wfn.org | Israeli Soldiers Withdraw from Lutheran Church in Beit Jala

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 29, 2001

ISRAELI SOLDIERS WITHDRAW FROM LUTHERAN CHURCH IN BEIT JALA
01-221-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Soldiers with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)
withdrew from the premises of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the
Reformation in Beit Jala, West Bank, Aug. 29, one day after entering the
church property and taking up positions on the roof of the church
building, according to the Lutheran bishop in Jerusalem.
     Later Aug. 29, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres struck "a
deal in principle" with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to stop the
Palestinian firing from Beit Jala on an Israeli settlement in exchange
for an Israeli troop withdrawal from the Palestinian town, Peres' office
said.
     The developments followed a day of denunciations from Lutherans
that Israeli troops had occupied the Lutheran church property, including
an orphanage there, and the town of Beit Jala, in Israeli-occupied
territory under Palestinian control just south of Jerusalem in the West
Bank.
Protests came from the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Jordan and Palestine (ELCJ), the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), and representatives of other church bodies around the
world.
     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.
     Israeli troops fired from the church property at people in the
town, Younan reported in an Aug. 28 news release.
     "We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all those in the
international church network around the world, the members of the
diplomatic corps, as well as officials from the Israeli Ministry of
Religious Affairs, who supported our case and exerted their influence to
withdraw the Israeli soldiers and tanks from our church premises in Beit
Jala," Younan said in the Aug. 29 news release. "This shows that any
holy place, be it a church, a mosque or a synagogue, is a place of peace
and not of war or military action."
     Israel's move into Beit Jala followed heightened protests by
Palestinians upset by Israel's assassination of a top leader of the
Palestinian Authority.   Some Palestinians were said to have fired into
an Israeli neighborhood, leading to Israel's action.
     Israeli military forces entered the premises of the Lutheran
Church of the Reformation building, an orphanage there and an
interreligious center and guest house.  Of immediate concern to church
officials was the welfare of about 50 children from age four through 18,
and some staff who were inside the Lutheran orphanage.  A curfew was
imposed, and the pastor of the congregation was fired at, leaving the
children isolated, Younan reported.
     Younan and several Lutheran clergy and coworkers eventually got
inside after negotiating with Israeli authorities for several hours, and
brought food and other necessities to the children and staff.
     "When we arrived at the church, we faced an Israeli tank pointing
at us in the street outside the church," Younan said. "Another tank was
standing on the grounds of our church complex."  At least five soldiers
were still inside the church property, he said.
      The children and staff were glad to see the Lutheran group,
including the pastor of the congregation, the Rev. Jadallah Shihadeh,
Younan said.
     Despite the Israeli troops' withdrawal, Younan said he is still
concerned about the future of the orphanage and "ordinary activities" in
Beit Jala.
     "We are also deeply concerned about the possibilities for the
children to continue their schooling as long as the town of Beit Jala is
divided into two by the incursion of the Israeli army," Younan said.
     He urged supporters to continue to pressure the Israelis to
withdraw from Beit Jala and other Palestinian areas, and to end the
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
     "Only when this happens can the future of the children in
Palestine and in Israel be secured," Younan concluded.
-- -- --
     More information on the current situation in Beit Jala and an
ecumenical prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East is at
http://www.loga.org on the Web site of the Lutheran Office for
Governmental Affairs. Additional resources about the Middle East are
available at http://www.elca.org/co/mideast.html on the ELCA Web site.

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