LWF Council Brings Hope to the Holy Land by Calling Israel to End its Occupation

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council has highlighted the call on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories and to promote peace, during the LWF Council meeting in Jerusalem and Bethlehem that closed last week. The Council’s presence has brought new hope to Palestinian Christians.
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Gathered under the theme "The Church: Called to a Ministry of Reconciliation," 170 representatives of LWF member churches from all over the world gathered at the Holy Land for the meeting hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).

In a public statement entitled "Challenged to a Ministry of Reconciliation in the Holy Land" adopted by the LWF Council on Sept. 6, representatives of LWF member churches from all over the world said their stay in Jerusalem and Bethlehem had opened the "eyes of many of us to the daily sufferings of the Palestinian people, often not shown to us by the media."

They also encountered "the [Israeli] separation wall and found shocking its impact on the daily lives of Palestinians," according to LWF.

In response, LWF council members called for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. They also affirmed the implementation of the roadmap for peace as crucial to establishing a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, with a shared city of Jerusalem, LWF reported.

Since the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved the final route of a barrier around Jerusalem in mid-March, Christians have expressed concern that the movement will further endanger peace in the region. The barrier cuts off East Jerusalem and the largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank on the Israeli side from the rest of the West Bank, and divides Bethlehem.
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The barrier has prevented Palestinian church members to attend services, the LWF Council members reported. The council highlighted the decreasing number of Christians in the Holy Land due to the increasing constraints on Palestinians.

Council members therefore stressed the need for financial assistance toward education and other forms of investment in people in order to ensure the "enduring presence" of Christians in the region.

"Such assistance is an investment in people’s hope for positive change and contributes to preparing a fertile ground for building understanding among Palestinians and Israelis for reconciliation now and in the future," they explained in the statement.

According to LWF, pilgrimages of peace to the churches in the region enable people experience the living conditions in Palestinian areas and promote renewal of faith were also highly recommended by the LWF member churches.

In face of the ongoing decades of conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians, LWF Council members noted in the statement, true healing with justice and forgiveness must begin with "truth-telling and with breaking the silence that hides the suffering of those who are vulnerable and violated".

According to LWF, the Council further endorsed ELCJHL Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan’s call of for an annual gathering in Jerusalem for prayers for peace and reconciliation involving Christians, Muslims, Jews, Palestinians and Israelis. It also stressed the LWF’s continued support for interfaith dialogue, especially in the Holy Land.
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The LWF Council meeting this year was considered very significant because of its location in the Holy Land, President of LWF Bishop Mark S. Hanson said after the meeting, as reported by LWF.

Through the meeting, representatives of LWF churches in the world were given the opportunity to stand in solidarity with the fellow Lutherans who suffered in the Holy Land. Solidarity means "to be present here, accompanying one another, learning from one another while standing shoulder to shoulder in the context of the other," Bishop Hanson noted.

LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko echoed that seeing with one’s own eyes the separation wall between Israel and Palestinian territories was very important, as it would help the LWF members around the world to read news about the region more critically.

Meanwhile, ELCJHL Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan spoke of the impact of the LWF Council for the witness of Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land especially for the cause of justice.

"Our people will never forget the experience they had here," LWF reported Younan as saying. He expressed hope that there would be more of such meetings in the region.





Eunice Or
Christian Today Correspondent