For Immediate Release -- Friday, November 24, 2006
UNITED CHURCH CALLS ON CANADA TO CONDEMN MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE
Toronto: The Moderator of The United Church of Canada is calling on the Canadian governm ent to condemn unequivocally the killing of almost 500
innocent Palestinian civilians since July 2006, and to call for an end to the ongoing siege of Gaza.
"The United Church of Canada is deeply concerned about the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories , and the violence committed by both Israelis and Pa lestinians," says the Moderator, the Right Rev. David Giuliano. "We stand together with our Israeli and Palesti nian partners who are pressing for negotiations. Canada must re-engage as a truly honest broker in a mean ingful peace process for a two-state solution."
Wendy Gichuru is The United Church of Canada's Program Coordinator for the Middle East. She explains that the United Church has strong links with both Palestini an and Israeli partners. She says that for over four
decades the church has supported Palestinian Christian g roups in occupied Palestinian territories, working to pr ovide key services (particularly medical care and job training), building up the civil society, and supporting the many democratic, non-violent efforts of Palestinian s to speak out about military oppression and occupation by Israel.
"All the churches of occupied Pal estine, indeed all of Palestinian civil society, as we ll as a broad coalition of groups in Israel are calli ng for an end to the military and economic siege o f Gaza," says Gichuru. "They call for pressure on th e government of Israel to engage in meaningful dialogu e to achieve a peaceful resolution to the situation,
as a first step to ending the illegal occupation of Palestine."
Gichuru explains that Gaza is already suffering a humanitarian catastrophe as a result of an international economic embargo, leaving people witho ut water, food, electricity, fuel, shelter, or adequate
health care. Gichuru adds, "In her visit to Gaza and Israel this week, Madame Louise Arbour, United Nation s Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concern about what she called 'catastrophic violations of human rig hts' experienced by Palestinians in Gaza."
Gichur u says that along with its partners in the Middle Eas t, The United Church of Canada emphasizes that no su ch military action is justifiable and condemns the fir ing of Qassam rockets by irregular groups in Gaza. T hese groups see limited alternatives to armed resistance because repeated and serious offers to dialogue have b een consistently rejected by Israel. And Gichuru adds, "The unqualified Canadian government support for the Government of Israel in the face of the overwhelmingly
disproportionate military response to the firing of Qass am rockets is a cause of grave concern to the Unit ed Church."
Gichuru explains that the United Churc h's Moderator is urging church members and adherents t o write to the Prime Minister, calling on the Canadi an government to
* condemn Israeli military operat ions that have resulted in the injury and death of civilians * condemn the firing of Qassam rockets in to Israeli civilian territory by Palestinian fighters
* call on the Israeli government and its army to p ut an immediate end to the siege of Gaza * work with others in the international community in efforts to bring about a sustainable, negotiated resolution to end the occupation that forms the basis of the co nflict, and ensure a long-lasting peace
For furthe r information, or to arrange media interviews, please con tact:
Mary-Frances Denis Communications Officer The United Church of Canada 416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (of fice) 416-885-7478 (cell)
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