Please see the ELCA news story below, describing Palestinian bishops being denied Gaza entry by Israeli authorities and US presiding bishops sending a letter to the Israeli Ambassador in response to the incident.
Following the article are links to press releases from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and the Episcopal Diocese in Jerusalem and the Middle East. In their statements, Bishop Younan and Bishop Dawani reaffirmed their commitment to work for justice and peace, in spite of their treatment at the Gaza crossing.
- >>>Take Action: Recognizing that this one incident is a part of a much larger crisis, we urge supporters of Middle East peace to continue to reach out to elected officials with the message that Christians care about the welfare of all persons in the region and to this end support a just peace. If you have not already done so, please check to see if your representative signed onto the important letter to the Secretary of State urging aid to Gaza, and if they did so, be sure they know this is deeply appreciated by sending them a short e-mail or making a phone call. They need to know we’re behind them! Go to www.cmep.org to send a thank you to your representative.
ELCA NEWS SERVICEFebruary 5, 2009
ELCA, Episcopal Church Top Leaders Ask Israel about Bishops' Denied Visit 09-036-JB
The Feb. 5 letter from the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, was sent to Sallai Meridor, ambassador of Israel, in Washington, D.C.
On Feb. 4, the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), and the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in Jerusalem and the Middle East, were part of a delegation of five heads of churches in Jerusalem who traveled to visit Christians in Gaza. Three members of the delegation were allowed to enter Gaza, but Israeli security officials denied entry to Younan and Dawani.
According to an ELCJHL news release, Younan and Dawani were the only Palestinians in the delegation. Both said they had obtained permits from Israeli officials to enter Gaza.
"The purpose of their visit was pastoral -- to visit churches, humanitarian projects of the Middle East Council of Churches and the Al Ahli Hospital, an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem," the two U.S. presiding bishops wrote. "We are concerned that they were not allowed freedom of movement into Gaza to carry out their pastoral responsibilities."
"We believe that it is urgent that adequate humanitarian assistance reach the people of Gaza immediately, and we underscore Bishop Dawani's statement that 'most certainly pastoral care is an important factor in such services,'" Hanson and Jefferts Schori wrote.
The presiding bishops wrote that they support their partner bishops and churches in their Christian ministry, and they share their continued commitment to work for peace in the region. Statements from Younan and Dawani, following their denial of entry, reaffirmed their commitments to work for peace in Gaza, the presiding bishops wrote.
"We hope that, having discovered the cause of their denial, you will assure that they will be permitted to enter as soon as possible to offer support and pastoral care to the people they serve," the presiding bishops' letter concluded.
Copies of the letter were sent to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and George Mitchell, U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace.
For information contact:John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.orghttp://www.elca.org/news
ELCJHL press release, 2/4/09: www.elcjhl.org
Episcopal Diocese in Jerusalem and the Middle East press release, 2/4/09: www.j-diocese.org
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