Bulletin Issue
No. 17
14 June 2002
Providing church,
ecumenical and inter-faith information, resources, and analysis
on issues of current global concern
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1. Statements
and actions from the local Christian and NGO community 
a) On May 29, the
Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People alerted the
international community that Greek Orthodox housing projects
in Beit Sahour were under threat of demolition. For the past eight
years, the Greek Orthodox housing committee has worked to provide
housing for its members, mostly low-income Christian families. Five
buildings are complete and inhabited, as work continues for ten
more buildings. On May 27, the army raided the housing project and
handed residents orders to stop further work in the project and
to appear in the Israel military headquarters in Gosh Etzion. For
Israeli security considerations, the officer who handed over the
order informed them, the project had to be stopped and the existing
buildings are subject to evaluation and demolition. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-27.html
b) H.B. Patriarch Michel Sabbah,
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, has issued an article explaining
his point of view about the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis
(available in English, French, Arabic, Italian, and Spanish). In
calling for prayer and mourning all victims, he affirms that "only
the ways of peace can lead to peace". He looks at the present
situation, the root of the conflict, the need to end the occupation,
steps towards peace, mutual recognition and security, and perspectives
for the future.
English version: http://www.lpj.org/Nonviolence/Patriarch/PaleIseng.htm
Other language versions available at: http://go.to/nonviolence
On 6 May, H.B Patriarch Michel Sabbah
issued a Pentecost Call for Solidarity and Peace for "all people
of good will throughout the world to share their presence, prayers
and voices with us in universal action on behalf of solidarity and
peace for all people in the Holy Land." http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-26.html
c) Various media reported on the
clean-up and resumption of services at the Church of the Nativity
in Bethlehem following the 39-day siege by the Israeli military.
Associated Press noted that the joint efforts at cleaning
the basilica were a "rare display of unity" among the
Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox who each oversee
a different part of the building. The first mass to be held inside
the church was celebrated by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irineos I.
A special mass to reconsecrate the Saint Catherine Church, which
adjoins the Church of the Nativity, was also held, led by Cardinal
Roger Etchegaray, special envoy of Pope John Paul II. See: www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-28.html
and http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-29.html
d) The latest newsletter of The
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jerusalem, sent out on June 18, thanks
all those who have shown support to the church during this time
of conflict. The newsletter goes on to say that Bishop Munib Younan
often speaks about the power of prayer, that the ELCJ is a praying
church, and that prayers for the people of this land and for a just
and enduring peace are very important to the church. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-34.html
e) The Christian Peacemaker Team
in Hebron issued an urgent appeal on 7 June to support Israeli conscientious
objectors. They note that in the past six months, nearly 500 reservist
soldiers, including high-ranking officers, have signed a petition
that reads in part: "We shall not continue to fight beyond
the 1967 borders in order to dominate expel, starve and humiliate
an entire people." Their stance has launched a debate throughout
Israel and re-energized the Israeli peace movement. See www.cpt.org
and www.couragetorefuse.org.
f) May 12 saw the largest Israeli
peace demonstration in Rabin Square since the beginning of the second
intifada, with at least 60,000 people attending. The demands voiced
included the immediate withdrawal of the army and settlers from
the Palestinian territories and calls on the government to pursue
the Saudi peace plan. Speakers included Yossi Sarid of Meretz and
parliamentary speaker Avraham Burg who called on his Labour party
to withdraw from the government. Another message was that the military
response by the Sharon government had no effect in bringing about
security or peace.
http://www.peacenow.org.il/English.asp?Redirect=4&CategoryID=6&ReportID=251
g) On June 20, Palestinian intellectuals
and public figures, including politicians, academics and human rights
activists, published an urgent appeal to parties behind military
operations which target civilians in Israel to stop suicide bombings.
In the appeal they explain that these actions deepen the hatred
and widen the gap between the two peoples and they do not contribute
towards achieving the Palestinian national project which calls for
freedom and independence. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-36.html
2. Statements
and actions of the global church and ecumenical family
a) Applications are currently being
accepted for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine
and Israel (EAPPI) coordinated by the World Council of Churches
(WCC). The programme's mission is to accompany Palestinians and
Israelis in their non-violent actions and concerted advocacy efforts
to end the occupation. Programme participants will monitor and report
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, support
acts of non-violent resistance, 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.
Information on the programme and application can be found at:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/eap.html
For the list and contact details
of national coordinating committees, see http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/list.html
More information on the Ecumenical
campaign to end the illegal occupation of Palestine: Support a just
peace in the Middle East is available at http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/index.html
b) In a 18 June statement on the
Jerusalem bombing, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) general
secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko condemned all attacks on civilians,
saying that "in no way can they be justified" and that
suicide bombings "contribute nothing to realization of the
Palestinian people's legitimate rights and aspirations". Noko
called on the Palestinian leadership to continue to condemn such
attacks. Based on his recent visit to Israel-Palestine and what
he witnessed of the legacy left by "Operation Defensive Shield",
he "do(es) not consider it a contribution to the peace Israelis
seek. On the contrary Israel's tightening military occupation of
the occupied territories promotes hate and desperation, swelling
the ranks of suicide bombers." Noko believes that political
leaders outside the region "have not done nearly enough",
and notes that "there is a tendency on the part of political
leaders and religious communities outside the region to opt for
sides rather than principles, thereby participating in the conflict
rather than the search for peace." http://193.73.242.125/News/LWI/EN/993.EN.html
An LWF delegation was the first
to visit Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat following
the recent attack on his Ramallah headquarters. Members of the LWF
delegation from many countries expressed solidarity with Arafat,
saying they indeed would speak out on behalf of the Palestinian
people and society. "You have to push and do it quickly,"
the Palestinian Authority leader urged. "There is not much
time." http://193.73.242.125/News/LWI/EN/988.EN.html.
A small LWF delegation led by the
LWF president also met with Israeli minister for Foreign Affairs
Shimon Peres on June 10, to discuss the question of employment
taxes being levied on the Augusta Victoria Hospital. LWF general
secretary Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko said of the meeting: "The discussions
were cordial, open and frank. In the context of these discussions
the LWF requested, through Mr Peres, the State of Israel to uphold
the present agreement between the LWF and State of Israel. This
agreement grants the LWF blanket tax exemption, among which is employer's
tax, and secondly, that the two parties should agree on suspension
of the pending court case. The LWF also raised the issue of recent
destruction of Lutheran church property by Israeli military forces,
amounting to one million US dollars. Mr Peres promised to convey
all these concerns to the relevant government ministers and ministries."
http://193.73.242.125/News/LWI/EN/990.EN.html
For other related information on
the Israel-Palestine situation, go to http://lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OIahr/OIAHR-Documentation_Israel-Palestine.html
c) Mesrob II, Armenian patriarch
of Istanbul and All Turkey, and Manfred Kock, chairman of the Council
of The Evangelical Church in Germany, issued a joint statement on
9 June during the patriarch's visit to the Evangelical Church in
Germany. In it they express their grief and shock at the increase
of violence on both sides, and pray "that the people of the
Holy Land not lose hope of living together in peace". With
other WCC member churches, they state, "We are trying to respond
to the appeal of the Decade to Overcome Violence rejecting the employment
of any form of violence and terrorism in pursuit of political aims.
Therefore, we urge the parties of conflict in the Holy Land to stop
the violence and to return to negotiations for a just peace and
coexistence in freedom and dignity." http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-32.html
d) A hearing on June 20 at the
European Parliament in Brussels on "EU-Israel Bilateral
Relations in the Framework of International Law and European Law:
the Case of the EC-Israel Association Agreement" is being organized
by APRODEV – the Association of WCC-related Development Organizations
in Europe, Coopération Internationale pour le Développement
et la Solidarité, the European Coordinating Committee of
NGOs on the Question of Palestine, and SOLIDAR, and is supported
by Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Fédération
Internationale des Droits de l’Homme, Organisation Mondiale
Contre la Torture and the WCC as part of the Ecumenical Campaign
to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine: Support a Just Peace
in the Middle East. The hearing, which will be hosted by six members
of the European Parliament, will examine Israeli violations of international
and humanitarian law and democratic principles, precedents in EU
practice of suspension of bilateral relations with a third country,
and the juridical and political aspects of the EU Israel Association
Agreement. http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/new.html
e) A delegation of nine members
from the Italian Protestant churches together with some Catholic
associations carried out an ecumenical peace mission to Israel and
the Occupied Palestinian Territories from June 7 to 13. The visit
aimed at expressing the ecumenical vocation for peace and justice,
seeking dialogue with the people and with the faith communities
that are suffering, and urging the Israeli and Palestinian leadership
to start meeting and negotiating again with determination and courage.
The delegation met with Latin patriarch Michel Sabbah and the Lutheran
bishop Munib Younan, as well as government officials and pacifist
groups, and ended its stay in Galilee with a day of meditation and
prayer.
f) On May 23, 2002 a group of American
Evangelical Christians completed a three day conference here
with Middle East Church leaders and issued a declaration that rejected
"all efforts to demonize our brothers and sisters" and
"stood against repeated political efforts to label some as
"evil", to call others "men of peace," and to
use Scripture for the purpose of waging war. They also rejected
"any and all forms of violence," specifically citing "sanctions,
occupation, terrorism and war." The group, Evangelicals for
Middle East Understanding, are members of various American Protestant
and independent churches. They called for "an end to the illegal
occupation of Palestinian territory" and for "the lifting
of sanctions against our brothers and sisters in Iraq". The
full text of the declaration is at:
http://www.wfn.org/2002/05/msg00299.html
g) Bishop Riah Abu El Assal, Anglican
bishop in Jerusalem, offered prayers for peace at a shrine of the
Holy Child of Bethlehem on the porch of historic St Martin in the
Fields Parish, Trafalgar Square, London. The Eucharist of Witness
for the Christian Community in the Holy Land was held on Wednesday
15 May. Hundreds joined in the liturgy, sponsored by St Georges
College. Many ecumenical guests were present, representing Greek
Orthodox, Moravian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Society of Friends,
United Reformed and Lutherans. http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/30/00/acns3000.html
h) The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick,
stated clerk of the General Assembly and chief ecclesiastical officer
of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has issued a statement abhorring
violence against Jews and condemning all political violence involving
attacks on non-combatants. Citing a document adopted by the 199th
General Assembly, in 1987 - A Theological Understanding of the
Relationship between Christians and Jews - Kirkpatrick noted
that the Presbyterian Church (USA) has pledged "never again
to participate in, to contribute to, or " to allow the persecution
or denigration of Jews". He urged Palestinians "to cease
striking terror in the hearts of Israeli Jews by stopping attacks
on non-combatants," and called on Israelis "to cease striking
terror in the hearts of Palestinians by stopping military operations
that assault harmless people". http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/02196.htm
i) In its semi-annual meeting ending
24 May, The Middle East Network of United Methodists (USA) expressed
"solidarity with all those who strive for peace and suffer
from injustice", and called for specific action on the part
of the US government, US media and US law enforcement, in addition
to Israelis and Palestinians. "We are heartened by the leaders
of the United Methodist Church who are responding to the Middle
East crisis with calls for United Methodists to become educated
about the ongoing crisis, to speak out against all forms of violence
whether by persons or states, to send observers to the Middle East
to learn and to report back, and to stand in solidarity with the
heads of churches in Jerusalem and other religious leaders in the
area in advocating for a just and lasting peace in the region,"
the group said. MFSA is an independent caucus of church members.
http://www.wfn.org/2002/05/msg00303.html
j) In a message adopted during their
Annual General Meeting in April, members of Church and Peace
called on "Christians, churches, and Christian communities
and groups to support organizations which train and send peace service
volunteers to the Middle East in the role of mediators and observers,
for example the Christian Peacemaker Teams or the World Council
of Churches with its Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine
and Israel (EAPPI)." The message also calls for times of prayer
and fasting to be organized - as signs of repentance for complicity
in the conflict, hope for nonviolent transformation of the conflict,
and solidarity with the peoples of the Middle East. "The members
of Church and Peace commit themselves to supporting peace service
programs and volunteers, and organizing times of prayer and fasting.
One proposal for such a time of prayer and fasting is August 6-9,
anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
http://www.c3.hu/~bocs/chp/chp-mec-a.htm.
k) In light of recent escalation
of violence in the Occupied territories of Palestine, the Executive
Committee of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF)
issued a statement on 21 April, reaffirming its resolution from
the 32nd General Assembly in 1999. The statement calls for Israel
to fully and unconditionally implement United Nations Resolutions
concerned with the Arab-Israeli conflict, resulting in the eventual
full withdrawal of Israel from the Occupied territories, and it
advocates for the establishment of a Palestinian Sovereign State,
including Jerusalem. It urges all parties involved to "renounce
violence and seek a peaceful and just resolution." The statement
also "calls on the international community to renounce all
discourses that seek to obscure the recent history that has nurtured
the present conflict". Read the full text here http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-30.html.
l) The governing body of the Church
in Wales unanimously passed a motion on 10 April concerning
Israel and Palestine that challenges the ideology of "Security
first" as expressed by the current policy of the State of Israel,
and that calls on leaders at various levels to move beyond "the
accumulation of retaliation, threat and counter threat in order
to move towards genuine peace, justice and stability in the area".
The motion also encourages both sides to "enter into a new
joint formal process of negotiation, based on international, religious
and humane values of truth, forgiveness and reconciliation".
(http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/0116e.html)
Two weeks later, on 23 April, the
bishops of the Church in Wales issued a statement calling for "a
guaranteed mutual ceasefire; an international commission of jurists
to clarify the political and territorial options; and above all
for realism and concrete planning together, growing out of a new
awareness of the human cost in the present lack of vision and policy".
The statement continues: "Both communities have to ask what
it is they positively want for themselves, their children and grandchildren
- not how they are to react to another stage in the endless drama
of revenge." http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/0117e.html.
m) In a statement issued on 15 May,
the Council for Ecumenical Student Christian Ministry (United
States) called for peaceful, nonviolent resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict, proclaiming that "as members of God's family, we
are called to demand peace between all of God's creation".
http://www.cescm.org/reference/2002_Statement_on_Middle_East_Crisis.pdf.
n) "Prayer, confession of sin,
active witness for peace. These are the ways that our churches are
called upon to follow in these difficult times." In a pastoral
letter to the churches prepared by executives of some of the partner
churches of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy,
church leaders confess the sin of the churches for not having known
how to be peacemakers in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and for
having failed to do everything possible to help both sides of the
conflict resume negotiations. The letter then expresses renewed
support by the churches for all initiatives aimed at halting the
use of weapons and reopening dialogue for peaceful solutions - including
plans by the churches to participate in an ecumenical peace mission
to the Middle East, and calls for an end to both the occupation
of the territories and terrorist actions. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-33.html
3. Inter-religious
statements and responses from other faith communities
a) Rabbis for Human Rights Israel
has issued a Statement on the Crisis in Israel which has been endorsed
by Rabbis for Human Rights North America. The statement expresses
outrage at attacks on innocent civilians and calls for international
condemnation of such attacks. The statement goes on to say that
"Standing with Israel requires concern for her moral, as well
as her physical well being", and refers to Biblical tradition
that "one is to pursue a just cause by just means. In defending
ourselves, we must always hold on to the prophetic vision of decency
and humanity. The survival of the Jewish people will be determined
not only by its physical acumen, but also, by its moral steadfastness."
The statement calls on the government of Israel to "cease all
violations of human rights" and suggests specific measures.
Noting the deep desire for peace and reconciliation, the statement
concludes, "We face Jerusalem three times daily and pray for
peace - a peace for all who live here: Jews, Christians and Moslems;
Israelis and Palestinians." http://www.rhr.israel.net/statement.shtml
Rabbi Arik Ascherman, executive
director of Rabbis for Human Rights, visited the Jenin refugee camp
after the Israeli military invasion and wrote a reflection, "Will
you sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?" Describing
the destruction and relaying the stories he heard from the residents,
he states, "I saw the terrorist infrastructure yesterday -
the hatred in the eyes of an entire people who want to be free from
occupation, even as we want to be free
of fear. … Clearly, for the people in Jenin camp, we in the
human rights community and the government are two hands of the same
body - good cop/bad cop. We come and wring our hands and send aid
afterwards, but did not/were not able to do anything to stop what
happened. We can point fingers at the other side and comfort ourselves
by saying that we must respond to this hatred, as sorry as we may
be. However, I hope that we as a society will also have the ability
to ask the more difficult question of our contribution to creating
the hatred." http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-24.html
b) His Royal Highness Prince El
Hassan bin Talal, chairman of the Arab Thought Forum and moderator
of the World Conference on Religion and Peace, issued
a WCRP statement on 5 May stating that all three religions - Judaism,
Islam, and Christianity - do not condone the shedding of innocent
blood for any reason, and called for actions and responses on the
part of Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Arab League, United Nations,
national governments and the world community to work for a just
and durable peace. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-25.html
c) A one-page ad on 31 May in the
New York Times, "In the Name of God, Seek Peace and
Pursue It" presents an inter-religious call to the US
government to "bring about the creation of an international
force to protect both Israelis and Palestinians" and hold a
regional peace conference. The appeal continues to receive endorsements.
http://www.shalomctr.org/html/peace90.html
d) In an article on May 20 in The
Nation, Rabbi Michael Lerner outlines concerns, particularly from
the members of the Tikkun Community, on current Israeli policies
and shares how the expression of such concerns subjects individuals
and organizations to intimidation. But the need remains to speak
out for a final settlement that would provide "real security"
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020520&s=lerner
On June 18, Lerner issued a statement
for the Tikkun Community condemning the attacks and murder of innocent
Israeli civilians and noted that the "victims of these acts
of terror are not only the immediate victims, but also the entire
Palestinian people who are punished for acts they neither authorized
nor support". He notes the continuing violence of the occupation
as the "central stumbling block" to strategies for non-violence,
stating "We who support Israel and want to preserve a Jewish
state believe that the Israeli people will never be safe until the
occupation ends and a new spirit of repentance and generosity spreads
through the Jewish people." He goes on to say, "Of course,
on a moral plane, the Palestinian people too have much to atone
for, and these acts of violence are only one part of a long picture
of unwillingness to affirm the validity of Jewish national aspirations.
But the first steps of repentance must come from the more powerful
force, and at the moment, that is Israel and the Jewish people."
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/i-p-35.html
e) Jews Against the Occupation
is an organization of "progressive, secular and religious Jews
of all ages" in the New York City area advocating peace through
justice for Palestine and Israel. For their fact sheet on the occupation
and links to news articles see: www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
A Women In Black weekly silent Vigil
for Peace in Israel/Palestine is held each Thursday, 5:30-6:30pm
in Union Square.
4. Summaries of
inter-governmental response
a) On May 2 the UN Secretary General
disbanded the team headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari,
which had been appointed to carry out a mission of investigation
on Jenin at the end of April. Israeli reservations on the composition
and mandate of the team as well as a decision of non-cooperation
were the reasons leading to this decision. Despite not going to
the region, a report is to be produced based on information gathered
in Geneva and requested from authorities and organisations on the
ground.
Two major international human rights
organisations however, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International,
published reports into the eight-day occupation of the refugee camp
based on respective missions to Jenin. HRW reported that there had
been no massacre but did accuse the Israeli army of committing war
crimes. It reports that at least 52 Palestinians were killed of
whom 22 were civilians, many of them wilfully and unlawfully. It
refers to Palestinians being used as human shields, use of excessive
and indiscriminate force, preventing access to humanitarian and
rescue teams, and calls for the soldiers responsible to be prosecuted
for their actions.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/2002/israel04222002.html
http://hrw.org/reports/2002/israel3/
b) An urgent plan to create jobs
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories was announced by the Director
General of the International Labour Office (ILO) at the 90th
International Labour Conference in Geneva on June 10. Speaking before
delegates from 175 ILO member states, the organisations director
appealed to Palestinians and Israelis to "take the risk of
embarking on social dialogue". He also reported on the findings
from an ILO mission to the region from April 27 to May 6, which
documented the "socio-economic meltdown in the occupied territories
resulting from the present stage of the conflict and the deep humanitarian
crisis which Palestinian families are living through", as well
as the "sense of insecurity in Israel due to suicide bombings
and the economic crisis".
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc90/pdf/rep-i-a-ax.pdf
5. Humanitarian
relief and related issues
a) Reuter's AlertNet is a
good source for information on the ongoing conflict in Israel between
Israelis and Palestinians, as well as on the humanitarian efforts
by agencies to bring relief to people in the region. http://www.alertnet.org
b) Action by Churches Together
(ACT) facilitator in the Occupied Palestinian Territories/Israel,
Rudolf Hinz, reports that although nothing is in writing yet, the
Israeli Defence Ministry is floating the idea of getting everyone
involved in humanitarian relief as well as other actors in the region
to comply with new restrictions for access to the West Bank. The
idea has been presented and discussed at a meeting with the INGOs
and NGOs. This would be a blow not only for the governmental/inter-governmental
donors, but also (especially ) for the INGOs. What is now being
discussed is a possible code of conduct for dealing with the military,
especially concerning the access problem. "There was no consensus
how to deal with the new system of applying for permits to cross
the borders/checkpoints, but all are agreed that while nothing is
officially in writing and nobody has been officially asked to apply
for such permits, it is urgent to start lobbying against it."
An ACT News Update on the
work of ACT members and partners in the region is posted at http://act-intl.org/news/dt_nr_2002/dtpt0502.html
c) For the OCHA's Humanitarian
Update on Gaza Strip, 31 May - 6 June, click on http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/bc86efe0abedf36d85256bd1006381b7?OpenDocument
d) The United Nations World Food
Programme launched an emergency operation on June 6, 2002, to
help feed about half a million non-refugee Palestinians no longer
able to afford the basics - this as living conditions in the Palestinian
Territories continue to deteriorate dramatically. More about this
at http://www.wfp.org/index.asp?section=2
e) http://www.avh.org/service/service.html
will take you to the website of ACT member Lutheran World Federation's
Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem. The AVH has been pivotal
in providing medical support to Palestinians during the recent conflict
in Israel.
f) In May 2002, ACT member International
Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) began providing emergency
relief — food parcels, hygiene items and blankets — to
areas in the West Bank most affected by the conflict. More about
IOCC's relief work can be found at http://www.iocc.org/news_frameset.html
g) An overview of the work of many
humanitarian organizations active in the Middle East can be found
on ReliefWeb, a website run by the United Nations Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). To visit a
special section, "Occupied Palestinian Territory", click
on: http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/vLCE/Occupied+Palestinian+Territory?OpenDocument&StartKey=Occupied+Palestinian+Territory&Expandview
h) Given the most recent events
and the escalation of violence in the Middle East, the continued
security restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza -- all which have
led to severe restrictions being placed on aid workers - Peter Hansen,
the commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) issued
a statement on June 4, 2002, saying that the tense situation has
once again brought up issues concerning refugee camps and UNRWA
institutions. More about this at http://www.un.org/unrwa/index.html
i) The ongoing violence in the Palestinian
Territories puts everyone working there at risk - including staff
members of aid organizations. A BBC report tells the
story of a Welsh woman working for a Christian charity in Palestine
who is considering leaving the country with her two young sons.
The story can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/wales/newsid_1906000/1906983.stm
j) ACT communicator Jonathan Frerichs,
who is with Lutheran World Relief (LWR) in Baltimore, recently
travelled to Jerusalem and the West Bank. His stories and images
of a people in need as well as the work of ACT members in the region
can be found at http://www.lwr.org/emergencies/02/jenin/photo2.html.
This page will also lead you to other information on LWR's response
to the crisis in the Middle East. More stories on the Middle East
by Frerichs and other ACT communicators can be found under the News
section of the ACT website at http://act-intl.org/act_news_title.html.
Information on programmes can be found in the appeals section at
http://act-intl.org/appeals/appeals_title.html#middleeast
k) Many of ACT's members are actively
involved in bringing relief to the victims of the ongoing conflict
in the Middle East. For a list of ACT members, go
to the following webpage http://act-intl.org/act_links_to_members.html
and follow the links.
l) Christian Aid reflects
the magnitude of the problem on their website, reporting that "it
will take decades to repair the physical damage done to West Bank
towns, villages and infrastructure during the latest Israeli invasion.
Local Christian Aid partner organizations have lost not only their
offices but also all their files, patient records, laboratory equipment
and years' worth of research. Despite that, they are doing their
best to help people meet current needs." For more on Christian
Aid's programmes as well as updates on the situation, please click
on: http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/middle_east/index.htm.
m) In its latest update, the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) points out the lack of access
to basic services in the Palestinian Territories, resulting in hundreds
of thousands of children being affected by the situation. More under
http://www.unicef.org/emerg/Country/OPT/020529.PDF
n) Human Rights Watch has a section
focusing specifically on issues relating to Israel/Palestine. Click
on:
http://www.hrw.org/mideast/is-ot-pa.php
6. Articles, analysis
and resources for information and action
a) At an address given in April
in the US, Archbishop Desmond Tutu related the experience of apartheid
in South Africa to his visits to the Holy Land. Expressing his grave
concern for the current state of affairs, he nonetheless affirmed
that "Injustice and oppression will never prevail. Those who
are powerful have to remember the litmus test that God gives to
the powerful: what is your treatment of the poor, the hungry, the
voiceless? And on the basis of that, God passes judgment."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/comment/0,10551,706911,00.html
b) In "Thinking Ahead",
Edward Said provides a short analysis for other Palestinians
on ways forward, how "morally to do everything in our power
to make certain that despite the enormous suffering and destruction
imposed on us by a criminal war, we must go on. " He looks
at the justice of the cause, the role of broad Palestinian leadership,
the power of media and public opinion, the politics of non-violence
and the politics of inclusion and mutual respect, creating solidarity
that isolates "the exclusivists, the racists, the fundamentalists".
Said was born in Jerusalem and currently is a professor at Columbia
University.
http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/2002/580/op2.htmn
In "Palestinian Elections Now"
published in mid-June, Said calls for a change in Palestinian leadership,
an end to suicidal violence and a democratization of Palestinian
life. http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/2002/590/op2.htm
c) On May 10, two prominent Palestinian
Christians called for a non-violent resistance strategy in Palestine.
Jonathan Kuttab, a widely-respected human rights lawyer and lay
theologian, and Mubarak Awad, director of Nonviolence International,
are advocating for a "conscious, organized strategy of non-violent
resistance to the occupation on a massive scale". Setting out
the need for broad and long-term Palestinian commitment, gaining
international support and action, and addressing obstacles to non-violent
action, the call is circulating throughout the West Bank and Gaza.
(http://www.ncccusa.org/news/02news49.html)
d) The Rev. Jesse Jackson
published an Open Letter to Yasser Arafat in the Chicago Tribune
on 19 May (http://www.ncccusa.org/news/02news50.html)
urging the Palestinian leader to "call not simply for the end
to the terrorist bombings, but for a new commitment to non-violence
as the means to achieve Palestinian statehood." Drawing on
the experience of the US civil rights movement, he states "non-violent
resistance recognizes the humanity of your opponents. It challenges
their moral sensibility, not their military capacity. It forces
them to recognize your humanity. And because it demonstrates your
discipline, your commitment, your love of life - it lays the basis
for co-existence rather than co-annihilation." In a related
article, "Will the voices of peace be heard?" (http://www.ncccusa.org/news/jacksonarticle.html)
Jackson states: "Too often, the advocates of violence dismiss
non-violence as soft, as passive, as an acceptance of the unacceptable.
This is wrong. Non-violence involves active resistance, hard discipline,
and an urgent sense of "now," as Dr King put it, of an
unwillingness to accept the unacceptable any longer. Violence locks
people into hatred and revenge. Non-violence unlocks them and forces
them to look within themselves, forces them to see the humanity
in those that they hate."
Jackson has been invited by the
Middle East Council of Churches and the Palestinian Authority to
lead an inter-religious delegation to the region at the end of July.
e) In "A View from Asia:
Suicide Bombing - Is another form of struggle possible", Chandra
Muzaffar provides a perspective outside mainstream US media that
both looks at the situation out of which such horrific actions occur
and provides a critique of such bombing and war and violence to
achieve justice, looking instead at non-violent resistance as a
vital dimension of Muslim history.
http://www.just-international.org/cm-suicidebombing.htm
f) Speaking to a gathering of Kairos
members in Canada recently, Dr Bernard Sabella, executive secretary
of the Middle East Council of Churches' Department for
Service to Palestinian Refugees, called on the symbolism of
"the empty tomb" to warn against "letting narrow
identifications separate us from others or justify their unjust
predicaments in terms that are expedient to us and that can further
lead them into desperation and continued frustration". http://www.mecchurches.org/posandpress/news.asp?id=84
(Kairos Canada (http://www.kairoscanada.org/)
is an ecumenical partnership dedicated to promoting human rights,
justice and peace, viable human development, and universal solidarity
among the peoples of the earth.)
g) In a bible study, "Singing
in the Window: Rahab's Subversive Song", Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad,
an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
and associate professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary,
looks at Joshua 2:1-21 in light of current events in Israel and
Palestine, and particularly the role and voices of Israeli and Palestinian
women in striving for peace and justice.
http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/assembly/biblestudysat.stm
h) Issues of the Church World
Service and Witness Middle East Forum (US) newsletters provide
dates and information on upcoming events and programmes, resources,
and advocacy actions. They can be found on-line at http://www.loga.org/mideastforum/news/index.htm
.
i) Among the actions of Churches
for Middle East Peace (USA) is a petition "A Christian
Call for Peace" aimed to express Middle East peace concerns
of congregations and individuals to members of Congress and the
Administration. http://www.cmep.org
There is also growing participation
in the Ecumenical Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East. Sign
up at http://www.loga.org/PrayerVigilHome.htm. Prayers are offered
and updated weekly at http:///www.elca.org/dgm/holylandprayer.html.
j) For an extensive overview of
issues relating to the Middle East go to
http://www.faithandvalues.com/channels/middleeast.asp
k) The Palestinian Centre for
Rapprochement between People, a non-profit NGO begun in 1988,
runs community service, youth empowerment and training programmes.
PCR is also very much involved in the non-violent resistance against
the Israeli occupation of Palestine. They provide a daily information
update on events, articles, and international solidarity movement
actions. Subscribe to the email group at www.rapprochement.org
l) Through a series of editorial
and opinion articles, the French newspaper Le Monde has recently
reflected the contradictory perceptions in Israeli society and the
political options that still could be adopted by the Israeli authorities.
In "Benny Morris, le 'nouvel
historien' a rejoint le consensus israélien", Sylvain
Cypel reports the current evolution of Benny Morris, an Israeli
intellectual member of the movement "Peace Now", and his
disillusionment after the latest events in the second Intifada,
joining the majority of Israeli public opinion. This political observer
now thinks that Israel is pursuing "an existential war",
and that between the Mediterranean sea and the Jordan river, there
is no place for two peoples. http://www.lemonde.fr/article/0,5987,3232--277803-,00.html
In "L'option européenne?",
Yirmiyahu Yovel, a philosopher who teaches at the Hebraic university
of Jerusalem and the New School University of New York, is less
pessimistic and suggests making peace under a strange deal, but
one that could satisfy Israelis. Palestinian territories would be
given in exchange of the admission of Israel into the European Community.
This deal could secure Israeli public opinion, guarantee its security,
and would involve Europe in the peace agreement. http://www.lemonde.fr/article/0,5987,3232--277865-,00.html
In "Le devoir du plus fort",
French biologist Axel Kahn argues that history, cultural exchanges
are good contexts for a future peace in this region sacred for the
three monotheistic religions. He reminds us that the Jews have suffered
from the Christian persecutions, not so much from Islamic ones.
http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2002/04/KAHN/16378
In "Israël-Palestine :
le cancer", Edgar Morin, Sami Naïr and Danièle
Sallenave expose a terrifying landscape of a conflict evolving like
a cancerous tumor spreading violence and racism. Very critical of
Israeli governmental policy, the authors hope that the peace plan
proposed by the Saudi prince during the last Arab summit could be
a first step in the right direction. The authors also question the
use term of "terrorist" by occupants, conquerors and colonialists
to qualify national resistances. There is no common measure between
the terrorism of clandestine groups, and state terrorism using massive
arms. Should horror and indignation at the fact of civil victims
being massacred by a human bomb disappear when these victims are
Palestinian and massacred by inhuman bombs? http://www.lemonde.fr/article/0,5987,3232--278484-,00.html
m) The Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC) http://cbc.ca/news/indepth/mideast_struggle/
offers readers access to special reports from Israel and the Occupied
Territories, as well as other information and resources. Amongst
others, find links to maps, diaries (Gaza Diary Entries, Jerusalem
Diary and Middle East Notebook) as well as a quiz to test your knowledge
on the Middle East.
n) In the May 12, 2002 edition of
the Washington Post, William L Nash, director of the Center
for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations, writes:
"My Team Should Have Investigated Jenin". http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3778-2002May10.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/flash/world/israel/IsraelHistory.htm
will take you to a brief account
of the history of the Middle East.
The Washington Post also
offers readers the opportunity to witness the most recent events
in the Middle East through images. Mideast Eyewitness Part 1 - 5
can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/photo/world/index.html
o) In the midst of Middle East violence
and uncertainty, the Episcopal News Service reports on an
initiative for children - Camp Allen, in Texas, will host 12 Palestinian
and Israeli children aged 11-12 for a summer camp session as part
of a unique "education for peace" opportunity. http://www.dfms.org/ens/2002-137.html
Behind the news: Visions for
Peace - Voices of Faith
is a joint initiative of:
World Council of Churches (WCC)
- a fellowship of 342 churches, in more than 100 countries in all
continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic
Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC.
The highest governing body is the Assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance
- a global action network of 62 churches and church-related organizations
who have pledged themselves to change unjust policies and practices
related to global trade and HIV/AIDS, and to take up as a special
concern work on peace and conflict resolution by forging strategic
partnership. Alliance participants come from every corner of the
globe and varied traditions within the ecumenical family - Roman
Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican, as well as church-related
organizations who themselves represent and serve many Christian
faith traditions. Alliance participants are committed to speak out
with one voice against injustice and structures which deprive human
beings of dignity, and for alternative visions based on the Gospel.
Action by Churches Together (ACT)
- an international alliance
of churches and relief agencies assisting thousands of people recovering
from emergencies in more than 50 countries worldwide.
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of faith; these materials do not necessarily reflect official policy
of WCC, ACT, or EAA.
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