Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns: Take action for Gaza
Third Thursday Action Alert: Tell Congress to restore humanitarian aid for Palestinians, to work to end the blockade of Gaza, and to insist upon accountability of Israel for violence used against Palestinian civilians there
Organizations in the Faith Forum on Middle East Policy send out action alerts monthly, focusing on different issues so that members of Congress hear consistently that their constituents support a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian and Israeli conflict.
For a year now, Palestinians in Gaza have been creatively and bravely protesting for their freedom by marching toward the border fence with Israel to demand an end to the blockade of Gaza and respect for their rights. In response, Israel has met unarmed civilians with live sniper-fire, killing over 200 and injuring tens of thousands, including paramedics, journalists, children, and people with disabilities. In total, 45 children have been killed.
When it convened in Geneva in March, the UN Human Rights Council condemned Israel’s “apparent intentional use of unlawful lethal and other excessive force” against protesters in Gaza. A commission of inquiry formed by the human rights council found that Israel’s use of lethal force against protesters warrants criminal investigation and prosecution and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Read MoreConsecration of Archbishop Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem
On April 10, 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Mor Aphrem Cathderal in Amman – Jordan.
During the Qurobo, His Holiness consecrated Very Rev. Raban Gabriel Dahho as Archbishop, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, Jordan, and the Holy Lands.
Read MoreWhat does the Bible really say about modern Israel?
by Kathryn Krause Shihadah*
Christ-followers are eager to serve and obey God to the best of our ability and knowledge. When there are gaps in our understanding, it behooves us to “grow in wisdom.” For example, what does the Bible say about the Promised Land and God’s chosen people?
Read MoreShoelaces on Seder plate or Easter dinner table–to remember the refugees & asylum seekers
We invite Jews doing a Passover Seder and Christians having a celebratory Easter dinner to consider adding shoelaces on our Seder Plate or Easter dinner table–to recall the fate of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers.
Read MoreMaamoul: An Ancient Cookie That Ushers In Easter And Eid In The Middle East
Maamoul, a shortbread cookie stuffed with date paste or chopped walnuts or pistachios and dusted with powdered sugar, is the perfect reward after a month of fasting during Ramadan and Lent. These cookies are waiting to be baked. Amy E. Robertson for NPR
by Amy M. Robertson
Be it Easter or Eid, holidays in the Levantine region of the Middle East are incomplete without a shortbread cookie called maamoul. Stuffed with date paste or chopped walnuts or pistachios, and dusted with powdered sugar, these buttery cookies are the perfect reward after a month of fasting during Ramadan or Lent.
Read MoreA Franciscan March during the Lenten Period
On April 7, more than 170 young people from different places in the Holy Land responded to a Franciscan initiative for a meeting of young people during the Lenten period. Departing from the monastery of St. George, they crossed the narrow alleys of Wadi el Qult to reach Jericho.
George Thaljiyeh: a history of success
GEORGE THALJIYEH Student, Holy Land School, Bethlehem “I am proud of my disability because it made me discover different talents, above all writing and poetry, as well as the desire to become a musician. I have a relatively good musical ear. The positive aspects of my disability outweigh the negative aspects of my whole life.”
George Thaljiyeh, despite losing his sight, sees with his heart. Thanks to his developed senses, he is able to write down what the eye cannot describe. Through his imagination, George is able to express what happens in his mind and the impressions he experiences in everyday life with his friends.
Read MoreThings about Gaza that Israel does not want you to know
by Sahar Qumsiyeh from her blog containing some reflections from the life of a Palestinian Latter-day-Saint
I am writing this in response to some comments I saw on Facebook from friends of mine about Gaza.
I grew up thinking that Palestinian lives don’t matter. The reason for my belief was that while growing up I saw many people in my town and my country get killed by Israeli soldiers (and they still do). These were teenagers mostly. Nothing was done to punish the killers and nothing was said about it in the Israeli media. If something was said, it was a story that did not resemble reality.
Read MoreWCC committee renews call for release of archbishops of Aleppo
…pray for the safe return of the archbishops to their churches, their communities and their families, as a sign of hope for all the Christians of Syria and the region
10 April 2019 – The World Council of Churches (WCC) Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration issued a communique on 9 April calling for the release of two metropolitans of Aleppo, His Eminence Boulos (Yazigi), from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and His Eminence Mor Youhanna Gregorios (Ibrahim) from the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
Archbishop Pizzaballa in Rimini: “Pray for Gaza and for the Christians who live there”
Photo: ©Giada Tanzillo
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem – On Saturday April 6, 2019, and on the occasion of the 42nd National Convocation of the renewal in the Holy Spirit (RnS) in Rimini, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, presided over the Eucharistic con-celebration.
“Pray for Gaza!”, this was the heartfelt appeal that Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa
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