Calls & Statements

JAI calls for actions and statements on events and crisis. Calls got sent immediately to the YMCA-YWCA JAI partners and friends for actions and responses.

Open Letter to The Most Reverend David Malloy

Category: Calls & Statements
Created: 08 September 2020

An Open Letter to
The Most Reverend David Malloy, Bishop of Rockford, Illinois, Chair
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on International Justice and Peace

They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 8:11)

Jerusalem September 8th, 2020
Your Excellency,

Bishop MalloyWe read your statement (August 13) that shows your satisfaction with the peace agreement between Israel and the UAE. We would like, as Christian Palestinian movements for justice and peace, to send you some of our observations on this issue.

People who think that any mutual recognition between an Arab country and the state of Israel is a step forward towards peace are mistaken. It would be a step towards peace if this accord were accompanied by the resolution of the core of the conflict: the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian land.

Establishing peace relations between Israel and Arab states starts by ending the Israeli occupation and granting the Palestinians their rights, including the right to self-determination. Any other path is a false way to peace. Isolating then cornering the "poor" to kneel before the powerful is surrender, not peace. Moreover, if the Arab regimes will recognize Israel, their peoples will refuse to normalize with the Israelis, as long as the Palestinians remain under oppression. True peace doesn't start with forging peace agreements with Arab countries but rather with the Palestinians. True peace should start in the hearts of the Palestinians, and this is in the hands of Israel to recognize a Palestinian state on the 22% left from historic Palestinian land. It is a question of the equality between peoples, all of whom have been created equal by God.

You condone the agreement because it delayed the annexation of more than 30% of what is left of Palestinian land. But this delay is in words only. In fact, on the ground de facto annexation is an ongoing process, day after day, through daily cruel and destructive actions of the army and the settlers against Palestinian farmers, including the constant stealing of Palestinian land and building of settlements. Netanyahu himself declared that the annexation was not cancelled but postponed.

Some people call this accord the Abraham agreement. Here we say, enough exploiting of God and God's prophets to side with the powerful. If we call on God and the prophets in this matter, we must then observe God's commandments and the equality God has given to all peoples - including Israelis and Palestinians. Justice to all. Now on the ground, as the "powerful" take what is theirs and what is others, they are even supported by many churches. The weak are deprived of their rights while the powerful and the churches respond with words, but no action.

You speak about direct negotiations. They took place for 30 years and Israel kept saying "no" to the minimum requirements of the Palestinians. Going back to negotiations with the same disposition of the powerful is insane. But if the powerful show more equity towards the other party (regarding Jerusalem and acknowledging the equality of all), negotiations will make sense.

Finally, Palestinians rejected Trump's deal of the century because it did not answer to the minimal requirements of the Palestinians described in UN resolutions and international laws. Trump's plan has declared Jerusalem only as Israel's capital. His plan has taken away what belongs to the Palestinians and given it to Israel. It is a perpetuation of the long injustice imposed by the Israelis upon the Palestinian people.

Real peace is to support the "poor" and to say "no" to the injustice inflicted by the "powerful" on the weak. In this way, churches should lobby their governments to put an end to this prolonged tragedy of the peoples of the Holy Land.

With our best fraternal wishes and regards.

  • H.B. Michel Sabbah, Patriarch Emeritus
  • Mr. Rifat Kassis, Coordinator of Kairos Palestine
  • Mr. Fuad Giacaman, Coordinator of NCCOP & Director of Arab Educational Institute
  • Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, President, DIYAR
  • Mr. Omar Harami, Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center
  • Mr. Nader Abu Amsha, The East Jerusalem Rehab. Program & Beit Sahour YMCA
  • Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, Director, Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University
  • Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Director of Christ at the Checkpoint conference
  • Mr. Nidal Abu Zuluf, Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI)
 

An Open Letter from Christian Clergy from the Bethlehem Area

Category: Calls & Statements
Created: 07 July 2020

bethlehem priests july2020"Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed" (Jeremiah 22: 3)

We are writing this letter in our capacity as spiritual leaders of various Christian communities in the Bethlehem Area. The Israeli Government is planning to annex more occupied Palestinian land. According to the information they have released, this process could begin on July 1st. For Palestine, Bethlehem and particularly for its Christian population, this new process of annexation will be particularly catastrophic.

Soon after the occupation of 1967 Israel annexed over 20,000 dunums of land in the northern parts of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, for the construction of illegal colonial settlements. This severely hindered our capacity to grow as communities. They have already annexed one of the most important Christian religious sites of Bethlehem, the Mar Elias Monastery, and separated Bethlehem from Jerusalem for the first time in the two-thousand years of Christian history in Holy Land.

One of the only areas left for our expansion, as well as for agriculture and simply for families to enjoy nature, are the valleys of Cremisan and Makhrour, both located to the west of our urban areas and are under the current threat of annexation by Israeli authorities. This will affect the private property of hundreds of our parishioners. In the Cremisan Valley we also conduct spiritual activities. There is a school run by Salesian Nuns in addition to a historic monastery. The western Bethlehem countryside is also in danger, where some of our parishioners have been farming for generations, and this includes the Tent of Nations in Nahhalin. At the same time, and in accordance to the original maps of the US Plan, there are threats against the eastern part of Bethlehem, including the Ush Ughrab area of Beit Sahour, where there has been plans for years to build a children hospital to serve the local community.

Our biggest concern is that the annexation of those areas will push more people to emigrate. Bethlehem, surrounded by walls and settlements, already feels like an open prison. Annexation means the prison becomes even smaller, with no hopes for a better future. This is land theft! We are talking about land that is largely privately owned and that our families have owned, inherited and farmed for hundreds of years.

Most of our parishioners have lost hope in earthly powers. They feel hopeless and helpless, evident in the words a parishioner this month as he watched his land devoured by Israeli bulldozers preparing the way for more wall expansion: "It is devastating. You see bulldozers destroying your land and you can do nothing. No one is stopping them."
Our parishioners no longer believe that anyone will stand courageously for justice and peace and stop this tremendous injustice that is taking place in front of your eyes. The human rights of Palestinians have been violated for decades. Hope is a pillar of our faith, yet is being challenged due to the actions of those who claim to care about the Christians in the Middle East. In practice, annexation could be the final straw when it comes to a viable Christian presence in Palestine, as well as the national aspirations to live in freedom, independence, dignity and equality in our homeland in accordance with international law.

Nobody can claim that they did not know the consequences of annexation for Palestine in general and Bethlehem in particular. We feel the burden of history upon our shoulders to keep the Christian presence in the land where it all started.

As we continue to put our hope and trust in God, we call upon the leaders of this world to stop this severe injustice. We remain committed to peace with justice, and find strength in the support of many around the world, specially the support of many churches. We hope that the world takes decisive and concrete actions to stop this injustice and provide the conditions to restore hope for a future of justice and peace that this land deserves.


Fr. Yacoub Abu Sada – 'The Theotokos' Melkite Church Bethlehem
Fr. Issa Musleh – Forefathers Greek Orthodox Church Beit Sahour
Fr. Hanna Salem – Catholic Church of the Annunciation Beit Jala
Fr. Bolous Al Alam – St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church Beit Jala
Rev. Ashraf Tannous – The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation Beit Jala
Fr. Suheil Fakhouri – Our Lady of the Shepherds Melkite Church Beit Sahour
Rev. Munther Isaac – The Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church Bethlehem and The Evangelical Lutheran Church Beit Sahour

 

Easter in the time of COVID- 19

Category: Calls & Statements
Created: 07 April 2020

easter2020The way we celebrate Easter this year is quite different. Corona virus caused many changes in our Lives everywhere in the Globe. People are no more able to go to churches during the Holy Week and not even allowed to meet to share greetings as usual.

In Palestine, where Christianity was originated, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and all the other churches will be closed as a health preventive measure. The Whole world is in Lock-down to overcome this pandemic and many nations show solidarity and empathy with the affected and poor ones. But there is still evil, injustices and oppression in many parts of the world. Many people lost their jobs and are turning poor and many cannot afford buying their basic food and health supplies. Many countries are not able to meet the health needs of their peoples.

In the Occupied Palestine, the Israeli authorities and settlers are using the situation of lock-down as an opportunity to attack Palestinian land and properties in a noticeable way.

Easter is about resurrection and salvation. It is about triumph over death, diseases, oppression and injustices. It is about love and empathy. As we celebrate Easter, let’s remember, pray for and show solidarity and act with love for:

  • the ones who lost their lives because of COVID-19;
  • the poor people who can’t earn living and can’t meet the basic needs of their families;
  • the infected persons who are in quarantine or on ventilators;
  • the ones who are in fear and develop stress and who lost hope;
  • the oppressed people who in under more violations of their rights;
  • the poor nations and the oppressed people around the world;
  • the people of Palestine who fights for freedom and just peace.


May the Risen Lord fill your heart with faith, hope and Love in these days and inspires you to see life in its fullness.

Happy and Healthy Easter

 

Ongoing Palestinian Nakba - Catastrophe - 15 May

Category: Calls & Statements
Created: 12 May 2020

On May 15th, the Palestinians commemorate the 72 years of Nakba (catastrophe), the ethnic cleansing and forcible displacement of the majority of the indigenous Palestinian population by the Zionist militias. The Nakba is still ongoing, with the complicity of some countries and silence and indifference of many others.

nakba2020

On this day, we also remember the millions of migrants, refugees and homeless people around the world who have been also displaced due to war, militarism, racism, ethnic cleansing and terrorism.

As we reaffirm the UN General Assembly Resolution 194 regarding the right of return and compensation for the Palestinian refugees, we call on our partners, friends, human rights' activists worldwide, ecumenical and civil society groups to:

  • Spread the story of Al-Nakba and the issue of the ongoing displacement of Palestinian and their right of return;

  • Organize or join online platforms, campaigns, or issue calls/statements/petitions to commemorate the Palestinian Nakba;

  • Lobby policy makers to put pressure on Israel to stop its colonization of the Palestinian land, and settlements activities as the main reasons behind the ongoing Nakba; especially that Israel has already decided to annex big parts of the occupied Palestinian territory in July this year.

  • Support and promote the Keep Hope Alive - Olive Tree Campaign to help farmers protect and stay in their lands, hence limit further displacements.


Your solidarity and actions are so much needed

 

Palestinian Land Day - Call for Actions

Category: Calls & Statements
Created: 29 March 2020

LandDay March2020In 1976, and in response to the Israeli government's plan to expropriate thousands of acres of Palestinian Land in Israel for state purposes, a general strike and marches were organized in Palestinian towns from the Galilee to the Negev. In the ensuing confrontations with the Israeli army and police, six unarmed Arab citizens were killed, about one hundred were wounded, and hundreds were arrested.

In March 30th every year, the Palestinian People commemorate this land day while the Israeli target to Palestinian land has never stopped, including confiscations, building colonies, the apartheid wall, bypass roads for the use of Israeli settlers, and for what is so called security reasons. Lately, and even under this Corona-virus pandemic, Israeli colonial army and settlers used this as an opportunity to continue their measure against the Palestinian Land. They got the advantage of the lock-down in Palestine and farmers being away from their fields to uproot thousands of trees, and seize more land, mainly in the areas of Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nablus and Ramallah.

The Israeli PM Netanyahu and his counterpart Gantz have clearly declared a plan to annex the Jordan valley and the settlement blocks as part of their election Campaigns and this in what the situation on the ground is now. Huge plan of building colonies (settlement) units in zone E1 between east Jerusalem and 'Maale Adumim' colony (E1 plan), is ongoing. This will disconnect the Palestinian territory south from the north. The process of annexation and building illegal colonies is on its way to be a reality soon, in the absence of a real deterrence from the world community.

As we commemorate the Palestinian Land Day the 30th of March, with deep commitment to resist oppression and free our land to live in just peace, we call on our partners, friends, and justice and freedom activists worldwide, to:

  • Promote the Palestinian right to self-determination on its land recognized under the international Law.

  • Write to your MPs on the need to defend the rights of the Palestinian People as based on the international resolutions.

  • Adopt and promote (in the way people see fit to your context) the Palestinian civil society's call for Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli, until it complies with international law.

  • Support (promote and sponsor) the Keep Hope Alive – Olive Tree Campaign, to help Palestinian farmers maintain their land and trees and keep their hope alive.

  • Spread the word on Palestinian rights among your partners, friends, colleagues, congregation members, movements, networks, groups and in the media …etc.


P.S. We kindly ask you to report your relevant activities to us, using our online simple form.

We Thank You for Keeping Hope Alive in Palestine and contribution to Peace with Justice

 

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