wfn.org | Lutherans Denounce Israeli Occupation of Church Property

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 28, 2001

LUTHERANS DENOUNCE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF CHURCH PROPERTY
01-218-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Israeli military forces shelled and entered the
West Bank town of Beit Jala Aug. 28 and occupied several homes and
buildings, including the premises of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
the Reformation, said the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and Palestine (ELCJ).
     "We denounce in the strongest possible terms the Israeli
occupation of our buildings and demand that the army immediately
withdraw from our church premises as well as from Beit Jala," Younan
said in a news release.
     The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) also condemned the Israeli
military occupation of the town of Beit Jala.  In a message to Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Rev. Ishmael Noko, LWF general
secretary, expressed "in the clearest possible terms, the outrage" of
the LWF's global family at the invasion of "one of the holy places of
the Christian community of Beit Jala" and the danger in which this
action has thrust innocent people including the children and staff of
the Lutheran orphanage in the church premises there, the LWF said in a
news release.
  The LWF is a global communion of 131 Lutheran churches,
representing more than 59 million of the world's 63 million Lutherans.
The ELCJ and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are LWF
members.
  Noko, who is attending the World Conference Against Racism in
Durban, South Africa, called for the immediate cessation of the Israel
Defense Force activities in Beit Jala and for the withdrawal of all
Israeli armed forces from the area, including the premises of the
Lutheran congregation, according to the release.
  The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation is one of six
congregations in the 2,000-member ELCJ.   Beit Jala is in Israeli-occupied territory under Palestinian control just south of Jerusalem in
the West Bank.  Israeli forces also shelled sites in Bethlehem and Beit
Sahour, Younan said.
  The Israeli moves followed heightened protests from Palestinians
over Israel's killing of Mustafa Zibri, a top Palestinian leader.  Some
Palestinians were said to have fired into an Israeli neighborhood,
Israel's Defense Forces said, leading to Israel's action.
  Younan said the Israeli army entered the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of the Reformation building, Evangelical Lutheran Home -- an
orphanage that houses 50 children    and Abraham's Herberge, an
interreligious center and guesthouse.
  "Soldiers took positions on the roof of one of the church
buildings, with tanks stationed immediately outside the entrance to the
church premises," Younan said in the release. "Fifty youngsters between
four and 18 years of age are kept isolated in the home together with
some educators living on the premises."
  A curfew has been imposed, and the pastor and staff were not able
to reach the premises after the army entered, Younan said.  "We are
trying to find ways to bring food and other necessities to the isolated
children," he said.  Later in the day, Younan and others were able to
speak with Israeli military officials about the children.
  "We want to make clear that no shooting has taken place, neither
yesterday nor in the past, from our church buildings in Beit Jala,"
Younan continued. "We are now receiving reports that the Israeli army is
shooting from the position on top of our buildings, injuring and killing
people in the town, which of course endangers the lives of our
children."
  Since the persistent violence in the Middle East began nearly one
year ago, ELCA congregations have joined with other denominations in an
ecumenical prayer vigil for peace in the region.  At the recent ELCA
Churchwide Assembly, voting members adopted a resolution supporting the
ELCJ and urging Israelis and Palestinians "to end the cycle of violence
and seek a just and lasting peace."
  In Washington, D.C., the Rev. Mark B. Brown, with the Lutheran
Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), sent a message Aug. 28 calling
for help to "end the violence and promote a climate where negotiations
to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can take place."  LOGA is the
ELCA's federal public policy agency.
  In his message, Brown urged people to contact members of the U.S.
Congress and President Bush and ask them:
  + "to contact the government of Israel and insist that the Israeli
military immediately remove troops and tanks from all of Beit Jala,
particularly the premises and surrounding area of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of the Reformation and adjacent orphanage;"
  + "to contact the Palestinian authority and the government of
Israel and urge both to do all they can to end the violence and
intimidation, including helicopter and fighter jet attacks,
assassinations, suicide bombings, house demolitions, destruction of
trees and other property and torture while in detention;" and
  + "to support the deployment of multinational observers to promote
peace, justice and security in the Occupied Territories."
-- -- --
  More information on the current situation in Beit Jala and the
Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East can be found at
http://www.loga.org on LOGA's Web site.  Additional Middle East
resources can be found at http://www.elca.org/co/mideast.html on the
ELCA's Web site.

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