World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel

An Initiative of The World Council of Churches

Dismantling Barriers

Palestinian Christians Palestinian Christians have been present in the Holy Land since the time of Christ. Once they made up 20% of the population, but that figure has dropped to under 1%. In Gaza there are just 1300 Christians left. Although their numbers are small, they reach thousands of Palestinians with their social programmes in education, healthcare, vocational training and employment. The exodus of Christians from the Holy Land reflects the difficult situation they live in under Israeli occupation.

Often they are the wealthier members of Palestinian society with more opportunity to leave, and many have relatives living abroad. In 2009 the Palestinian leaders of the Churches in Jerusalem and Bethlehem joined together to issue a global cry of help to the Church worldwide, known as the Kairos call to action. Many Christians in Palestine live in the Bethlehem area, including Beit Jala, and are currently under threat from the building of the separation wall in the Cremisan Valley.

Gaza Photo: Kairos Britain

Gaza Gaza is one of the most populated places in the world, with a population of 1.8 million living in an area the size of Wales. 80% of the population rely on some form of humanitarian aid The 10-year Israeli blockade of Gaza has reduced its GDP by 50% Unemployment rates are the highest in the world – 43% for adults and 60% amongst young people.

Gaza case study: Mohammad, 19 Photo: Kairos Britain

Demolitions Photo: CforL

Demolitions in Palestine Since 2012, 2401 Palestinian homes and other structures have been demolished in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), including East Jerusalem In 2015, 544 demolitions were recorded by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA). In 2015, 757 people were displaced due to demolitions

Demolitions Case study: A family in Khirbet al-Makhul whose home is facing demolition Photo: ICAHD

Cremisan Valley 23 rd April 2016 Bethlehem, Bir Ouna, Slabs of the Separation Barrier about to go in, Photo EAPPI/K. Fox

Cremisan Valley 58 Palestinian Christian families have had their land seized to build an extension to the separation barrier and over 400 families soon won’t be able to access their land without a permit One of the last green areas in the Bethlehem district, the Cremisan Valley is home to the historic Cremisan monastery. Connected to the monastery is a 19 th century winery called the Cremisan cellars. Also nearby is a Sister’s Convent and school.

Case Study – Beit Jala Photo EAPPI/T.Findstadt

Violence Photo: CforL

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs catalogued since September 2015 to July stabbing attacks 100 shootings 46 vehicular attacks 1 vehicle bombing 40 deaths and 521 injuries. terror-October-2015.aspx Violence

Violence. Case Study Hebron: CforL

Prayer based on Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. God, loving Parent of all humankind, you are our Peace. In Jesus Christ you embodied peace with justice – and you still do – peace at its most down-to-earth, peace, which can still prevail in the face of all the walls we build. We confess our helpless anger, confronted by concrete cutting across the daily lives of your children: limits imposed on travel, study, healthcare, work, worship, family connections, celebrations.

We confess our complicity in maintaining barriers of ignorance, fear, privilege, prejudice, ‘us’ and ‘them’. Our world is crossed by razor wire that tears at flesh and draws blood. But you are our peace, with power to cut this wire for good, to break down all our walls. You are present now in the women of Machsom Watch standing at the checkpoint, where they can be seen, speaking out about what they see: God of Peace, we thank you.

You are present when former combatants, with courage, stand together to denounce violence: God of Peace, we thank you. You are present in the patience of people under Occupation who stand their ground, embodying sumoud: God of Peace, we thank you. You are present in Ecumenical Accompaniers, bearing witness. God of Peace, we thank you.

Loving Parent of all humankind, help us to share with our sisters and brothers in Israel, Palestine and nearer home, your work of breaking down the walls of separation, your vital work of peace. Amen Jan Sutch Pickard

Action card

UK Working Group Amos Trust Baptist Union of Great Britain Church of Scotland Council of Lutheran Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine & Israel Embrace the Middle East Friends of Sabeel UK Kairos Britain Methodist Church in Britain Pax Christi UK Quakers in Britain United Reformed Church-Commitment for Life

Further resources can be found at:- palestine/world-week-for-peace-in-pi/