An 8-day program in Palestine, from the 25th of September until the 2nd of October 2022, with the JAI and the East Jerusalem YMCA for 10 members from partner German Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Eschenbach-Heiningen, that part of the Evangelische Landeskirche in Württemberg.
Their program included guided tours with the JAI where they were shown and explained about the Israeli apartheid wall, colonies (settlements) and its confiscation of Palestinian lands. Then they visited a Campaign's field, where the group' church have sponsored olive trees at last year, met the farmer/land owner. They were also toured inside the old cities of Jerusalem, and Hebron, where they witnessed the Israeli colonies (settlements) inside the cities, with the Israeli military checkpoints, closures, settlers' harassments and measures against Palestinians. They were also shown and toured inside the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
They also visited and were briefed about the various EJ YMCA programs, namely the Rehabilitation Programs where they met some of it beneficiaries in Hebron, the Vocational Training Center in Jericho which they visited and toured inside, the Women Development Program, and also met with the General Secretary and partially joined the EJ YMCA Day. The delegation also visited the YWCA kindergarten in and the YWCA food production and center in Jericho, and were explained about the work and activities they do.
Presentations and briefings were given to them about the JAI and its advocacy work and Olive Tree Campaign, the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) Campaign, geopolitical situation in Hebron by the Hebron International Resource Network (HIRN), and at Badil Center on the refugees issue and ongoing displacement of Palestinians.
