wfn.org | Travel Restrictions Affect Jerusalem Hospital; ELCA Pastors to Stay

[news@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 18, 2000

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AFFECT JERUSALEM HOSPITAL; ELCA PASTORS TO STAY
00-241-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Augusta Victoria Hospital, a Lutheran-owned and
-operated health care facility in Jerusalem, was unable to get patient
referrals or schedule diagnostic or surgical procedures because of
travel restrictions for people entering the city, said Craig Kippels,
hospital administrator, in an Oct. 17 news release.  Augusta Victoria
Hospital experienced armed conflict on the hospital grounds in late
September and has been treating patients injured in Palestinian-Israeli
clashes.
     Also on Oct. 17  President Clinton announced that Israeli and
Palestinian leaders said they would work to halt the violence in the
Middle East and said they would consider returning to the peace process.
     According to the hospital news release, the West Bank and Gaza
were closed, in part because of the Jewish Festival of Succot this week.
A parade is normally held during this festival, and access was
restricted to prevent possible conflicts between Palestinians and
Israelis, the hospital release said.  Augusta Victoria Hospital remained
on emergency standby.
     The hospital is operated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
based in Geneva, Switzerland.  The LWF is a global communion of 131
churches representing 59.5 million Lutherans.  The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA), based in Chicago, is a member of the LWF.  The
LWF and ELCA have protested violent confrontations that occurred on
hospital property in the past few weeks and the restrictions on access
to the hospital, which serves mostly Palestinians.
     "Nearly all of the villages in the West Bank have been cut off,
making travel between regions extremely difficult or impossible," the
hospital release said.  "This is even extended to Gaza airport, which
was closed.  Palestinians are not allowed to leave the country via land
borders or Tel Aviv airport."
     Health-care providers were not able to get to their clinics in
West Bank villages, the hospital release said. "The LWF Village Health
Clinics are an example.  Each day the health clinics' team goes out and
is turned away at the Israeli checkpoint," the release said.
     Two ELCA pastors serving in Jerusalem, the Rev. Michael P. Thomas
and the Rev. Susan P. Thomas, assured friends they are safe and are not
planning to leave the country. The pastors serve an English-speaking
congregation at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.  In an Oct. 14
letter they reported the ELCA Division for Global Mission -- in
consultation with them and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, Pa.-- decided a seminary intern serving there should return
to the United States.
     "We are trying to maintain normal life, just as the local people
here are," Susan Thomas said in a statement to ELCA News & Information.
  Last Sunday she said none of their four regular pianists could
make it to regular services.  "One of them, as a U.S. Consulate
dependent, was not allowed by the Consulate to go into the Old City,"
Susan Thomas said. "One was unable to cross the border into Jerusalem
from Bethlehem where he lives. One is part of the Christian Peacemaker
Team in Hebron where their small group was having worship.  One, a
Messianic Jew, was celebrating Succot.  So Sunday we sang a capella."
  "Usually we welcome many pilgrims to our services," she continued.
"One American group was with us, still continuing on their Holy Land
journey, amazed that they were living through such an experience."
   There is "tremendous uncertainty" for all in the largely
expatriate English-speaking congregation, Susan Thomas said.  "Many have
been sent here with projects tied to the peace process," she said.  "If
this process is at an end, their reason for being here is surely under
scrutiny."
  Thomas said some members of the Redeemer congregation have
experience living in places of unrest in the world and have provided
some reassurance to others.
  "The overwhelming response from churches and individuals, who are
keeping us and the leaders and people here in their prayers, is also
extremely heartening," she said. "Our large two-sided bulletin board at
church is overflowing with e-mail messages of prayer."
-----
  A list of resources and information related to the Middle East
situation are available on the ELCA's Web site at
http://www.elca.org/co/mideast.html

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html