wfn.org | Title: new group of ecumenical accompaniers in Palestine/Israel

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Update
For Immediate Use
8 July 2003

New group of ecumenical accompaniers continues work in Palestine / Israel 

The third group participating in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in
Palestine and Israel is currently in the region and has begun serving with
local churches, church-related organizations and Israeli and Palestinian NGOs
promoting health, peace and human rights. 

The six new accompaniers (EAs) come from Switzerland, Sweden and the UK, and
will be in the region until mid-August. Several will continue until
mid-September. 

"While the world's attention right now is focused on the Road Map as the only
path to peace, the facts on the ground are telling us a different story",
says local programme coordinator Rebecca Johnson. "The situation hasn't
changed for the better for Palestinians and an international presence is
still very important", she adds.

The EAs take on a range of activities from accompanying churches in their
service programmes to accompanying and facilitating the access through
checkpoints of medical teams and ambulances. They also assist with monitoring
and reporting on human rights violations, currently focusing on the
consequences for the Palestinian community of the separation wall built by
the Israeli government to fence off the entire West Bank from Israel, the
first 145 kilometers of which are to be completed by the end of this month.

"The most important thing for the Ecumenical Accompaniers to do now is to
live with the people who are suffering from the occupation and accompany them
where it is needed", says the general secretary of the YMCA in East
Jerusalem, Judeh N. Majaj. "It is important for the Ecumenical Accompaniers
to be visible where the Palestinians are being harassed, at checkpoints for
instance. The reporting back home is also very important, to make people
aware of what is going on here," he said. 
 
See new stories from the accompaniers :

Under fire in Tulkarm 
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-04-10.html		     
		   

Jayyous: a village split in two by a 'security wall' - a question of security
or fertile land?
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-04.html 

The Sahrebs: a family living on the 'wrong side' of the wall
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-17.html 

Six impossible things before breakfast
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-26.html 

Yanoun: international volunteers help a tiny village come back to life 
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-29c.html 

Persvnlicher, subjektiver Bericht von EA Margrit  (available in German only)
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-29a.html 

Bericht von Margrit  (available in German only)
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/eappi.nsf/index/rep-03-06-29b.html 

For further information, please contact the Media Relations Office,  tel: +41
22 791 6421 / 6153

**********

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