wfn.org | WCC - "Behind the News" bulletin to focus on

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

World Council of Churches
Update, Up-02-12
For Immediate Use
30 April 2002

"Behind the News" bulletin to focus on Israeli-Palestinian
conflict

cf. WCC Press Update, Up-02-10, of 12 April 2002
cf. WCC Press Update, Up-02-09, of 8 April 2002
cf. WCC Press Update, Up-02-08, of 5 April 2002
cf. WCC Press Release, PR-02-14, of 2 April 2002

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be the subject of the next
two issues of Behind the News: Visions for Peace - Voices of
Faith (BTN). BTN is a joint effort by the World Council of
Churches (WCC), Action by Churches Together (ACT International),
and the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) to share information
with their broad church constituency.  

Originally created as a response to the threatening global
situation following the attacks of September 11, the electronic
bulletin and website will now focus on  church, ecumenical and
other faith statements and actions related to the
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.  

Behind the News focuses on alternative voices and perspectives
behind stories in, or conspicuously absent from, the
international news.  

Visions for Peace highlights statements, ideas and actions that
aim to build peace and reconciliation in situations of conflict
and violence.  

Voices of Faith shares information, particularly from churches,
ecumenical organizations and other faiths, emphasizing different
regional perspectives.  

The forthcoming issue (no. 16) will feature:

- statements and actions from the local Christian community 
- statements and actions from local Palestinian and Israeli
peace and human rights organizations
- statements and actions of the global church and ecumenical
family 
- inter-religious statements and responses from other faith
communities
- summaries of inter-governmental response
- humanitarian relief and related issues: summaries and links
- resources and links for information and action
- worship resources

"Many churches and ecumenical organizations have been working
for decades on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and their past
policies and statements now provide a foundation for action in
the midst of the current violence. This bulletin won't attempt to
summarize such long-standing advocacy, but will highlight some of
the statements and actions of the past two months," explains Sara
Speicher from the WCC Public Information Team.   

"We are very aware that this issue of BTN only scratches the
surface of what the national and international organizations,
churches and faith groups are saying and doing for a just peace
in this conflict. But we hope and pray that this service can
bring together voices and common resolve to speak clearly, act
decisively and maintain a vision of justice, dignity and peace
for all," she concludes.  

To subscribe, send an e-mail to bulletins@wcc-coe.org 
Behind the News: Visions for Peace - Voices of Faith is on the
WCC website at
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews/ 

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) is a global action
network of churches and church-related organizations who have
pledged themselves to change unjust policies and practices
related to global trade and HIV/AIDS. 
Action by Churches Together (ACT) is an international alliance
of churches and relief agencies assisting thousands of people
recovering from emergencies in more than 50 countries worldwide. 

For further information, please contact Karin Achtelstetter,
Media Relations Officer
Tel:  (+41.22) 791.61.53, Mobile:  (+41) 79.284.52.12

**********
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 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, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel: (41 22) 791 6153 / 791 6421
Fax: (41 22) 798 1346
E-mail: ka@wcc-coe.org 
Web: www.wcc-coe.org 

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1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland