The South African resolution endorsed by many churches
World Council of Churches, Karlsruhe.
September 1 was the beginning of the Season of Creation and also the beginning of Ecumenical Conversations on the Middle East. The Palestinian Lutheran Pastor Ashraf Tannous witnessed to the ecumenical gathering:
”Because of the recent developments on the ground and Israel’s new laws and policies, many respected human rights organizations are calling Israel an apartheid state. The list includes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, a UN special report, and also studies by Israeli Jewish human rights organizations, like Btselem and Yesh Din. This should be a concern to all Christians around the world.
Some of you might heard that our South African brothers and sisters have prepared a resolution that deals with this issue. They have told us that “we don’t need anybody to tell us what apartheid is and what apartheid is not, we know it when they see it”. As a Palestinian pastor I thank them for their prophetic courage and action. I honestly feel, especially after yesterday’s speeches, that there are still Christians who are standing in costly solidarity with us. I hope this resolution will be seriously discussed.”
The Palestinian Lutheran delegation, including Rev Dr Munther Isaac, and Rifat Kassis, General Secretary of Kairos Palestine, met with the Swedish Lutheran delegation. The message was clear. Both Church of Norway and Church of Sweden do endorse the resolution signed by the Archbishop of the Anglican church in Southern Africa, Thabo Makgoba, to be processed through the Public Issues Committee. More churches are expected to endorse the South African resolution, calling for a comprehensive programme to be developed for a just peace in the Holy Land.
Kairos Palestine Sweden is represented in Karlsruhe by Rev. Pehr-Albin Edén, who comments on this first Ecumenical Conversation:
”The Ecumenical Conversations of the General Assembly started today and the conversation on the theme Towards a Just Peace in the Middle East began with the situation of the Churches in the Holy Land, Israel and Palestine. The Lutheran Pastor, Rev. Ashraf Tannous gave a powerful speech, stating that the peace in the Middle East, depends on peace in Jerusalem. The peace in the Holy Land, Israel and Palestine, is a cornerstone in the discussion.
Reverend Tannous described the situation in the every day life in Palestine, he himself married to a Jerusalemite, having to live there for her not to loose her permit, although he works in the West Bank and therefore has to travel for hours every day. One of the thousand examples of the absurd effects the occupation has on the everyday life. Reverend Tannous moved on to mention many of the aspects of the occupation, well known to all of us. The lack of and unfair distribution of water, house demolitions of property belonging to Palestinians, the systematic attempts to make the Palestinians leave East Jerusalem, the right of return of the refugees after the Nakba in 1948, just to mention a few of the things Reverend Tannous mentioned. He emphasized that the need of a political solution is urgent. —- The Christians is a diminishing group among the Palestinians in the Holy Land and Rev Tannous points out that violence against the Christians, churches and Christian institutions has increased in recent years. It is a critical situation and it gets worse day by day. Therefore, the Churces must take stands, against the occupation and for peace. And the cry is for the churches not only to pray or involve in diplomacy but to act prophetically and boldly.”
It seems it is a growing movement within the Assembly to support the South African Resolution. However, the German churches work strongly against any use of the word apartheid. We will have to wait and see what the outcome of the Assembly will be in regard to the situation in the Holy Land.
Anna Karin Hammar
Rev.Dr., Kairos Palestine Sweden
Bildtext: The two Palestinian Lutheran pastors Ashraf Tannous from Beit Sahour and Munther Isaac from Bethlehem, here in Karlsruhe, Germany, at the WCC XIth Assembly. Photo: Pehr-Albin Edén