families in order to assist in the olive harvest…or rather what there is of it this year. After five years of not enough rain, there was not much to pick.
"There is a Western misconception about this `Land of Milk and Honey.' We have understood that to mean that things are easy here. God’s bounty is plentiful here. But this is not the case. For those who do not live here, it is easy to misinterpret this biblical reference. Moses led `his people' out of Egypt, a place where there was an abundance of water supplied by the Nile river and the surrounding land was fertile and food plentiful. Later from Mt Nebo Moses looked down over the Jordan Valley and instead of seeing a land of plenty he saw the Judean desert, not exactly what he may have expected. Moses surely understood that they would no longer be able to rely on water being plentifully supplied by a fast flowing river like the Nile. They would have to rely on the rain to water the earth; the rain that would enable the crops to grow and the animals and people to survive. This could only be accomplished if they obeyed their covenant with God so that God would supply the rain to sustain their lives here. As scripture reveals, they did not, so God denied them the rain and the land vomited them out. This is much different than our Western perception of Moses looking down onto a place where life would be easy and food plentiful.
`As the VIM team easily noticed, water is a precious commodity here, and life is anything but easy. What was denied by God to the people of Moses, is now being forcibly denied to the Palestinians by the Israeli government. The number one rule in warfare strategy is to control the water supply. Nothing can survive without water. Deny them water and the people will die. It’s that simple." Janet
-- --
Here is an account from the BBC: Israel 'cuts Palestinian water' - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8327188.stm
Israel 'cuts Palestinian water'
Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says.
In a report, the human rights group says Israeli water restrictions discriminate against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
It says that in Gaza, Israel's blockade has brought the water and sewage system to "crisis point".
Israel says the report is flawed and the Palestinians get more water than was agreed under the 1990s peace deal.
'Basic need'
In the 112-page report, Amnesty says that on average Palestinian daily water consumption reaches 70 litres a day, compared with 300 litres for the Israelis.
It says that some Palestinians barely get 20 litres a day - the minimum recommended even in humanitarian emergencies.
Amnesty says that Israel denies West Bank Palestinians to dig wells, and has even destroyed cisterns and impounded water tankers.
At the same time, the report claims, Israeli settlers are enjoying swimming pools and green gardens.
In Gaza, Israel refuses access to many of the building materials needed to renovate the ailing water system, the document says.
It adds that Israel uses more than 80% of the water from the Mountain Aquifer - the main source of underground water in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
"Water is a basic need and a right, but for many Palestinians obtaining even poor-quality, subsistence-level quantities of water has become a luxury that they can barely afford," Amnesty's Donatella Rovera said.
"Israel must end its discriminatory policies, immediately lift all the restrictions it imposes on Palestinians' access to water."
Ms Rovera also urged Israel to "take responsibility for addressing the problems it created by allowing Palestinians a fair share of the shared water resources".
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said the report was factually inaccurate, accusing the Palestinians of mismanaging water resources.
He also rejected the claim that Israel was preventing Palestinians from drilling for water.
The spokesman said Israel had approved 82 such projects but the Palestinians had only implemented 26 of them.
Story from BBC NEWS
---- ---- ---- ----
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Especially now, join in prayer with Sabeel's Waves of Prayer
Join in prayer with the community of Sabeel, the ecumenical liberation theology center in Jerusalem - http://www.sabeel.org/etemplate.php?id=58
Each Thursday at noon Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Wherever you are, join the Friends of Sabeel in prayer for peace with justice, focusing on specific issues each week.
This week's petitions are particularly stirring:
+ On Tuesday morning, settlers and armed guards entered the Rivka al-Kurd home in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem and removed the family and their belongings by force. Israeli police stood by and did not take action to stop the crime. This is the third family to be evicted by settlers in Sheikh Jarrah since August. Almighty God, in our pain we plead for mercy and justice.
+ Rev. Naim Ateek addressed a gathering of Muslim leaders from Nablus and Bethlehem on Sunday on the topic of Christian Zionism. Rev. Ateek's comments were intended to clear up confusion between the theology of Christian Zionism and the beliefs of Palestinian Christians about the state of Israel. The sheikhs and imams who attended expressed much appreciation for the conference and have already begun planning future dialogues with the local Christian community. We give thanks for this and other opportunities to address misunderstandings and to grow closer ties between different communities.
+ Early Sunday morning, an armed Israeli man was caught attempting to enter al-Aqsa Mosque. Guards fear he intended to commit a massacre during morning prayers. We give thanks that this disaster was averted and pray that Jerusalem will not descend into violence at the hands of extremists.
+ November 5 marks the end of Sabeel's Witness Visit. We pray that the participants will return to their communities as informed and inspired advocates of a just peace in Palestine and Israel. May the words and actions of these ambassadors fall upon the minds and hearts of those who can guide decision-makers into ending injustice and the suffering of the oppressed.
Find out more about the ministry of Sabeel - http://www.sabeel.org/index.php
And Friends of Sabeel - North America - http://www.fosna.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Monday, November 2, 2009
CMEP: Support Transparency & Accountability!
I pay attention to directives from Churches for Middle East Peace. They know what they're doing and guide me in strategic advocacy.
Support Transparency & Accountability!
Tell your Member of Congress to Oppose H.Res 867!
Just last week, the Department of State affirmed that they had "serious concerns about what happened in Gaza" and that these allegations "which are very serious" should be "thoroughly investigated." Yet, H. Res. 867 directly challenges this clearly articulated U.S. position.
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced a resolution last week "Calling on the President and the Secretary of State to oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the 'Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict…'" Credible allegations of misconduct cannot be investigated if Congress deliberately sweeps this report under the rug.
Contact your Member of Congress today and tell them to oppose H. Res. 867 because it irresponsibly recommends a lack of accountability and transparency.
You can TAKE ACTION by visiting - http://action.cmep.org/t/7858/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1239
H. Res. 867 highlights what the State Department has called concerns about the "one sided" nature of the Goldstone report. Yet, the resolution itself is unbalanced. It ignores and fails to address the claims of the civilian population in Gaza and important questions raised by Israelis about their country's conduct in Gaza.
Tell your representative to oppose H. Res. 867 because Israelis and Palestinians have a right to answers!
You can TAKE ACTION by visiting - http://action.cmep.org/t/7858/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1239
H. Res. 867 is out of touch with the Administration's calls for a comprehensive investigation of "all credible allegations of misconduct" and with many organizations that are calling for impartial, independent and credible Israeli and Palestinian investigations. The Administration has repeatedly asked Israel and the Palestinians to address these very serious allegations, but H. Res. 867 defies this executive mandate head on.
H. Res. 867 is expected on the House floor next week and time is running out! Contact your representative today! Oppose H. Res. 867!
We need your help! ACT NOW!
Sincerely, Amanda Rios
Deputy Director
Churches for Middle East Peace
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
--- --- --
Support Transparency & Accountability!
Tell your Member of Congress to Oppose H.Res 867!
Just last week, the Department of State affirmed that they had "serious concerns about what happened in Gaza" and that these allegations "which are very serious" should be "thoroughly investigated." Yet, H. Res. 867 directly challenges this clearly articulated U.S. position.
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced a resolution last week "Calling on the President and the Secretary of State to oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the 'Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict…'" Credible allegations of misconduct cannot be investigated if Congress deliberately sweeps this report under the rug.
Contact your Member of Congress today and tell them to oppose H. Res. 867 because it irresponsibly recommends a lack of accountability and transparency.
You can TAKE ACTION by visiting - http://action.cmep.org/t/7858/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1239
H. Res. 867 highlights what the State Department has called concerns about the "one sided" nature of the Goldstone report. Yet, the resolution itself is unbalanced. It ignores and fails to address the claims of the civilian population in Gaza and important questions raised by Israelis about their country's conduct in Gaza.
Tell your representative to oppose H. Res. 867 because Israelis and Palestinians have a right to answers!
You can TAKE ACTION by visiting - http://action.cmep.org/t/7858/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1239
H. Res. 867 is out of touch with the Administration's calls for a comprehensive investigation of "all credible allegations of misconduct" and with many organizations that are calling for impartial, independent and credible Israeli and Palestinian investigations. The Administration has repeatedly asked Israel and the Palestinians to address these very serious allegations, but H. Res. 867 defies this executive mandate head on.
H. Res. 867 is expected on the House floor next week and time is running out! Contact your representative today! Oppose H. Res. 867!
We need your help! ACT NOW!
Sincerely, Amanda Rios
Deputy Director
Churches for Middle East Peace
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, http://www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com/
--- --- --
Friday, October 30, 2009
'Because THEY are here," or The Olive Press-ure: keeping the farmers off-balance in the busy season
Ecumenical accompanier Elice Higginbotham writes: 'Because THEY are here," or The Olive Press-ure: keeping the farmers off-balance in the busy season
Elice has spent three months in Jayyous in the West Bank as an accompanier in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) - check it out at this link: http://www.eappi-us.org/
Here is the opening portion of Elice's most recent blog post. Find it at http://eliceinpalestine.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
Olive cultivation is as old as history itself in this part of the world, well-known in biblical times and before. The agricultural lands of the West Bank, as they are in the late fall of every year, are consumed with olive-harvesting these days. Although it has been a dry year and this harvest is not expected to be good, it is nonetheless one of the more important income-producing times for the olive-growers of Jayyous and other agricultural towns and villages, and every family has kicked into full-bore harvest mode.
If a farmer with a permit to access lands behind the Separation Barrier can afford it, this is the time of year he will hire extra hands and seek permits for them many weeks in advance. Additional family members who are eligible make every effort to get a permit in this season; larger numbers of women are seen crossing through the gates. Carts, wagons, trucks carry extra water and food for the pickers. Schoolchildren spend their weekends in the fields with their parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The number of people seeking to pass through the agricultural gates may double during these weeks.
It seems the worst possible season in which to make life unnecessarily difficult for a farmer. So our EA team was shocked and annoyed to discover that our South Agricultural Gate had been closed – “permanently,” according to the Humanitarian Hotline – about a week before the start of the harvest.
Read the full post at Elice in Palestine: http://eliceinpalestine.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Elice has spent three months in Jayyous in the West Bank as an accompanier in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) - check it out at this link: http://www.eappi-us.org/
Here is the opening portion of Elice's most recent blog post. Find it at http://eliceinpalestine.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
Olive cultivation is as old as history itself in this part of the world, well-known in biblical times and before. The agricultural lands of the West Bank, as they are in the late fall of every year, are consumed with olive-harvesting these days. Although it has been a dry year and this harvest is not expected to be good, it is nonetheless one of the more important income-producing times for the olive-growers of Jayyous and other agricultural towns and villages, and every family has kicked into full-bore harvest mode.
If a farmer with a permit to access lands behind the Separation Barrier can afford it, this is the time of year he will hire extra hands and seek permits for them many weeks in advance. Additional family members who are eligible make every effort to get a permit in this season; larger numbers of women are seen crossing through the gates. Carts, wagons, trucks carry extra water and food for the pickers. Schoolchildren spend their weekends in the fields with their parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The number of people seeking to pass through the agricultural gates may double during these weeks.
It seems the worst possible season in which to make life unnecessarily difficult for a farmer. So our EA team was shocked and annoyed to discover that our South Agricultural Gate had been closed – “permanently,” according to the Humanitarian Hotline – about a week before the start of the harvest.
Read the full post at Elice in Palestine: http://eliceinpalestine.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, subscribe at the blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace - http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 26, 2009
Anna Baltzer and Mustafa Barghouti will appear on the Daily Show Wednesday
Tune to the Comedy Channel on Wednesday night when Anna Baltzer, Jewish-American lecturer and author, and Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian social and political activist, will appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Oct. 28).
Here's the link to the Daily Show: http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Baltzer is on the board of the Council for the National Interest (CNI) - http://www.cnionline.org/
WASHINGTON, DC (October 27, 2009) -
Anna Baltzer, Jewish-American lecturer, author, and activist for Palestinian rights, will appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday, October 28th. The CNI Board Member and CNI: Jerusalem Calling host will be joined by Palestinian social and political activist Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, who finished second in the 2005 Palestinian presidential election
On her recent CNI: Jerusalem Calling broadcast, Baltzer was joined by former Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldier Micha Kurz, who was co-founder of the IDF soldiers' truth-telling group Breaking the Silence. The two discussed the role of IDF soldiers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and reactions to regional issues concerning the peace process.
Listen to the archived podcast of their conversation by visiting: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZWNdgcWqFqf7QnbmnMfV%2Bnq5Czcu2uQk
Don't miss this Thursday's broadcast of CNI: Jerusalem Calling with Jeffrey Blankfort, hosted by Alison Weir from 12-1pm EST at www.wsradio.com/cni
Jeffrey Blankfort was raised in a Jewish non-Zionist family. Blankfort produces radio programs on three stations and has written extensively on the Middle East. He was formerly the editor of the Middle East Labor Bulletin and co-founder of the Labor Committee of the Middle East.
In February 2002, Blankfort won a lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was found to have had a vast spying operation directed against American citizens opposed to Israel's policies in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza, and the apartheid policies of the government of South Africa. Host Alison Weir is the head of "If Americans Knew", and a member of CNI's Board.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Here's the link to the Daily Show: http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Baltzer is on the board of the Council for the National Interest (CNI) - http://www.cnionline.org/
WASHINGTON, DC (October 27, 2009) -
Anna Baltzer, Jewish-American lecturer, author, and activist for Palestinian rights, will appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday, October 28th. The CNI Board Member and CNI: Jerusalem Calling host will be joined by Palestinian social and political activist Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, who finished second in the 2005 Palestinian presidential election
On her recent CNI: Jerusalem Calling broadcast, Baltzer was joined by former Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldier Micha Kurz, who was co-founder of the IDF soldiers' truth-telling group Breaking the Silence. The two discussed the role of IDF soldiers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and reactions to regional issues concerning the peace process.
Listen to the archived podcast of their conversation by visiting: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZWNdgcWqFqf7QnbmnMfV%2Bnq5Czcu2uQk
Don't miss this Thursday's broadcast of CNI: Jerusalem Calling with Jeffrey Blankfort, hosted by Alison Weir from 12-1pm EST at www.wsradio.com/cni
Jeffrey Blankfort was raised in a Jewish non-Zionist family. Blankfort produces radio programs on three stations and has written extensively on the Middle East. He was formerly the editor of the Middle East Labor Bulletin and co-founder of the Labor Committee of the Middle East.
In February 2002, Blankfort won a lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was found to have had a vast spying operation directed against American citizens opposed to Israel's policies in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza, and the apartheid policies of the government of South Africa. Host Alison Weir is the head of "If Americans Knew", and a member of CNI's Board.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Role of the Media in Holy Land Conflict
Muslim, Christian and Jewish experts discuss the Role of the Media in Holy Land Conflict - 11th HCEF International Conference Oct. 24 in Washington, D.C. (Holyland Christian Ecumenical Foundation).
Does the media coverage advance or hinder the peace process? How impartial is the media? Does the Israeli military impact the coverage? Can the media be an instrument for dialogue in the peace process?
Three distinguished, long-time observers of the Middle East from film, print, and radio/TV media will debate these issues. They will examine how the media can be a strong positive or negative force in advancing the prospects for reconciliation and peace in the Holy Land. They will discuss how Israeli occupation policies restrict journalists' access to timely coverage of the events and lead to subtle forms of censorship. The critical duty of media for accuracy of coverage and analysis of the events will be examined.
Participating in the panel will be: Ronit Avni, internationally acclaimed producer and director of documentary films; Fr. Drew Christianson, S.J., author and educator, editor-in-chief of America Magazine; and Mohamed Elshinnawi, veteran radio/TV journalist of Voice of America. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Saliba Sarsar, Associate Vice-President, Monmouth University, NJ.
The panel will discuss these issues during the 11th HCEF International Conference co-hosted by and held at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Visit online at http://www.hcef.org/
Register for the conference: http://www.hcef.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=130%3Aconference&id=790792312%3Aregistration&Itemid=236
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Does the media coverage advance or hinder the peace process? How impartial is the media? Does the Israeli military impact the coverage? Can the media be an instrument for dialogue in the peace process?
Three distinguished, long-time observers of the Middle East from film, print, and radio/TV media will debate these issues. They will examine how the media can be a strong positive or negative force in advancing the prospects for reconciliation and peace in the Holy Land. They will discuss how Israeli occupation policies restrict journalists' access to timely coverage of the events and lead to subtle forms of censorship. The critical duty of media for accuracy of coverage and analysis of the events will be examined.
Participating in the panel will be: Ronit Avni, internationally acclaimed producer and director of documentary films; Fr. Drew Christianson, S.J., author and educator, editor-in-chief of America Magazine; and Mohamed Elshinnawi, veteran radio/TV journalist of Voice of America. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Saliba Sarsar, Associate Vice-President, Monmouth University, NJ.
The panel will discuss these issues during the 11th HCEF International Conference co-hosted by and held at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Visit online at http://www.hcef.org/
Register for the conference: http://www.hcef.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=130%3Aconference&id=790792312%3Aregistration&Itemid=236
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
ELCA bishops write to President Obama: Remain firm in your commitment to a just peace
The bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) sent a letter to President Obama yesterday expressing "profound concern" and detailing the areas in which "bold U.S. leadership" is needed: an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and to Palestinian violence against Israelis, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Here is a link to ELCA News coverage:
http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4315
Lots of resources are linked from the ELCA Conference of Bishops webpage: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Ecumenical-and-Inter-Religious-Relations/2009-Bishops-Academy.aspx
In November another group of ELCA bishops will visit the church in the Holy Land.
Here is the letter:
October 13, 2009
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), we write to express our deep appreciation for your timely and courageous leadership in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian impasse and applaud your recent meeting with President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
We strongly urge you to remain firm in your commitment to achieving a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The U.S. plays a key role in negotiating necessary compromises and in holding both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to their obligations.
We express profound concern at the stalemate that persists and at the fading hopes for a two-state solution due to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It is our firm belief that a just resolution is within reach if the United States remains unwavering in its determination to help the parties finally reach agreement.
The ELCA has a long-standing relationship with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) which includes congregations, schools, vocational training, medical care, and social services in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Jordan. Additionally, we have a vigorous affiliation with the Lutheran World Federation whose many projects include Augusta Victoria Hospital, located in East Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives.
These commitments lead us to write to you at this critical juncture to express our conviction that now is the time for bold U.S. leadership. We urge the U.S. to insist upon an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land as well as an end to Palestinian violence against Israelis. We raise before you our concern that the continued growth of settlements and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are immediate impediments toward finding a just peace. The ELCA has long called for a halt to settlements, and we reiterate that call now with a deep sense of urgency. The suffering of people in Gaza who are unable to obtain adequate food, clean water, necessary medical attention, and building supplies due to the border closures must be alleviated now. The deteriorating conditions in Gaza make a resumption of violence more likely; however opening the borders in a carefully monitored way that respects Israel’s security needs will contribute to the well being of Palestinians in Gaza and the safety of Israelis in Sderot.
We continue to offer you our support and prayers as we hold fast to the hope that this region of turmoil can be a land where all of God’s children dwell in peace.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4315
Lots of resources are linked from the ELCA Conference of Bishops webpage: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Ecumenical-and-Inter-Religious-Relations/2009-Bishops-Academy.aspx
In November another group of ELCA bishops will visit the church in the Holy Land.
Here is the letter:
October 13, 2009
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), we write to express our deep appreciation for your timely and courageous leadership in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian impasse and applaud your recent meeting with President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
We strongly urge you to remain firm in your commitment to achieving a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The U.S. plays a key role in negotiating necessary compromises and in holding both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to their obligations.
We express profound concern at the stalemate that persists and at the fading hopes for a two-state solution due to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It is our firm belief that a just resolution is within reach if the United States remains unwavering in its determination to help the parties finally reach agreement.
The ELCA has a long-standing relationship with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) which includes congregations, schools, vocational training, medical care, and social services in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Jordan. Additionally, we have a vigorous affiliation with the Lutheran World Federation whose many projects include Augusta Victoria Hospital, located in East Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives.
These commitments lead us to write to you at this critical juncture to express our conviction that now is the time for bold U.S. leadership. We urge the U.S. to insist upon an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land as well as an end to Palestinian violence against Israelis. We raise before you our concern that the continued growth of settlements and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are immediate impediments toward finding a just peace. The ELCA has long called for a halt to settlements, and we reiterate that call now with a deep sense of urgency. The suffering of people in Gaza who are unable to obtain adequate food, clean water, necessary medical attention, and building supplies due to the border closures must be alleviated now. The deteriorating conditions in Gaza make a resumption of violence more likely; however opening the borders in a carefully monitored way that respects Israel’s security needs will contribute to the well being of Palestinians in Gaza and the safety of Israelis in Sderot.
We continue to offer you our support and prayers as we hold fast to the hope that this region of turmoil can be a land where all of God’s children dwell in peace.
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
EAPPI News: House demolitions, evictions, denial of Palestinian's basic freedoms
The e-newsletter of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel arrived recently. Here's a link:
http://www.eappi.org/en/news-events/eappi-news/eappi-direct-mail/eappi-news-july-september-2009.html
EAPPI News July-September 2009
EAPPI presents the third edition this year of our web-based newsletter, covering the period July-September 2009.
Recent diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in the Holy Land have taken place against the grinding daily reality of occupation. House demolitions, evictions of whole families and denial of the basic freedoms of Palestinians have continued to strangle life in the Occupied Territories as well as damaging the fabric of Israeli society. EAs continue to stand with Israelis and Palestinians campaigning for peace, working to expose the brutality of the occupation and supporting those who seek justice and human rights for all.
Also included:
http://www.eappi.org/en/news-events/eappi-news/eappi-direct-mail/eappi-news-july-september-2009.html
EAPPI News July-September 2009
EAPPI presents the third edition this year of our web-based newsletter, covering the period July-September 2009.
Recent diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in the Holy Land have taken place against the grinding daily reality of occupation. House demolitions, evictions of whole families and denial of the basic freedoms of Palestinians have continued to strangle life in the Occupied Territories as well as damaging the fabric of Israeli society. EAs continue to stand with Israelis and Palestinians campaigning for peace, working to expose the brutality of the occupation and supporting those who seek justice and human rights for all.
Also included:
- Settlements on the agenda
- Checkpoints - http://www.eappi.org/en/news-events/ea-reports/r/article/4566/daily-humiliation-at-chec.html
- EAPPI stands with evicted Palestinian families - http://www.eappi.org/en/news-events/ea-reports/r/article/4837/double-standards.html
- A call to action
--- --- ---
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Iowa Sabeel Conference: A Free Palestine and a Secure Israel
This is a late notice of an important event, the Sabeel Conference in Cedar Falls, Iowa: A Free Palestine and a Secure Israel: From Occupation to Liberation and Reconciliation
October 9-10, 2009
Friday-Saturday
Schindler Education Center
University of Northern Iowa Campus
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Registration includes all presentations, workshops & Saturday box lunch; does not include Friday Middle Eastern banquet. Price: $90.00. Saturday program includes box lunch.
Friday Night Banquet is a Middle Eastern meal, served on campus (a limit of 250 reservations will be accepted) $25.
Contact iowasabeel@hotmail.com with special dietary needs, special requests or requirements needed (mobility, hearing, etc.).
The presenters:
Naim Ateek
Palestinian Anglican Canon, the founder/director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem [http://www.sabeel.org/]. The author of A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation.
Fahed Abu-Akel
Former moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA. Helped to found the PCUSA Middle Eastern Caucus. Founder of Atlanta Ministry with International Students Inc.
Luai Amro
President of the Islamic Center of Des Moines, a growing and diverse community for over 40 years.
Anna Baltzer
Volunteer with the International Women’s Peace Service and is the author of the Witness in Palestine. Committed to sharing eyewitness experiences from the West Bank: http://annainpalestine.blogspot.com/
Phyllis Bennis
A Fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies, analyst and activist on Middle East and UN issues. Phyllis is the author of numerous books focused on Middle East issues, including Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer.
Jeff Halper
Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions in Jerusalem, dedicated to rebuilding Palestinian homes and resisting the occupation in all of its forms. Author of An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel.
Jonathan Kuttab
A member of the bar in Israel, Palestine and New York, Kuttab is an expert in international law. Jonathan co-founded the Jerusalem-based Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence and the Mandela Institute for Political Prisoners.
Don Wagner
Professor and Director of North Park University’s Center for Middle East Studies, seeking to foster awareness, understanding and reconciliation among peoples of the Abrahamic tradition. Author of Anxious for Armageddon: A Call to Partnership for Middle Eastern and Western Christians.
Friends of Sabeel North America: http://www.fosna.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, sign up at the blog A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
October 9-10, 2009
Friday-Saturday
Schindler Education Center
University of Northern Iowa Campus
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Registration includes all presentations, workshops & Saturday box lunch; does not include Friday Middle Eastern banquet. Price: $90.00. Saturday program includes box lunch.
Friday Night Banquet is a Middle Eastern meal, served on campus (a limit of 250 reservations will be accepted) $25.
Contact iowasabeel@hotmail.com with special dietary needs, special requests or requirements needed (mobility, hearing, etc.).
The presenters:
Naim Ateek
Palestinian Anglican Canon, the founder/director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem [http://www.sabeel.org/]. The author of A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation.
Fahed Abu-Akel
Former moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA. Helped to found the PCUSA Middle Eastern Caucus. Founder of Atlanta Ministry with International Students Inc.
Luai Amro
President of the Islamic Center of Des Moines, a growing and diverse community for over 40 years.
Anna Baltzer
Volunteer with the International Women’s Peace Service and is the author of the Witness in Palestine. Committed to sharing eyewitness experiences from the West Bank: http://annainpalestine.blogspot.com/
Phyllis Bennis
A Fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies, analyst and activist on Middle East and UN issues. Phyllis is the author of numerous books focused on Middle East issues, including Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer.
Jeff Halper
Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions in Jerusalem, dedicated to rebuilding Palestinian homes and resisting the occupation in all of its forms. Author of An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel.
Jonathan Kuttab
A member of the bar in Israel, Palestine and New York, Kuttab is an expert in international law. Jonathan co-founded the Jerusalem-based Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence and the Mandela Institute for Political Prisoners.
Don Wagner
Professor and Director of North Park University’s Center for Middle East Studies, seeking to foster awareness, understanding and reconciliation among peoples of the Abrahamic tradition. Author of Anxious for Armageddon: A Call to Partnership for Middle Eastern and Western Christians.
Friends of Sabeel North America: http://www.fosna.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, sign up at the blog A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 1, 2009
CMEP: Support Hands-on U.S. Leadership to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an End!
Churches for Middle East Peace urges: Don't Accept the Status Quo!
Add your name to show the president you support comprehensive Middle East peace: http://action.cmep.org/t/4317/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1160
Support Hands-on U.S. Leadershipto bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an End!
September 28, 2009
On September 22, President Obama held tri-lateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas to try and jump start final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
In response to this effort, Christian leaders from a variety of traditions, along with a diverse group of ethnic and religious leaders, issued a statement of priciples supporting strong U.S. leadership to acheive a negotiated, sustainable resolution to the conflict.
The opportunity to change the status quo is here now! Don't waste this precious moment! Add your name to show the president you support comprehensive Middle East peace: http://action.cmep.org/t/4317/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1160
Text of Statement:
Letter in Support of a Comprehensive Middle East Peace:
An American National Interest Imperative
We come from varied ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths that are diverse. We are Democrats and Republicans. We are veterans of war and of the struggle for peace. Together, we are all Americans.
We find common cause in supporting strong U.S. leadership to achieve a negotiated, sustainable resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict - a fundamental American interest that crosses racial, ethnic and religious lines.
We support President Obama's determination to provide sustained, hands-on diplomatic leadership to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an end through the creation of two viable, secure and independent states living side by side in peace and security.
The President has made resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top priority since his very first day in office, and we commend his leadership. We applaud the vision the President has laid out for peace in the Middle East and the challenge he has laid down to all of us to help work for peace and a more positive future for the people of the region and the world.
This is a moment of great opportunity and urgency. After decades of tragic conflict, many Israelis and Palestinians despair of the possibility of peace. While the international community and majorities of the Israeli and Palestinian people are committed to a two-state solution as the best option for achieving peace and security, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
We express our support for U.S. leadership to chart a path to a better future and to the following principles:
• We support both Israel's right to exist in security and the right of the Palestinian people to a viable, sovereign and secure state of their own.
• A peace agreement will need to fulfill UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and resolve critical issues of importance to the parties including refugees, borders, Jerusalem, settlements, and security.
• The Israelis and Palestinians, however, have not - on their own - been able to reach agreement. After nearly two decades of negotiations, we believe bold American leadership can help Israelis and Palestinians make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve lasting peace and hold the parties to account should they fail to honor their commitments.
• We support the sense of real urgency that the President brings to the issue and his determination to reach a negotiated resolution to the conflict during his first term in office.
• At the appropriate time, we will support the Administration if it decides to present proposals for a just and equitable solution that provides dignity, security and sovereignty for both peoples.
• Finally, we believe a peace agreement should be comprehensive - encompassing Syria and Lebanon as well as normalization of relations between Israel and the countries of the Arab world. We support the idea of a comprehensive regional peace that builds on the Arab Peace Initiative, with its offer of recognition and normalization of relations between Israel and all Arab nations in exchange for resolution of all outstanding issues.
Both sides must take steps to move the process forward, and we support the President's efforts to end Israeli settlement growth and to halt Palestinian violence and incitement. It is now time to move to the next stage of diplomacy and to address the tough issues that must be resolved to bring this conflict to an end.
There are many who will attempt to block the path to peace. They may believe that the status quo favors their interests or that time is on their side. The President should know that we understand the status quo is unsustainable and time is of the essence. We will stand with him as he promotes a fair and just resolution to this long-standing conflict and asks all parties to make the difficult but ultimately necessary compromises for peace.
We pledge to work with the President, to forge the path to peace and security for the Middle East. We also pledge to work with those in both societies who seek peace, justice, and security, and to stand up for those who hope for a better future for themselves and for the generations that follow.
Frank Anderson
Former Chief, Southeast Asian Division, CIA
President, Middle East Policy Council
Dr. Ziad Asali
President, American Task Force on Palestine
Robert Barkin
President, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Jeremy Ben-Ami
Executive Director, J Street
Ambassador Warren Clark
Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace
Debra DeLee
President, Americans for Peace Now
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
President, Lutheran World Federation
Father Theodore Hesburgh
President Emeritus, Notre Dame University
The Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop of Albany
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dr. Joel C. Hunter
Senior Pastor, Northland Church
Member, Executive Committee of the National Association of Evangelicals
Rev. Bill Hybels
Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
Lynne Hybels
Advocate for Global Engagement, Willow Creek Community Church
Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon
General Secretary, National Council of Churches
Rabbi Peter Knobel
Former President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Charles Kroloff
Former President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Salam Al-Marayati
Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council
Rev. John McCullough
Executive Director and CEO, Church World Service
Rev. Peter Morales
President, United Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
David Neff
Editor in Chief, Christianity Today
Stanley J. Noffsinger
General Secretary, Church of the Brethren
Rev. Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Imam of Masjid al-Farah, New York City
Dr. Bob Roberts, Jr.
Senior Pastor, NorthWood Church, Dallas, TX
Hon. George R. Salem, Esq.
Chairman, Arab-American Institute Strategic Advisor, DLA Piper LLP
Rolando Santiago
Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
Ron Sider
President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. John Thomas
General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
Dr. James Zogby
President, Arab American Institute
-- --
For more about Churches for Middle East Peace go to http://www.cmep.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Add your name to show the president you support comprehensive Middle East peace: http://action.cmep.org/t/4317/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1160
Support Hands-on U.S. Leadershipto bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an End!
September 28, 2009
On September 22, President Obama held tri-lateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas to try and jump start final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
In response to this effort, Christian leaders from a variety of traditions, along with a diverse group of ethnic and religious leaders, issued a statement of priciples supporting strong U.S. leadership to acheive a negotiated, sustainable resolution to the conflict.
The opportunity to change the status quo is here now! Don't waste this precious moment! Add your name to show the president you support comprehensive Middle East peace: http://action.cmep.org/t/4317/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1160
Text of Statement:
Letter in Support of a Comprehensive Middle East Peace:
An American National Interest Imperative
We come from varied ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths that are diverse. We are Democrats and Republicans. We are veterans of war and of the struggle for peace. Together, we are all Americans.
We find common cause in supporting strong U.S. leadership to achieve a negotiated, sustainable resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict - a fundamental American interest that crosses racial, ethnic and religious lines.
We support President Obama's determination to provide sustained, hands-on diplomatic leadership to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an end through the creation of two viable, secure and independent states living side by side in peace and security.
The President has made resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top priority since his very first day in office, and we commend his leadership. We applaud the vision the President has laid out for peace in the Middle East and the challenge he has laid down to all of us to help work for peace and a more positive future for the people of the region and the world.
This is a moment of great opportunity and urgency. After decades of tragic conflict, many Israelis and Palestinians despair of the possibility of peace. While the international community and majorities of the Israeli and Palestinian people are committed to a two-state solution as the best option for achieving peace and security, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
We express our support for U.S. leadership to chart a path to a better future and to the following principles:
• We support both Israel's right to exist in security and the right of the Palestinian people to a viable, sovereign and secure state of their own.
• A peace agreement will need to fulfill UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and resolve critical issues of importance to the parties including refugees, borders, Jerusalem, settlements, and security.
• The Israelis and Palestinians, however, have not - on their own - been able to reach agreement. After nearly two decades of negotiations, we believe bold American leadership can help Israelis and Palestinians make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve lasting peace and hold the parties to account should they fail to honor their commitments.
• We support the sense of real urgency that the President brings to the issue and his determination to reach a negotiated resolution to the conflict during his first term in office.
• At the appropriate time, we will support the Administration if it decides to present proposals for a just and equitable solution that provides dignity, security and sovereignty for both peoples.
• Finally, we believe a peace agreement should be comprehensive - encompassing Syria and Lebanon as well as normalization of relations between Israel and the countries of the Arab world. We support the idea of a comprehensive regional peace that builds on the Arab Peace Initiative, with its offer of recognition and normalization of relations between Israel and all Arab nations in exchange for resolution of all outstanding issues.
Both sides must take steps to move the process forward, and we support the President's efforts to end Israeli settlement growth and to halt Palestinian violence and incitement. It is now time to move to the next stage of diplomacy and to address the tough issues that must be resolved to bring this conflict to an end.
There are many who will attempt to block the path to peace. They may believe that the status quo favors their interests or that time is on their side. The President should know that we understand the status quo is unsustainable and time is of the essence. We will stand with him as he promotes a fair and just resolution to this long-standing conflict and asks all parties to make the difficult but ultimately necessary compromises for peace.
We pledge to work with the President, to forge the path to peace and security for the Middle East. We also pledge to work with those in both societies who seek peace, justice, and security, and to stand up for those who hope for a better future for themselves and for the generations that follow.
Frank Anderson
Former Chief, Southeast Asian Division, CIA
President, Middle East Policy Council
Dr. Ziad Asali
President, American Task Force on Palestine
Robert Barkin
President, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Jeremy Ben-Ami
Executive Director, J Street
Ambassador Warren Clark
Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace
Debra DeLee
President, Americans for Peace Now
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
President, Lutheran World Federation
Father Theodore Hesburgh
President Emeritus, Notre Dame University
The Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop of Albany
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dr. Joel C. Hunter
Senior Pastor, Northland Church
Member, Executive Committee of the National Association of Evangelicals
Rev. Bill Hybels
Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
Lynne Hybels
Advocate for Global Engagement, Willow Creek Community Church
Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon
General Secretary, National Council of Churches
Rabbi Peter Knobel
Former President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Charles Kroloff
Former President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Salam Al-Marayati
Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council
Rev. John McCullough
Executive Director and CEO, Church World Service
Rev. Peter Morales
President, United Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
David Neff
Editor in Chief, Christianity Today
Stanley J. Noffsinger
General Secretary, Church of the Brethren
Rev. Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Imam of Masjid al-Farah, New York City
Dr. Bob Roberts, Jr.
Senior Pastor, NorthWood Church, Dallas, TX
Hon. George R. Salem, Esq.
Chairman, Arab-American Institute Strategic Advisor, DLA Piper LLP
Rolando Santiago
Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
Ron Sider
President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. John Thomas
General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
Dr. James Zogby
President, Arab American Institute
-- --
For more about Churches for Middle East Peace go to http://www.cmep.org/
--- --- ---
To receive regular bulletins from Ann Hafften, go the the blog: A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace, www.blogspot.voicesforpeace.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)