Leading Christian Palestinians calls for Israeli boycott, divestment & sanctio
mark | 14.12.2009 12:33 | Palestine | Repression | Social Struggles
Kairos Palestine Document of Leading Christian Palestinians, published on Friday 11th December - the 61st anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights - calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions in Israel. The Kairos Palestine Document is inspired by the liberation theology, especially in South Africa where a similar document was issued at a crucial time in the struggle against apartheid. Kairos is an ancient Greek term meaning the right or opportune moment.
The Kairos Palestine Document of Leading Christian Palestinians:
“A moment of truth – A word of faith from the heart of Palestinian suffering”
Occupied Palestine: 11 December 2009
Today, prominent Christian Palestinian leaders are releasing a historical Kairos Palestine Document*, calling on Churches around the world “to say a word of truth and to take a position of truth with regard to Israel's occupation of Palestinian land.” Unambiguously endorsing boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) as one of the key non-violent forms of solidarity that international faith-based organizations are urged to adopt, the document affirms: "We see boycott and disinvestment as tools of justice, peace and security …"
Kairos is an ancient Greek term meaning the right or opportune moment. The Kairos Palestine Document is inspired by the liberation theology, especially in South Africa where a similar document was issued at a crucial time in the struggle against apartheid. Informed by a lucid vision based on the universal principles of "equality, justice, liberty and respect for pluralism," Palestinian Christians issue this document today to explore a morally sound way out of the "dead end" reached in the Palestinian tragedy, "in which human beings are destroyed."
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) salutes the moral clarity, courage and principled position conveyed in this new document, which emphasizes that resisting injustice should "concern the Church" and is "a right and a duty for a Christian," adding that it is "a resistance with love as its logic."
The BNC keenly notes the importance of releasing this historical call on this day, December 11th, which marks the 61st anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, issued in 1948, calling for the return of the Palestinian refugees to their homes of origin “at the earliest practicable date.” Whereas Palestinian refugees are still awaiting their return six decades later, we share the message of hope in today's Palestinian Kairos: “One of the most important signs of hope is the perseverance of the generations and the continuity of memory, which does not forget the 'Nakba' (catastrophe) and its significance. This land is our land and it is incumbent upon us to defend it and reclaim it.”
Particularly praiseworthy is the Kairos's emphasis on urging all churches to positively respond to the call by Palestinian civil society, including religious institutions, for "a system of economic sanctions and boycott to be applied against Israel," which, the document clarifies, "is not revenge but rather a serious action in order to reach a just and definitive peace.”
The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC)
* BNC Member organizations:
- Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine
- General Union of Palestinian Workers
- Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
- Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
- Palestinian National Institute for NGOs
- Palestinian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (PFITU)
- Palestine Right of Return Coalition
- Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Initiative (OPGAI)
- General Union of Palestinian Women
- Union of Palestinian Farmers
- Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW)
- National Committee for Popular Resistance
- Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
- National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba
- Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCDPRJ)
- Coalition for Jerusalem
- Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations
- Palestinian Economic Monitor
- Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps
Web: www.bdsmovement.net
E-mail:
info@bdsmovement.net
-----------------------------------------------------------
The authors of the Kairos Palestine Document are:
· His Beatitude Patriarch Michel Sabbah
· His Grace Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
· His Eminence Archbishop Atallah Hanna
· Rev. Dr. Jamal Khader
· Rev. Dr. Rafiq Khoury
· Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
· Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
· Rev. Dr. Yohana Katanacho
· Rev. Fadi Diab
· Dr. Jiries Khoury
· Ms. Cedar Duaybis
· Ms. Nora Kort
· Ms. Lucy Thaljieh
· Mr. Nidal Abu El Zuluf
· Mr. Yusef Daher
· Mr. Rifat Kassis - Coordinator
Organizations adopting the document up until 11 December 2009:
· Near East Council of Churches – Gaza
· YMCA
· Laity Committee in the Holy Land
· Council for Orthodox Organizations
· YWCA
· International Centre of Bethlehem
· Department of Service to Palestine Refugees
· Siraj Center
· International Christian Assembly
· Arab Orthodox Charitable Society
· Arab Orthodox Club Union-Jerusalem
· Arab Orthodox Club-Beit Sahour
· Arab Orthodox Club-Bethlehem
· Arab Orthodox Club-Beit Jala
· Orthodox Housing Society
· Alternative Tourism Group
· National Christian Assembly
· WI'AM –The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center
· National Christian Alliance
· St. Yves
Media contact in Jerusalem: Ranjan Solomon +972-54-733-7857
* Full text of the Kairos Palestine Document:
English
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_En.pdf
Arabic
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Ar.pdf
Deutsch
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Ger.pdf
Français
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Fr.pdf
For the list of signatories:
http://kairospalestine.ps/?q=node/2
To become a signatory, please send the following information to Mr. Rifat Kassis:
kalimatuna@gmail.com
Mr./Ms./Dr., First Name, Last Name, Email Address, City/Town
Best wishes
Maha Rahwanji
Executive Committee Member
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) aims to raise public awareness about the occupation of Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people. PSC seek to bring pressure on both the British and Israeli government to bring their policies in line with international law. PSC is an independent, non-governmental and non-party political organisation with members from
communities across the UK. Join PSC today!
Become a facebook friend of Brent Psc
Get your Zaytoun www.zaytoun.org products locally from the Kitchen Apothecary 63 Chamberlayne Road London NW10 3ND 020 8968 8068
"If we are failures as the defenders of the cause ... the defenders are the ones to be changed ... not the cause." Ghassan Kanafani
“A moment of truth – A word of faith from the heart of Palestinian suffering”
Occupied Palestine: 11 December 2009
Today, prominent Christian Palestinian leaders are releasing a historical Kairos Palestine Document*, calling on Churches around the world “to say a word of truth and to take a position of truth with regard to Israel's occupation of Palestinian land.” Unambiguously endorsing boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) as one of the key non-violent forms of solidarity that international faith-based organizations are urged to adopt, the document affirms: "We see boycott and disinvestment as tools of justice, peace and security …"
Kairos is an ancient Greek term meaning the right or opportune moment. The Kairos Palestine Document is inspired by the liberation theology, especially in South Africa where a similar document was issued at a crucial time in the struggle against apartheid. Informed by a lucid vision based on the universal principles of "equality, justice, liberty and respect for pluralism," Palestinian Christians issue this document today to explore a morally sound way out of the "dead end" reached in the Palestinian tragedy, "in which human beings are destroyed."
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) salutes the moral clarity, courage and principled position conveyed in this new document, which emphasizes that resisting injustice should "concern the Church" and is "a right and a duty for a Christian," adding that it is "a resistance with love as its logic."
The BNC keenly notes the importance of releasing this historical call on this day, December 11th, which marks the 61st anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, issued in 1948, calling for the return of the Palestinian refugees to their homes of origin “at the earliest practicable date.” Whereas Palestinian refugees are still awaiting their return six decades later, we share the message of hope in today's Palestinian Kairos: “One of the most important signs of hope is the perseverance of the generations and the continuity of memory, which does not forget the 'Nakba' (catastrophe) and its significance. This land is our land and it is incumbent upon us to defend it and reclaim it.”
Particularly praiseworthy is the Kairos's emphasis on urging all churches to positively respond to the call by Palestinian civil society, including religious institutions, for "a system of economic sanctions and boycott to be applied against Israel," which, the document clarifies, "is not revenge but rather a serious action in order to reach a just and definitive peace.”
The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC)
* BNC Member organizations:
- Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine
- General Union of Palestinian Workers
- Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
- Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
- Palestinian National Institute for NGOs
- Palestinian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (PFITU)
- Palestine Right of Return Coalition
- Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Initiative (OPGAI)
- General Union of Palestinian Women
- Union of Palestinian Farmers
- Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW)
- National Committee for Popular Resistance
- Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
- National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba
- Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCDPRJ)
- Coalition for Jerusalem
- Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations
- Palestinian Economic Monitor
- Union of Youth Activity Centers-Palestine Refugee Camps
Web: www.bdsmovement.net
E-mail:
info@bdsmovement.net -----------------------------------------------------------
The authors of the Kairos Palestine Document are:
· His Beatitude Patriarch Michel Sabbah
· His Grace Bishop Dr. Munib Younan
· His Eminence Archbishop Atallah Hanna
· Rev. Dr. Jamal Khader
· Rev. Dr. Rafiq Khoury
· Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
· Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
· Rev. Dr. Yohana Katanacho
· Rev. Fadi Diab
· Dr. Jiries Khoury
· Ms. Cedar Duaybis
· Ms. Nora Kort
· Ms. Lucy Thaljieh
· Mr. Nidal Abu El Zuluf
· Mr. Yusef Daher
· Mr. Rifat Kassis - Coordinator
Organizations adopting the document up until 11 December 2009:
· Near East Council of Churches – Gaza
· YMCA
· Laity Committee in the Holy Land
· Council for Orthodox Organizations
· YWCA
· International Centre of Bethlehem
· Department of Service to Palestine Refugees
· Siraj Center
· International Christian Assembly
· Arab Orthodox Charitable Society
· Arab Orthodox Club Union-Jerusalem
· Arab Orthodox Club-Beit Sahour
· Arab Orthodox Club-Bethlehem
· Arab Orthodox Club-Beit Jala
· Orthodox Housing Society
· Alternative Tourism Group
· National Christian Assembly
· WI'AM –The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center
· National Christian Alliance
· St. Yves
Media contact in Jerusalem: Ranjan Solomon +972-54-733-7857
* Full text of the Kairos Palestine Document:
English
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_En.pdf Arabic
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Ar.pdf Deutsch
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Ger.pdf Français
http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/2009pdfs/KairosPalestine_Fr.pdf For the list of signatories:
http://kairospalestine.ps/?q=node/2 To become a signatory, please send the following information to Mr. Rifat Kassis:
kalimatuna@gmail.com Mr./Ms./Dr., First Name, Last Name, Email Address, City/Town
Best wishes
Maha Rahwanji
Executive Committee Member
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) aims to raise public awareness about the occupation of Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people. PSC seek to bring pressure on both the British and Israeli government to bring their policies in line with international law. PSC is an independent, non-governmental and non-party political organisation with members from
communities across the UK. Join PSC today!
Become a facebook friend of Brent Psc
Get your Zaytoun www.zaytoun.org products locally from the Kitchen Apothecary 63 Chamberlayne Road London NW10 3ND 020 8968 8068
"If we are failures as the defenders of the cause ... the defenders are the ones to be changed ... not the cause." Ghassan Kanafani
mark
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
No need for pyrimids of power here
14.12.2009 14:09
lazarus
just spreading some good news
14.12.2009 15:52
mark
sending peace and love to the Palestinians
15.12.2009 12:03
lazarus