wfn.org | [WCC News] Palestine / Israel: 20 new accompaniers

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches 7 Press Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 22/04/2004 - pu-04-24

 EAPPI welcomes 20 new accompaniers

 Contact in Jerusalem: +972 (0) 67 379 766, eappi-co@jrol.com 

  With the arrival in April of 20 new ecumenical accompaniers,
the
  Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
(EAPPI) will
  continue to seek peaceful and nonviolent solutions to the
conflict in
  Israel and Palestine.  The new arrivals will join six
accompaniers
  staying on from previous groups, bringing the total number
currently on
  the ground to 26.

  In the wake of Israel's decision, supported by the United
States, to take
  "unilateral measures" rather than enter into dialogue with
Palestinian
  representatives, EAPPI continues to work with Palestinians and
Israelis
  who are seeking an end to the occupation through nonviolent
means and a
  just solution to the long conflict.

  The new team of accompaniers comes from six countries
including, for the
  first time, one from France.	Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden
and
  Switzerland continue to be represented.  The 14 women and six
men, who
  come for a minimum service of three months, range in age from
26 to 73
  years.

  Ecumenical accompaniers work with local churches, Palestinian
and Israeli
  NGOs, as well as Palestinian communities in various capacities
to try to
  reduce the brutality of the occupation and improve the daily
lives of
  both peoples.

  Four accompaniers will continue the work in Sawahreh, and
three others
  will be in Jayyous.  Both villages are dealing with the
effects of
  Israel's "separation barrier."

  Four will be working with the Christian community and refugee
camps in
  Ramallah.  Three have been assigned to the "Israel Team,"
which
  cooperates with Israeli peace and justice organizations.

  Three accompaniers will be working in Hebron, accompanying
children going
  to school and monitoring the human rights situation. Three
will be living
  in the West Bank village of Yanoun.

  One accompanier with a medical background will be working with
the Union
  of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC).

  Since the programme was launched in August 2002, 115
ecumenical
  accompaniers have participated from more than 30 churches and
ecumenical
  partners in 10 countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
New Zealand,
  Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United
States.

  For more information on EAPPI and photos: www.eappi.org 
  For more information on the WCC: www.wcc-coe.org 

  The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
(EAPPI)
  was launched in August 2002. Ecumenical accompaniers monitor
and report
  violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,
support
  acts of non-violent resistance alongside local Christian and
Muslim
  Palestinians and Israeli peace activists, offer protection
through
  non-violent presence, engage in public policy advocacy, and
stand in
  solidarity with the churches and all those struggling against
the
  occupation. The programme is co-ordinated by the World Council
of
  Churches.

For more information contact:	      Media Relations Office
 tel: (+41 22) 791 64 21 / (+41 22) 791 61 53
 e-mail:media@wcc-coe.org 
 http://www.wcc-coe.org 

 The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now
342, in
 more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all
Christian
 traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church
but works
 cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the
assembly,
 which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was
formally
 inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is
headed by
 general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in
Kenya.