Be Pro-Peace, not Pro-Palestine nor Pro-Israel

Members of the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel delivered reports on their observations from the recent Palestinian election and encouraged people to be pro-peace and pro-reconciliatory

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Members of the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) delivered reports on their observations from the recent Palestinian elections to a gathering in Jerusalem, January 10, 2004. The meeting, which was held only a day after Mahmud Abbas was elected President, stressed the church’s desires for peace and reconciliation in the region.

The EAPPI’s report, entitled, “Accompanying Elections under Occupation: Between Ballots and Barbed Wire,” was delivered to a group of notables, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the heads of the churches in Jerusalem.

While presenting the report, the ecumenical accompaniers explained the complications involved with voting in Jerusalem. According to the accompaniers, some Jerusalem residents refused to vote because they were afraid the Israeli authorities would use it as an excuse to “strip them of their rights to the city.” Some residents could not vote because of problems with registration, and still some kept from voting because of skepticism about whether the election would change much led.

Nonetheless, the election – the first democratic election in the Arab world, proceeded successfully; according to exit polls, over 23,000 Christians came out to vote.

According to the WCC, ecumenical accompaniers were present in various locations throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the lection process.

Following the EAPPI’s report, Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan applauded the accompaniers and encouraged them to continue their works.

“You have been our eyes and ears here," said Younan. "And when you return home, we hope you will be our mouth too, and express yourself in your own countries and churches.”

Younan continued: “Don’t be pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli. Be pro-justice, pro-peace, and pro-reconciliation,” said Bishop Munib Younan of the Lutheran church, to the EAPPI members.

Meanwhile, Carter expressed his gratitude for the EAPPI’s works.

“I would like to express my thanks to this group of Christian leaders and volunteers who are here to promote the principles of the prince of peace,” said Carter.

More information on the role of EAPPI accompaniers during the Palestinian elections, and the texts of speeches by President Carter and Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah at the 10 January gathering, is available on the EAPPI website : http://www.eappi.org/