Dear friends
As we participate in Holy Week, let us consider our brothers and sisters in Palestine. This week a mass arrest of children walking to school in Hebron has shocked many, and the retired Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem lamented that Christians and Muslims need military permission to pray. See below for more headlines - as well as new resources and updates on church actions for Palestine.
Meanwhile, back in Australia the Ecumenical Working Group on Palestine Israel is getting ready to re-launch! In April we'll start a large-scale outreach campaign to churches and Christians around the country, and hope you might join us and share links to our website through your networks.
The first part of our re-launch is that we've shortened and updated our name from the Ecumenical Working Group on Palestine Israel to the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network.
The second part is that we've been working hard to design a website that can be a great resource for all Christians. We're still ironing out some formatting issues - but we're offering a sneak peek - any feedback would be great. Take a peek.
New Resources
Theology
Two highly commendable online theological resources have just been released. The Kairos Netherlands document is an entry level document to the conflict as well as the theology, and the Anglican document presumes some knowledge and goes into more depth.
The Wall has been broken down, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the Light of Christian Faith and International Law, Kairos Palestine Netherlands | Friends of Sabeel Netherlands, 2012 (40 pages)
Land of Promise? An Anglican exploration of Christian attitudes to the Holy Land, released by Anglican Communion, 2012 (76 pages)
Other Resources
The American Friends Services Committee (Quakers) have adopted an Israel:Palestine investment screen and instituted a ‘no buy’ list - both regarding investments and consumer buying.
Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights releases film Dead Olives & Settlements: Three Farmers in Abud 6mins)
See online photo essay on shooting of Palestinian Children by Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Mennonite Central Committee worker in Palestine.
Obama: welcome to Occupied Jerusalem. Infographic about Palestinian human rights violations around Jerusalem.
My Neighbourhood: a Palestinian boys' view of Israeli settlements (video, 26mins).
Church Action On Palestine
The General Secretary of the United Church in Canada writes to Foreign Affairs Minister asking him to have goods from settlements labeled differently than those made in Israel.
Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries Justice and Peace commission writes to U.S. President on status of Palestinian Christians
UNICEF finds Palestinian children mistreated by Israeli military
Palestinians return to their village after 64 years
EU would accept a Palestinian government including Hamas
EU strengthens UNRWA assistance to Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria
UN agency seeks $300 million to assist Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank
Barack Obama in Israel: US president needs to be more than just a tourist
International bodies call for bolder efforts and progress from Israel
Private entities benefit from settlement business according to UNHRC
Four months after conflict, Gaza mental health in crisis
“State of Palestine” to be used in all UN documents
Palestine refugees in Syria worsening
UNRWA improves access to water in threatened West Bank community
Rachel Corrie’s parents urge action to change US policy in Israel/Palestine on 10th anniversary of her death
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