25 dec 2014
Father Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called for speeding the efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and improve the humanitarian and living conditions of its population.
During the Christmas midnight mass that was held in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Father Twal urged the world to help the Gaza people and not to forget their suffering.
"The human life in the Gaza Strip is tragic while the world's attention is drawn to other concerns," the Father stated.
"Four months ago, we saw a war in Gaza that claimed the lives of thousands of victims and destroyed homes, and I wonder if these homes were rebuilt, who would rebuild the psychology of traumatized children who lived through three wars."
The Latin Patriarch also talked briefly about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and what he described as the seemingly never-ending violence between the Palestinians and Israelis.
"All the sacrifices went in vain … Nothing has changed in favor of the cause. Israel still lives in fear and insecurity, and the Palestinian people still demands their land," He emphasized, adding that "the wall will never give Israel security and peace."
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope we will have bridges of peace instead."
During the Christmas midnight mass that was held in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Father Twal urged the world to help the Gaza people and not to forget their suffering.
"The human life in the Gaza Strip is tragic while the world's attention is drawn to other concerns," the Father stated.
"Four months ago, we saw a war in Gaza that claimed the lives of thousands of victims and destroyed homes, and I wonder if these homes were rebuilt, who would rebuild the psychology of traumatized children who lived through three wars."
The Latin Patriarch also talked briefly about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and what he described as the seemingly never-ending violence between the Palestinians and Israelis.
"All the sacrifices went in vain … Nothing has changed in favor of the cause. Israel still lives in fear and insecurity, and the Palestinian people still demands their land," He emphasized, adding that "the wall will never give Israel security and peace."
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope we will have bridges of peace instead."
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The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, this year, in the Hall of the Nativity, Bethlehem, lit up a Christmas tree decorated with teargas grenades, sound bombs, pictures of injured and murdered children, and the missile leftovers used by Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people.
The tree aimed to deliver the message that the Holy Land of Palestine still suffers under the Israeli occupation even in the midst of joyous celebrations. According to the Palestinian News Network (PNN), member of the Coordination Committee, Mazen Al-Azzeh, said that the tree was dedicated to (about) 50 Palestinians who engaged in popular non-violent resistance and were killed by Israeli forces this year, in addition to over 2,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, killed in Gaza over the summer. Mr. Al-Azzeh added that the tree was a symbol of popular struggle on the occasion of the birth of Jesus Christ, to convey the message that, despite the celebrations, Palestine was still under Israeli occupational siege and suffering from land seizure and hostility at military checkpoints. Popular Struggle Committee coordinator, Jamal Jum'a, said that this was the second year for such activity by the committee. Jum'a reiterated the reminder to the world that Palestinians are deprived of full-hearted celebratory spirits, because of the ongoing occupation of the land and the resultant oppression of its people. |
In addition, the tree serves as a memorial for Minister Ziad Abu Ein, Head of the Committee against the Wall and Settlements, who was attacked by Israeli soldiers and killed after being beaten and suffocated by teargas. The Minister was killed while leading a peaceful demonstration with the aim of planting olive trees on Palestinian land threatened with Israeli confiscation in the occupied West Bank village of Turmus'ayya, North Ramallah.
Popular struggle activist, Abdullah Abu Rahma, said that Minister Abu Ein, previously planned on setting the symbolic Christmas tree in Bethlehem's Hall of the Nativity and, so, the tree was decorated there, according to his will.
The committee added that the tree contributes a challenge to Israeli apartheid policies and the propaganda that has deceived the world for decades.
Salah Khawaja, coordinator in Bil'in, said that the tree displayed the daily Israeli violations in Palestine, and aimed to send message to the pilgrims, tourists and visitors to the Church of the Nativity where Jesus Christ was born, that peace cannot be under an occupation.
The tree was a loud cry of longing for an occupation-free, peaceful life in the Holy Land of Palestine.
VIDEO: Christmas at Bethlehem 2014
Popular struggle activist, Abdullah Abu Rahma, said that Minister Abu Ein, previously planned on setting the symbolic Christmas tree in Bethlehem's Hall of the Nativity and, so, the tree was decorated there, according to his will.
The committee added that the tree contributes a challenge to Israeli apartheid policies and the propaganda that has deceived the world for decades.
Salah Khawaja, coordinator in Bil'in, said that the tree displayed the daily Israeli violations in Palestine, and aimed to send message to the pilgrims, tourists and visitors to the Church of the Nativity where Jesus Christ was born, that peace cannot be under an occupation.
The tree was a loud cry of longing for an occupation-free, peaceful life in the Holy Land of Palestine.
VIDEO: Christmas at Bethlehem 2014
At this time of every year, the whole world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ with shining lights, Christmas carols, colors and winter coziness. And, with the Christ being born in the little town of Bethlehem, this town has a unique essence of celebration and spirit.
The Palestinian Christmas season, this year, aimed to deliver the message of Jesus Christ: Love and Justice, under the slogan "All I want For Christmas Is Justice". The theme is a perfect fit for the situation, since Palestinians can barely breathe under the Israeli occupation.
Still, every single shop, house and corner in Bethlehem was decorated and elegantly lightened by Christmas lights.
Christmas shops thrived all over the city; selling traditional embroidery, wine, coffee, barbecues, garments and more, starting from the 'starry' star street, to the little neighborhoods of the old city, and ending in Manger Square where a huge tree was set, and people gathered.
On Christmas Eve, Scout parades marched between the crowds with their drums and clarinets, wearing their scout uniforms and spreading the joyous spirit, in addition to music bands that chanting in Manger Square, and beautiful young women walking around wearing the Palestinian traditional dress (Thaub) and its accessories.
Bethlehem was ready to welcome Patriarch Fouad Twal, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, to head midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity.
Mayor of Bethlehem, Vera Baboun extended warm wishes of a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all people.
"We wish everyone a happy new year from the city of peace.
"We call again that the city of peace does not live peace, and is threatened by the construction of the new wall," Baboun said.
"In Bethlehem, Jesus Christ was born, and he said: I'm the gate for salvation. [John 10:9], but, unfortunately, on the northern borders there is another gate, another world. There is a world of discrimination and a wall of oppression."
The Palestinian Christmas season, this year, aimed to deliver the message of Jesus Christ: Love and Justice, under the slogan "All I want For Christmas Is Justice". The theme is a perfect fit for the situation, since Palestinians can barely breathe under the Israeli occupation.
Still, every single shop, house and corner in Bethlehem was decorated and elegantly lightened by Christmas lights.
Christmas shops thrived all over the city; selling traditional embroidery, wine, coffee, barbecues, garments and more, starting from the 'starry' star street, to the little neighborhoods of the old city, and ending in Manger Square where a huge tree was set, and people gathered.
On Christmas Eve, Scout parades marched between the crowds with their drums and clarinets, wearing their scout uniforms and spreading the joyous spirit, in addition to music bands that chanting in Manger Square, and beautiful young women walking around wearing the Palestinian traditional dress (Thaub) and its accessories.
Bethlehem was ready to welcome Patriarch Fouad Twal, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, to head midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity.
Mayor of Bethlehem, Vera Baboun extended warm wishes of a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all people.
"We wish everyone a happy new year from the city of peace.
"We call again that the city of peace does not live peace, and is threatened by the construction of the new wall," Baboun said.
"In Bethlehem, Jesus Christ was born, and he said: I'm the gate for salvation. [John 10:9], but, unfortunately, on the northern borders there is another gate, another world. There is a world of discrimination and a wall of oppression."
22 nov 2014
Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in Palestine, Archbishop of Sebastia (Theodosius) Attallah Hanna, called on the world community to fully recognize all legitimate Palestinian rights of liberation and independence.
Archbishop Hanna said what is happening in Jerusalem, the deadly escalation in the city, stems from Israel’s ongoing injustice, and violations, against the Palestinian people, their property and their holy site.
Talking to the Greek Orthodox Radio in Athens, on Saturday morning, Hanna said the Palestinian people are intellectuals, a civilized nation that wants to live in peace, and to end the injustice inflicted on them by the occupation, Israel’s illegal policies, and constant violations.
He said that people and counties around the world, and every person who defends human rights and works for justice, must deliver the message of the Palestinians, facing ongoing injustice, and must help the Palestinians end this illegal occupation and oppression.
“As a Greek orthodox priest, I must call for justice; I must side with the persecuted people,” Hanna said, “We should defend the Palestinian cause, we should work for peace, justice and liberty.”
He added that he rejects all sorts of extremism, violence and hatred, affirmed that ending the occupation, and regaining the stolen rights, “will bring justice and peace to the holy land.”
“We as Palestinian Christians are living in our homeland; we are part of the Palestinian nation,” Hanna said, “We will never abandon our rights, and the right to defend our cause along with every Palestinian.”
He said that all European countries, every country around the world, must have the courage to recognize all legitimate Palestinian rights, so that the Palestinian can live in peace and liberty in their homeland.
Hanna further called on all Orthodox Churches, Catholic Churches, and every church around the world to defend the Palestinian rights, and to help them gain their freedom.
“Christians in Jerusalem suffer the same way Muslims do,” he stated, “We are one nation, enduring the same suffering, and fate.”
He also called for ending the destruction of Syria, the aggression that is targeting the country and its people, and called for more extensive efforts to release every kidnapped person, including the two abducted priests.
In addition, Hanna said Iraq, a country with deep historical roots, culture and civilization, is still suffering, and continues to suffer more death and destruction.
Archbishop Hanna said what is happening in Jerusalem, the deadly escalation in the city, stems from Israel’s ongoing injustice, and violations, against the Palestinian people, their property and their holy site.
Talking to the Greek Orthodox Radio in Athens, on Saturday morning, Hanna said the Palestinian people are intellectuals, a civilized nation that wants to live in peace, and to end the injustice inflicted on them by the occupation, Israel’s illegal policies, and constant violations.
He said that people and counties around the world, and every person who defends human rights and works for justice, must deliver the message of the Palestinians, facing ongoing injustice, and must help the Palestinians end this illegal occupation and oppression.
“As a Greek orthodox priest, I must call for justice; I must side with the persecuted people,” Hanna said, “We should defend the Palestinian cause, we should work for peace, justice and liberty.”
He added that he rejects all sorts of extremism, violence and hatred, affirmed that ending the occupation, and regaining the stolen rights, “will bring justice and peace to the holy land.”
“We as Palestinian Christians are living in our homeland; we are part of the Palestinian nation,” Hanna said, “We will never abandon our rights, and the right to defend our cause along with every Palestinian.”
He said that all European countries, every country around the world, must have the courage to recognize all legitimate Palestinian rights, so that the Palestinian can live in peace and liberty in their homeland.
Hanna further called on all Orthodox Churches, Catholic Churches, and every church around the world to defend the Palestinian rights, and to help them gain their freedom.
“Christians in Jerusalem suffer the same way Muslims do,” he stated, “We are one nation, enduring the same suffering, and fate.”
He also called for ending the destruction of Syria, the aggression that is targeting the country and its people, and called for more extensive efforts to release every kidnapped person, including the two abducted priests.
In addition, Hanna said Iraq, a country with deep historical roots, culture and civilization, is still suffering, and continues to suffer more death and destruction.
2 nov 2014
Father Atallah Hanna, Archbishop of the Palestinian Orthodox Church in occupied Jerusalem, on Saturday condemned Israel's measures at the Aqsa Mosque as arbitrary and illegal.
During his meeting with Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Father Hanna stated that the Christian churches in the holy city reject any Israeli actions that restrict the access of Muslims to the Aqsa Mosque.
He highlighted that the Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship for Muslims alone and Israel and its Jewish citizens have no right to close it or violate its Islamic sanctity in any way.
The Archbishop also said that the Christian natives of Jerusalem along with their Muslim compatriots would remain steadfast against the occupation and defend their holy sites and their presence in the city.
http://english.palinfo
During his meeting with Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Father Hanna stated that the Christian churches in the holy city reject any Israeli actions that restrict the access of Muslims to the Aqsa Mosque.
He highlighted that the Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship for Muslims alone and Israel and its Jewish citizens have no right to close it or violate its Islamic sanctity in any way.
The Archbishop also said that the Christian natives of Jerusalem along with their Muslim compatriots would remain steadfast against the occupation and defend their holy sites and their presence in the city.
http://english.palinfo
9 oct 2014
Al-Aqsa Mosque Attack
Archbishop Attallah Hanna, of the Greek Orthodox Church in occupied Palestine and Jerusalem, strongly denounced the Israeli military and fanatic Israeli groups who attacked and invaded the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
Hanna said that the attack is a very serious violation targeting, again, not only one of the holiest Islamic sites, but also the Palestinian history, heritage and identity.
“The attack on this holy site is an attack on all of us, and attack on our history, culture and heritage” he said. “We cannot just stand idly; there must be a swift Arab position to counter Israel’s aggression that targets our very history and presence as Arab Muslims and Christians.”
The archbishop further stated that he is concerned about the silence of Arab and Islamic countries while Israel continues, and escalates, its attacks and violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine, especially in occupied Jerusalem.
“Attacks on Islamic sites, on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are attacks on all of us as Muslims and Christians,” he added. “The same way, attacks on our churches are attacks on every Arab, and every Palestinian.”
“We, as Palestinian Christians, stand with our Muslim brothers, and affirm the Islamic-Christian unity; unity is the best means to counter these attacks and racist acts,” the Archbishop added. “We, as Arab-Palestinian Christians, are an important part of the Arab history and struggle. We will remain united with our Muslim brothers to counter colonial policies that aim at destroying our unity and our history.”
On Tuesday evening, Israeli soldiers prevented all Palestinians below the age of fifty from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque, an issue which led to clashes between dozens of soldiers and Palestinian youth in the mosque area, and in different parts of occupied East Jerusalem.
On Wednesday, Israel decided to prevent all Muslim worshipers from entering the mosque, and the soldiers attacked the worshipers who managed to stay there, and fired gas bombs in the mosque itself and around it, causing dozens of injuries.
Many Palestinians have been recently kidnapped, and dozens injured, in repeated violations by soldiers, police officers and fanatic Israeli groups targeting the worshipers in the mosque and around it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the police to act in ending all Palestinian protests at al-Aqsa Mosque, and in occupied Jerusalem, and ordered more soldiers and police officers into the area.
Archbishop Attallah Hanna, of the Greek Orthodox Church in occupied Palestine and Jerusalem, strongly denounced the Israeli military and fanatic Israeli groups who attacked and invaded the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
Hanna said that the attack is a very serious violation targeting, again, not only one of the holiest Islamic sites, but also the Palestinian history, heritage and identity.
“The attack on this holy site is an attack on all of us, and attack on our history, culture and heritage” he said. “We cannot just stand idly; there must be a swift Arab position to counter Israel’s aggression that targets our very history and presence as Arab Muslims and Christians.”
The archbishop further stated that he is concerned about the silence of Arab and Islamic countries while Israel continues, and escalates, its attacks and violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine, especially in occupied Jerusalem.
“Attacks on Islamic sites, on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are attacks on all of us as Muslims and Christians,” he added. “The same way, attacks on our churches are attacks on every Arab, and every Palestinian.”
“We, as Palestinian Christians, stand with our Muslim brothers, and affirm the Islamic-Christian unity; unity is the best means to counter these attacks and racist acts,” the Archbishop added. “We, as Arab-Palestinian Christians, are an important part of the Arab history and struggle. We will remain united with our Muslim brothers to counter colonial policies that aim at destroying our unity and our history.”
On Tuesday evening, Israeli soldiers prevented all Palestinians below the age of fifty from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque, an issue which led to clashes between dozens of soldiers and Palestinian youth in the mosque area, and in different parts of occupied East Jerusalem.
On Wednesday, Israel decided to prevent all Muslim worshipers from entering the mosque, and the soldiers attacked the worshipers who managed to stay there, and fired gas bombs in the mosque itself and around it, causing dozens of injuries.
Many Palestinians have been recently kidnapped, and dozens injured, in repeated violations by soldiers, police officers and fanatic Israeli groups targeting the worshipers in the mosque and around it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the police to act in ending all Palestinian protests at al-Aqsa Mosque, and in occupied Jerusalem, and ordered more soldiers and police officers into the area.
29 sept 2014
UCC logo
The Steering Committee of the United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network, on Sunday, called on the United Church of Christ Board, United Church of Christ Pension Boards, United Church Funds, Conferences, local churches, members and other related United Church of Christ entities to divest any holdings in companies profiting from the occupation of the Palestinian Territories by the state of Israel.
The Committee also called on the church and church members to study the Kairos Palestine document and take heed of its call for solidarity with the Palestinian people.
This is one of a number of resolutions passed by regional committees, including the Central Atlantic Conference, the New York Conference and, now, the Central Pacific Committee, in the leadup to the Thirtieth General Synod of the United Church of Christ, which will be held in 2015.
In their resolution, the Committee named the following companies, but said that the divestment should not necessarily be limited to these companies: Caterpillar Inc., Motorola Solutions, Hewlett Packard Development Company LP, G4S, and Veolia Environment and its subsidiaries;
The resolution also calls upon all entities of the church to boycott goods produced by Israeli companies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including, but not limited to, Ahava skin care products, SodaStream products and Hadiklaim dates, and calls upon church members to join boycotts in their local communities.
This is not the first resolution passed by United Church of Christ committees and Synods on this issue. The UCC was one of the first churches to heed the 2005 call of Palestinian civil society to boycott Israeli products, although at that time the church did not call for the divestment from Israeli occupation-connected companies, the UCC did call for an investigation of Israeli policies and criticized the Israeli Wall in the West Bank and called for the Wall to be dismantled.
The new resolution, in addition to the call for divestment, also calls upon the UCC Collegium Officers and church members to request Congress to investigate whether US military aid given to Israel violates US laws and, specifically, the US Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act.
If passed by the church as a whole at the Synod in 2015, this would mark the strongest resolution for divestment passed by an international church community. The Presbyterian Church voted to divest earlier this year, but was careful to distance itself from the larged Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions movement challenging the Israeli military occupation through economic pressure.
Maryn Goodson, a member of a grassroots group within the UCC that has pushed for a non-violent end to the conflict, told reporter Anthony Moujaes, who writes for the United Church of Christ news website, "What happens now... we will continue to inform and educate more and more people in various conferences on the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the need for a bold action. We’ll work with more conferences on this issue, and with delegates to the General Synod to shed light and awareness. The UCC has really been on the leading edge with this."
The Steering Committee of the United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network, on Sunday, called on the United Church of Christ Board, United Church of Christ Pension Boards, United Church Funds, Conferences, local churches, members and other related United Church of Christ entities to divest any holdings in companies profiting from the occupation of the Palestinian Territories by the state of Israel.
The Committee also called on the church and church members to study the Kairos Palestine document and take heed of its call for solidarity with the Palestinian people.
This is one of a number of resolutions passed by regional committees, including the Central Atlantic Conference, the New York Conference and, now, the Central Pacific Committee, in the leadup to the Thirtieth General Synod of the United Church of Christ, which will be held in 2015.
In their resolution, the Committee named the following companies, but said that the divestment should not necessarily be limited to these companies: Caterpillar Inc., Motorola Solutions, Hewlett Packard Development Company LP, G4S, and Veolia Environment and its subsidiaries;
The resolution also calls upon all entities of the church to boycott goods produced by Israeli companies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including, but not limited to, Ahava skin care products, SodaStream products and Hadiklaim dates, and calls upon church members to join boycotts in their local communities.
This is not the first resolution passed by United Church of Christ committees and Synods on this issue. The UCC was one of the first churches to heed the 2005 call of Palestinian civil society to boycott Israeli products, although at that time the church did not call for the divestment from Israeli occupation-connected companies, the UCC did call for an investigation of Israeli policies and criticized the Israeli Wall in the West Bank and called for the Wall to be dismantled.
The new resolution, in addition to the call for divestment, also calls upon the UCC Collegium Officers and church members to request Congress to investigate whether US military aid given to Israel violates US laws and, specifically, the US Foreign Assistance Act and the US Arms Export Control Act.
If passed by the church as a whole at the Synod in 2015, this would mark the strongest resolution for divestment passed by an international church community. The Presbyterian Church voted to divest earlier this year, but was careful to distance itself from the larged Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions movement challenging the Israeli military occupation through economic pressure.
Maryn Goodson, a member of a grassroots group within the UCC that has pushed for a non-violent end to the conflict, told reporter Anthony Moujaes, who writes for the United Church of Christ news website, "What happens now... we will continue to inform and educate more and more people in various conferences on the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the need for a bold action. We’ll work with more conferences on this issue, and with delegates to the General Synod to shed light and awareness. The UCC has really been on the leading edge with this."
28 sept 2014
Father Issa Musleh
The Greek Orthodox Christian Patriarchate in occupied Jerusalem issued a press release denouncing the Israeli draft law for considering Aramaic Christians as a “nationality", and said that Israel is attempting to fragment Palestinians in general and, in particular, Palestinian Christians.
Father Issa Musleh, spokesperson of the Christian Orthodox Church in occupied Jerusalem, said the Israeli law is the true form of “divide and conquer”, adding that it is part of many Israeli attempts which have been rejected by the Church.
An example of this is the draft law to recruit Arab Palestinian Christians in Israel, to join the Israeli military, as part of the attempts to create internal tension and divisions among Palestinian Christians themselves, and to create conflicts between Muslim and Christian Arabs and Palestinians.
Father Issa, from the West Bank city of Beit Sahour, said Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus The Third, the patriarch of Jerusalem, Palestine and Jordan, issued strict instructions, including holding conferences and activities for church-run schools and institutions to counter those who would attempt to recruit Christians to the Israeli army.
He warned that some people who carry a destructive agenda are trying to weaken the Palestinian community, fragment it and incite violence among its people.
“Palestinian Christians are an important part of the Arab and Palestinian nations; we are proud of the Aramaic identity as it reflects history and culture shaped by Arab Muslims and Christians,” Father Musleh said. “Our roots as Palestinian Christians are deeply engraved in history, no one and no group can erase them.”
The Greek Orthodox Christian Patriarchate in occupied Jerusalem issued a press release denouncing the Israeli draft law for considering Aramaic Christians as a “nationality", and said that Israel is attempting to fragment Palestinians in general and, in particular, Palestinian Christians.
Father Issa Musleh, spokesperson of the Christian Orthodox Church in occupied Jerusalem, said the Israeli law is the true form of “divide and conquer”, adding that it is part of many Israeli attempts which have been rejected by the Church.
An example of this is the draft law to recruit Arab Palestinian Christians in Israel, to join the Israeli military, as part of the attempts to create internal tension and divisions among Palestinian Christians themselves, and to create conflicts between Muslim and Christian Arabs and Palestinians.
Father Issa, from the West Bank city of Beit Sahour, said Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus The Third, the patriarch of Jerusalem, Palestine and Jordan, issued strict instructions, including holding conferences and activities for church-run schools and institutions to counter those who would attempt to recruit Christians to the Israeli army.
He warned that some people who carry a destructive agenda are trying to weaken the Palestinian community, fragment it and incite violence among its people.
“Palestinian Christians are an important part of the Arab and Palestinian nations; we are proud of the Aramaic identity as it reflects history and culture shaped by Arab Muslims and Christians,” Father Musleh said. “Our roots as Palestinian Christians are deeply engraved in history, no one and no group can erase them.”
6 july 2014
Extremist Jewish settlers assaulted a Christian cleric while he was traveling back to from Bethlehem to his church in the village of Abud in northwest Ramallah on Sunday.
Locals told Ma’an that bishop Abud Atallah Issawi and another priest were traveling in a private car on the main road near the village of Deir Abu Mashal when a group of settlers attacked them with stones and steel bars.
The pastor managed to speed away, and he eventually took a bypass route to his church.
The car sustained major damage, but the priests were not hurt, locals said.
Locals told Ma’an that bishop Abud Atallah Issawi and another priest were traveling in a private car on the main road near the village of Deir Abu Mashal when a group of settlers attacked them with stones and steel bars.
The pastor managed to speed away, and he eventually took a bypass route to his church.
The car sustained major damage, but the priests were not hurt, locals said.
18 june 2014
By Sam Bahour
Sam Bahour is a Palestinian-American business consultant in Ramallah and blogs at epalestine.com.
The two million-member Presbyterian Church (USA) is about to make history in the Middle East, yet again.
In the coming days, local delegates from the Church will travel to Detroit to attend the 221st Presbyterian General Assembly to consider a set of eight overtures that ask church leaders to review support of two states for Palestine and Israel in light of unfolding facts on the ground.
Other issues to be considered are backing of equal rights and unblocked economic development for all inhabitants of Israel, and divesting from the likes of Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions. The church is clearly stepping up to the plate and realigning its policies with its values.
Political America and Corporate America should be taking note.
Reminiscent of the struggle against Apartheid South Africa, the church is poised to step in where successive US administrations have failed to hold Israel accountable to international and humanitarian law, not to mention sheer common sense.
The US has paid never-ending lip service to the need to end Israel's 47-year military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. During the past two decades, the US has coupled lip service with the monopolizing of a peace process that has led the international community to a dead end; not to mention leaving Muslim and Christian Palestinians on the ground, in the occupied territory as well as in Israel, standing naked in front of a state bent on militarily controlling another people and discriminating against over 20 percent of their own non-Jewish population.
Presbyterians have had enough and are taking the lead to change the equation and stop the damage being perpetrated by Israel.
Political America should not take lightly the new reality that mainstream churches and civil society have reached a point where they can no longer blindly repeat calls for a resolution based on "two states" when Israeli actions on the ground, by way of continued illegal settlement building and much more, have created a single state reality between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River.
Secretary of State Kerry alluded to exactly this at the outset of the last failed round of US-led negotiations when he testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee in April 2013 and noted, "I believe the window for a two-state solution is shutting, I think we have some period of time -- a year to year-and-a-half to two years, or it's over."
The Presbyterian Church is crying out from the highest mountain it can that for a two-state solution not to be "over" immediate action must be taken. They are calling for the Church to review this core issue over the next two years.
Corporate America should also be closely following the Presbyterian General Assembly's proceedings.
In the 2012 Assembly, delegates addressed the issue of divesting from firms that benefit from or contribute to Israel's military occupation by attempting to pass a resolution calling for divestment from Israel. When the so-called pro-Israel lobby got word of this, they mobilized to introduce and pass a counter overture that promotes "positive investment" instead of divestment.
In a perfected Orwellian move, these lobbyists publicly promote investment in Palestine, while simultaneously turning a blind eye to the systematic Israeli polices strangling the Palestinian economy.
Investment in Palestine -- without divestment from the Israeli occupation -- only continues to underwrite the status quo of military occupation. For investment to be successful occupation must be dismantled and sovereign control of Palestine's economic resources passed to the Palestinians.
In this month's assembly, the divestment resolution will be brought to the floor once again for a vote. Now it comes at the heels of Secretary Kerry's failed blitz to resolve the conflict and a momentous trip by the Pope to Bethlehem where he prayed at the illegal Separation Wall. The US-based organization, Jewish Voice for Peace, recently noted that the Israel lobby's efforts have included offering Presbyterian leaders all-expense-paid trips to Israel.
Presbyterians can use this opportunity to straighten the White House's spine based on what the administration already knows: Israel is intentionally blocking progress in the peace talks while jeopardizing US strategic interests in the region, not to mention the fate of Palestinians and Israelis alike.
Palestinian civil society and Palestinians -- Christians and Muslims -- have urged everyone interested in seeing peace with justice to divest from the occupation and to invest only where the occupation does not benefit. We struggle to remain hopeful while a cement wall as high as 24 feet tall snakes through our homeland.
After all, we do not seek a beautified prison. We want the prison walls dividing Palestinians from Palestinians to come tumbling down, and that will not happen unless economic pressure is placed on Israel to end the occupation. Thus, the upcoming Assembly's overture that calls for divestment from firms benefiting from the occupation, while affirming "Occupation-free Investment in Palestine," is spot on.
Palestinians did not invent the non-violent tool of divestment. After unsuccessfully trying to secure their rights using a multitude of other means, Palestinians have focused their efforts on non-violent methods of resisting military occupation that have been used throughout history by others: boycott, divestment, sanction, international law, civil disobedience, diplomatic efforts, economic resistance, and the like. Supporting these tools is supporting non-violence; the alternative is to push Palestinians into using violent means of resistance. If nonviolence is deemed unacceptable then violence becomes that much more likely.
The upcoming Presbyterian votes provides an important opportunity to say yes to nonviolence as the means to overcoming Israeli occupation and discrimination.
Sam Bahour is a Palestinian-American business consultant in Ramallah and blogs at epalestine.com.
The two million-member Presbyterian Church (USA) is about to make history in the Middle East, yet again.
In the coming days, local delegates from the Church will travel to Detroit to attend the 221st Presbyterian General Assembly to consider a set of eight overtures that ask church leaders to review support of two states for Palestine and Israel in light of unfolding facts on the ground.
Other issues to be considered are backing of equal rights and unblocked economic development for all inhabitants of Israel, and divesting from the likes of Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions. The church is clearly stepping up to the plate and realigning its policies with its values.
Political America and Corporate America should be taking note.
Reminiscent of the struggle against Apartheid South Africa, the church is poised to step in where successive US administrations have failed to hold Israel accountable to international and humanitarian law, not to mention sheer common sense.
The US has paid never-ending lip service to the need to end Israel's 47-year military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. During the past two decades, the US has coupled lip service with the monopolizing of a peace process that has led the international community to a dead end; not to mention leaving Muslim and Christian Palestinians on the ground, in the occupied territory as well as in Israel, standing naked in front of a state bent on militarily controlling another people and discriminating against over 20 percent of their own non-Jewish population.
Presbyterians have had enough and are taking the lead to change the equation and stop the damage being perpetrated by Israel.
Political America should not take lightly the new reality that mainstream churches and civil society have reached a point where they can no longer blindly repeat calls for a resolution based on "two states" when Israeli actions on the ground, by way of continued illegal settlement building and much more, have created a single state reality between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River.
Secretary of State Kerry alluded to exactly this at the outset of the last failed round of US-led negotiations when he testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee in April 2013 and noted, "I believe the window for a two-state solution is shutting, I think we have some period of time -- a year to year-and-a-half to two years, or it's over."
The Presbyterian Church is crying out from the highest mountain it can that for a two-state solution not to be "over" immediate action must be taken. They are calling for the Church to review this core issue over the next two years.
Corporate America should also be closely following the Presbyterian General Assembly's proceedings.
In the 2012 Assembly, delegates addressed the issue of divesting from firms that benefit from or contribute to Israel's military occupation by attempting to pass a resolution calling for divestment from Israel. When the so-called pro-Israel lobby got word of this, they mobilized to introduce and pass a counter overture that promotes "positive investment" instead of divestment.
In a perfected Orwellian move, these lobbyists publicly promote investment in Palestine, while simultaneously turning a blind eye to the systematic Israeli polices strangling the Palestinian economy.
Investment in Palestine -- without divestment from the Israeli occupation -- only continues to underwrite the status quo of military occupation. For investment to be successful occupation must be dismantled and sovereign control of Palestine's economic resources passed to the Palestinians.
In this month's assembly, the divestment resolution will be brought to the floor once again for a vote. Now it comes at the heels of Secretary Kerry's failed blitz to resolve the conflict and a momentous trip by the Pope to Bethlehem where he prayed at the illegal Separation Wall. The US-based organization, Jewish Voice for Peace, recently noted that the Israel lobby's efforts have included offering Presbyterian leaders all-expense-paid trips to Israel.
Presbyterians can use this opportunity to straighten the White House's spine based on what the administration already knows: Israel is intentionally blocking progress in the peace talks while jeopardizing US strategic interests in the region, not to mention the fate of Palestinians and Israelis alike.
Palestinian civil society and Palestinians -- Christians and Muslims -- have urged everyone interested in seeing peace with justice to divest from the occupation and to invest only where the occupation does not benefit. We struggle to remain hopeful while a cement wall as high as 24 feet tall snakes through our homeland.
After all, we do not seek a beautified prison. We want the prison walls dividing Palestinians from Palestinians to come tumbling down, and that will not happen unless economic pressure is placed on Israel to end the occupation. Thus, the upcoming Assembly's overture that calls for divestment from firms benefiting from the occupation, while affirming "Occupation-free Investment in Palestine," is spot on.
Palestinians did not invent the non-violent tool of divestment. After unsuccessfully trying to secure their rights using a multitude of other means, Palestinians have focused their efforts on non-violent methods of resisting military occupation that have been used throughout history by others: boycott, divestment, sanction, international law, civil disobedience, diplomatic efforts, economic resistance, and the like. Supporting these tools is supporting non-violence; the alternative is to push Palestinians into using violent means of resistance. If nonviolence is deemed unacceptable then violence becomes that much more likely.
The upcoming Presbyterian votes provides an important opportunity to say yes to nonviolence as the means to overcoming Israeli occupation and discrimination.
