wfn.org | (LWF) Palestinian Bishop Younan Calls *Roadmap to Peace*

["Frank Imhoff" <franki@elca.org>]

LWF Tenth Assembly, Winnipeg, Canada, 21-31 July 2003

PRESS RELEASE NO. 28

Palestinian Bishop Younan Calls "Roadmap to Peace" a "Golden Opportunity" 
The Church is the "Only Hope" for the Oppressed

WINNIPEG, Canada, 29 July 2003 - In a press briefing at the Tenth Assembly of
the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Rev. Dr Munib A. Younan, bishop of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ), declared that the "Roadmap
to Peace" is a "golden opportunity" to solve the enormous problems in his
troubled region of the Middle East.  Younan said that for the first time the
United States is actively involved in the peace process.  

Younan also cited the fact that the roadmap peace plan is the first agreement
that has achieved the backing of the essential "quartet" of world partners:
the United Nations, US, European Union and Russia.  But the true test of the
Roadmap, cautioned Younan, will be the fulfillment of certain benchmarks on
the path to a full and free Palestinian state stretching from the West Bank
to the Jordan River, existing side by side with Israel by 2005.  

The roadmap must also address the root issue of the illegal occupation of
Palestinian land by Israel.  "That is a sin against God and humanity,"
declared Younan.  "The occupation demoralizes both the occupier * Israel *
and the occupied * Palestine."	

The right of Palestinians' to return to their former homes that are now
within Israeli borders is non-negotiable, said Younan. It is not something
that can be "traded" for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories.	He
condemned the "double standards" by which 450,000 Palestinians still live in
refugee campsin Lebanon, yet Russian Jews are allowed to return to Israel.

Younan, whose church has congregations in Jordan, Palestine and Israel, said
that Israelis would be welcome to stay in their settlements, but under
Palestinian rule.  He sees such an arrangement as an ideal outcome of the
peace process.	

He believes that Christians, through the regional Middle East Council of
Churches, have a special role to play in the peace process * a role of
reconciliation and helping oppressed Palestinian people to achieve parity in
the region.  

It therefore concerns him greatly that Palestinian Christians, who comprise
less than 2 percent of the population, are immigrating out of the region in
large numbers.	Around 1,600 of 16,000 Palestinian Christian residents of the
Bethlehem district are reported to have moved out of the region last year,
Younan said. "What is the Holy Land without Christians?" he asked.  To
counter this hemorrhage Younan stated that his church, with support from
other sources, must improve educational, medical and housing resources for
his people.

"The church is the only hope for the oppressed people of the region,"
declared Younan, "because a living church condemns injustice."	He added that
if Christians leave, the entire peace process will be in danger of
compromise.  "I am worried about the physical wall," said Younan, referring
to the "security fence" that has recently been erected by the Israeli army,
"but there is an unseen wall of hatred that daily grows higher and higher."  

He pointed to some successful efforts to promote understanding, such as the
Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) in which
international volunteers spend three months working and living side by side
with Palestinian Christians. 

Younan condemned the so called "Christian Zionism" movement as "dangerous,
anti-peace, anti-reconciliation, and basically anti-semitic."  He said that
Christians should not seek a literal fulfillment of biblical prophecy but
rather Christ, who reconcile the world to himself.

In conclusion the ELCJ bishop said that Christians living in other parts of
the world can help in very concrete ways to bring about justice and peace in
his region.  First and foremost, "Pray," he declared.  In addition, he asked
that people advocate for the peace process; send others or visit as EAPPI
participants and support educational, medical and housing programs for
Palestinians, so that they will remain as citizens of Palestine.  

The Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is taking place
21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada, under the theme "For the Healing of the
World." It is being hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
(ELCIC).

There are around 820 men, women and youth participants in the Tenth Assembly
including 380 delegates from the 133 churches with full membership and three
associate members. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the
LWF, and meets normally every six years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is
governed by its Council that meets annually, and by its Executive Committee. 

Further information including photos, video and audio news, is posted on the
Assembly Web site www.lwf-assembly.org

To order photographs, please contact LWF-Photo@lutheranworld.org

*	*	*

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member
churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7 million of the 65.4 million
Lutherans worldwide. 

The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest
such as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission
and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.