wfn.org | Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem Issues Desperate Plea

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Contact: Bishop Riah Abu el-Assal, 
Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem 
St. George's Cahtedral
20 Nablus Road, Jerusalem
Tel: (972-2) 627.1670

JERUSALEM, March 14, 2001--Addressing a group of church leaders, journalists 
and NGO representatives in London last week, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal clearly 
carried the weight of the suffering of the Palestinian community; he looked 
tired and reflected his peoples' desperation. 

Speaking from the heart, Bishop Riah provided details of the current 
situation in the Holy Land and made a plea for help and support from the 
World Church and its leaders, and from the World Council of Churches for his 
fellow Palestinians and the Christian community which he leads in the Middle 
East. 

The Bishop commented on how the Jewish and Muslim groups are strongly 
supported by their worldwide communities, and he went on to lament "there are 
two billion Christians in the world - we receive messages of encouragement 
and support as well as gifts from Malaysia, even Sudan!   But the church in 
the States, Australia, Canada and the UK ..." 

He asked how he and his fellow clergy are meant to help their congregations 
believe that they are members of the body of Christ, "We are desperate for 
support these days, we are desperate." 

Rev. Hanna Mansour from St. Luke's Hospital in Nablus, West Bank, agrees,  
"It is time for the Church to show their commitment.  Statements are not 
enough, we need more tangible things.  Christians must show solidarity with 
the marginalized, the injured, the victims of injustice and those under 
occupation.  Talk is easy during peaceful times, it is a burden during these 
difficult days of conflict." 

Bishop Riah spoke, too, of the frustration that across the world the 
Christian community focuses on Christian -- Muslim relations instead of the 
human rights abuses, suffering and apartheid situations that Palestinians are 
facing daily.   "We need to protect human rights across the board -- not one 
party only." 

This was reiterated by Rev. Mansour, "We live in harmony with the Muslim 
community here.  The current Intifada has reflected Palestinian unity to the 
world; we live together under the Israeli tank fire, as human beings, as one 
people.  Enough talking -- we want action from the world's Christians.  We 
want to challenge them to a commitment, a worldwide commitment from 
Christians." 

The Jerusalem Diocese of the Anglican Church has 34 institutions with over 
1200 people employed -- hospitals, clinics, schools, homes for those with 
disabilities, and for the elderly.  "Our institutions are badly needed in 
times of war, the services of the church are greatly appreciated but without 
support and finance we cannot help." 

Unemployment in Gaza is now at 81% and in the West Bank over 180,000 people 
are out of work.  People had invested greatly in what was meant to be a boom 
in tourism but instead hotels lie empty.  The bishop gave one example of a 
hotel in the centre of Jerusalem which has 360 rooms and yet only nine people 
are there.  

St George's College has had to cancel nearly all of its courses as people are 
unable to get to Jerusalem and overseas students are returning home.

Rev. Mansour commented, "Things are awful.  I have never experienced such a 
situation, even during the first Intifada.  The amount of violence practiced 
by the Israeli military is simply intolerable....  Movement around Nablus is 
difficult to impossible.  The present situation is economically crushing, and 
there is no way for families to provide their daily bread.   They come to us, 
the hospital and the Church, for help, and assistance." 

The Bishop highlighted,  "In Nazareth, as Israeli Arabs the people recognize 
that they are better off than their brothers and sisters in Gaza and the West 
Bank."  

In response the congregation at Christ Church, Nazareth, recently collected 
over 20,000 kilos of rice, flour and cooking oil for 100 families in the West 
Bank.   This was taken in UN lorries to Jerusalem and then put into other 
vehicles and taken to the West Bank.   Within Jerusalem the congregation of 
St George's Cathedral have also collected food and clothing to support 30 
families in nearby Ramallah. 

The Bishop strongly signaled that Palestine is economically reaching a point 
of complete disintegration -- a situation that both threatens the welfare of 
individuals and families, and also presents a danger as desperation could 
fuel the conflict. 

Bishop Riah finished his talk reiterating how he would like to see the church 
take the initiative and do something.  "I pray one day that when we stand 
before the throne of God we will be able to say that we did not ignore God's 
call to the least, to the homeless, the hungry and the bereaved."  

"Never underestimate what each one of us can do -- the church began with 11 
people who were ordinary individuals and who between them changed the course 
of history -- it is time for the church to change history once more in the 
Middle East." 

The event was hosted by the Amos Trust, a U.K. Christian charity working for 
justice and hope for the forgotten.   The Amos Trust is a delegated channel 
for support for the Diocese of Jerusalem. 
  
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