wfn.org | Dreaming of peace: Ecumenical accompaniers begin work in Palestine and Israel

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Note #7457 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

02-October-2002
02382

Dreaming of peace: Ecumenical accompaniers begin work in Palestine and Israel

by Royal Orr

(Editor's note: This is the first in series of three reports from
participants in the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment
Program. - Jerry L. Van Marter)

JERUSALEM - The first official participants in the Ecumenical Accompaniment
Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) arrived in Jerusalem on Aug. 18.

Ranging in age from 23 to 67 and coming from a variety of backgrounds, 12
ecumenical accompaniers from Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Norway had already
undergone a week of intensive preparation in Copenhagen. Another full week of
training was held in Israel and Palestine.

The accompaniers are now working with local organizations at a number of
tasks, including human rights monitoring, advocacy, and supporting
non-violent resistance by churches, church-related organizations and
Palestinian and Israeli peace groups.

During their local training, the accompaniers visited several sites. Jeff
Halper of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions took them on a
guided tour of East Jerusalem that was both eye opening and disturbing.

"It is almost unbelievable to see how the Israeli authorities are pushing
Palestinians out of their own city," commented Sune Segal from Denmark.

The EAPPI team also visited the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron.
The CPT has been a source of inspiration for the EAPPI. Musa Abu Hashhash,
the Hebron fieldworker for the Israeli human rights group B'tselem, then took
the accompaniers into the Israeli settler areas in Hebron.

"We were shouted at by a settler woman who called us trespassers and Nazis,"
said Sarah Gjerding. "But another settler carrying an assault rifle was
worse. He insisted that nearby soldiers stop us to check our papers. He said
that one of us looked like a Palestinian. The soldiers did what the settler
asked."

The accompaniers visited an Israeli military checkpoint on the highway from
Jerusalem to Ramallah, and attempted to ease the passage of an ambulance that
was stalled by soldiers with patients inside.

Workshops on report writing, media relations and security were held at the
team's operational base at the Lutheran World Federation's Augusta Victoria
Hospital. Time was also reserved for meetings with local church leaders, who
are providing essential support to EAPPI.

After two weeks of training in Copenhagen and Jerusalem, the ecumenical
accompaniers were eager to get settled with their host organizations, and
begin making their own small contribution to realizing a dream of peace for
Palestine and Israel.

The first official EAPPI participants in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program
in Palestine and Israel are: Eva Balslev (Denmark), Brigitta Bvckmann
(Germany), Heidi Hansen (Denmark), Sarah Gjerding (Denmark), Bjorn Hjertnes
(Norway), Lone Hvejsel (Denmark), Bernt Jonsson (Sweden), Arne Jor (Norway),
Anne-Lene Kjfldgaard (Denmark), Nicolai M|ller (Germany), Sune Segal
(Denmark), Barbara Thiel (Germany).

EAPPI is an ecumenical program of the World Council of Churches.
For more information on the program, reports from the accompaniers, and
photos, see:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/eap.html 

Royal Orr is a senior consultant with Columbia Communications in Canada and
president of the video production company N.E.X.T. Productions. He is also
the host of The United Church of Canada's national religious affairs program,
Spirit Connection. He was in Jerusalem in August 2002 to assist the local
EAPPI orientation.

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