Who are you and what are you looking for?
On the right, see ACTION ALERTS, EVENTS
and UPCOMING TRIPS ►
McCollum Bill Back in Congress, Stronger Than Ever!
On April 30, 2019, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced H.R. 2407, the “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” a bill prohibiting U.S. taxpayer funding for the military detention of children in any country, including Israel. This bill seeks to promote justice, equality and human rights by ensuring that U.S. financial assistance provided to Israel is not used to support widespread and institutionalized ill-treatment against Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces and prosecuted in Israeli military courts that lack basic fair trial protections.
TAKE ACTION: Ask your Representative to Support this Bill – Send a message
Learn more and get resources with the No Way to Treat A Child campaign
Watch the webinar about the bill on Youtube
Endorse HR 2407 as a Citizen Co-sponsor
Add your group to the Endorsing Organizations
Kairos Petition Action: Nakba Day 2019
Washington DC, May 15, 2019 – On the 71st commemoration of the Nakba, the Catastrophe of Palestinian exile and ethnic cleansing, activists from around the greater Washington metro area gathered outside the Embassy of Israel. The multi-faith delegation of lay people and clergy was there to present the Kairos Palestine—Global Kairos for Justice International petition, and a call to freedom and human rights.
The Israeli Embassy refused to take the delivery.
The petition to the government of Israel was signed by by over 3200 individuals and organizations from 51 countries. Today’s delivery was linked to other similar global events which simultaneously commemorated the Nakba in speeches, actions at government buildings, embassies and consulates, as well as conferences and marches.
The Washington delegation of human rights defenders were gathered with Palestinian flags, posters and signs, wearing Palestinian keffiyehs, and Palestinian clergy stoles. Many of those gathered were Palestinian Americans whose families were exiled at the creation of Israel in 1948 or in the years since. Others were from faith-based organizations including advocacy networks from many church denominations as well as members of FOSNA, (Friends of Sabeel North America), JVP (Jewish Voice for Peace), and other solidarity groups from wider justice struggles. Read more
Global Kairos for Justice Petition
May 15 marks the anniversary of the Nakba. In this petition, Global Kairos for Justice, a partner of Kairos Palestine, asks to the world to support its call to action, to sign the petition and to be partners in local and regional events on or around May 15, 2019. This petition comes from Kairos Palestine and its partner movements, Global Kairos for Justice.
The petition declares as unjust and illegal the occupation policies and practices of the State of Israel, including creating over 700,000 Palestinian refugees, occupying the remaining 22% of Palestine in 1967 in contravention of UN Council Resolution 242, imposing an unjust system of military law, and adopting the discriminatory July 2018 Nation State Law. It calIs on the State of Israel to end the occupation of Palestine; restore the full and equal rights of and end discrimination against Palestinian citizens living in Israel and all inhabitants of the Land; respect the right of return of Palestinian refugees. Read and sign the Petition
The Palestinian People are Committed to Seeking Freedom
Palestinian Christians and Civil Organizations Statement on Gaza Great March
As the peaceful gathering along the Gaza border that began on Land Day on March 30, 2018 continues, a historic call has gone out from a diverse group of 13 Palestinian Christian and secular organizations, including calls to Palestinian leaders, Israel, the USA, Arab states, and the international community.
“We address our call to all those of good will who support us in seeking our freedom and independence…Heed the cries of the oppressed, of the people whose freedom you deny, and who were displaced from their land, villages and houses.”
“To Israel and the American administration we repeat that we are committed to our demand for freedom. Our only weapon is peace and your peaceful response is the only source of security for you. You may want to keep us in slavery but we will remain steadfast and say no to slavery. We are confident that the time will come when you recover your conscience, reinstate your human dignity, and look at the Palestinian people as human beings with whom can live in security, justice, peace and equality rather than people you seek to eradicate.” See the full Statement
Call for Funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
March 2019 – Nineteen faith organizations and denominations sent an open letter to members of the U.S. Congress, that said in part: :Denying basic services to vulnerable populations will not bring about peace and security for anyone in the region. Furthermore, humanitarian assistance must be provided on the basis of need alone; it is unconscionable and against universally-agreed humanitarian principles to withhold aid to extract concessions from political leaders. We are greatly concerned by the Administration’s trend toward politicizing humanitarian assistance globally.” Read the full letter
Rejecting President Trump’s recognition of Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights
March 2019 – Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement and declaration recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, US churches and Christian organizations issued a statement that says in part: “We see this reversal of consistent US policy and international consensus—that the Golan Heights are occupied and were acquired by force in the 1967 War in contravention of international norms—as an abandonment by the US of diplomacy to resolve such issues.” See the full statement
Recognizing Israeli Annexation of Golan Heights Another Dangerous Example of One-Sided U.S. Policy
March 2019 – Churches for Middle East Peace issued a statement in March that says in part: “President Trump’s decision on Thursday, March 21, to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights – a piece of Syrian territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 war – once again demonstrates the administration’s recklessly one-sided approach to Middle East foreign policy. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) deplores the move as violating one of the cornerstones of post-World War II international law: the illegitimacy of territory gained through conquest.” Read the full statement
Current U.S. Policy, Israel/Palestine, and the Churches
November 2018 – An ecumenical statement signed by 16 Christian leaders of churches and organizations was sent to all members of Congress and the Senate, as well as to the White House. The statement opposed changes in US policy and approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, namely the withdrawal of funding for UNRWA and all other US humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and closing the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, efforts to change the status of Palestinian refugees, and efforts to deny freedom of speech in the US regarding opposition to Israeli policies. See the full statement
MORE FROM THE PALESTINE PORTAL COMMUNITY
2018 Publication from IPMN: WHY PALESTINE MATTERS
The Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA) [IPMN] is pleased to announce the publication of Why Palestine Matters, The Struggle To End Colonialism.
The book is grounded in international law and brings Palestine into focus through the lens of intersectionality. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.” Why Palestine Matters contains study guides and videos to make the material easily accessible and usable in a wide variety of learning settings.
Learn more about the book and how to order.
Open letter, Palestinian Christians to WCC
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. (Isa. 1:17)
Excerpts of the letter:
“We need your costly solidarity. We need brave women and men who are willing to stand in the forefront. This is no time for shallow diplomacy Christians. We urge you to hear our call….
“Things are beyond urgent. We are on the verge of a catastrophic collapse. The current status-quo is unsustainable.” Read the letter
Get occasional updates on what’s happening in the community and at Palestine Portal, with our e-news!▼
Our newsfeeds include:
• Mondoweiss • Electronic Intifada
• +972 Magazine • Ma’an News
• The Palestine Chronicle • The Jerusalem Fund’s Recommended Reading
Get the latest news
Learn more about these alerts and take action
Support Palestinian Children’s Human Rights
On April 30, 2019, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced H.R. 2407, the “Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” a bill prohibiting U.S. taxpayer funding for the military detention of children in any country, including Israel. This bill seeks to promote justice, equality and human rights by ensuring that U.S. financial assistance provided to Israel is not used to support widespread and institutionalized ill-treatment against Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces and prosecuted in Israeli military courts that lack basic fair trial protections.
Send a message to your Representative to support this bill
US, Lift the Travel Ban on Omar Barghouti!
Omar Barghouti is a world-renowned human rights defender, a co-founder of the BDS movement for Palestinian rights. Omar was banned from entry by U.S. immigration officials, while attempting to board a flight at Ben Gurion Airport. The US barred Barghouti from his much anticipated U.S. speaking tour. Americans have a right to hear from this international human rights leader! This is a dangerous attack on the Palestine freedom movement and social justice organizing on every issue, and we must challenge it. JVP and AAI are collecting signatures on a letter to 2 key US congressional committees. Learn More & Take Action
United Nations, Release the Database!
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
Join Al Haq’s social media actions to urge the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, and Member States to abide by their own commitments and publish the database on companies involved in Israel’s illegal settlements.
Almost three years since the UN Human Rights Council voted in favour of establishing a database of companies involved in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), the UN has yet to publish the result of its work. This is reportedly due to political pressure from Israel, the United States and some European states. Al Haq, the Palestinian Human Rights Center, has launched a campaign for the database to be released.
Learn more about these alerts and take action
Every week, Christians around the world join in prayer with Palestinian Christians, through the Wave of Prayer from Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. Below are recent prayers and news bites from Sabeel. Click on any item, to see it at Sabeel’s website.
Find more information about these events at our EVENTS PAGE.
With Love as its Logic:
Heeding the Call of Palestinian Christians – FOSNA
• 2 MAY 2019 • 12 noon ET/ 9:00 am PT (US time zones)
• Global Online Webinar
Join FOSNA for a conversation with Palestinian Christian organizers in Palestine, as they mark the 10th anniversary of the Kairos Palestine Document, with the global campaign for a petition to be delivered to Israeli embassies and legations in May.
See the petition here on our home page, center section, under “Community News.”
International Law, American Politics, and Palestine
Friends of Sabeel – Los Angeles & Orange County
• 4 May 2019 • Pasadena, CA, USA
Friends of Sabeel – LA & OC presents a riveting afternoon with two nationally renowned speakers! RICHARK FALK: United Nations Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 2008 to 2014. TAREK ABUATA: Palestinian-American, Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) WORKSHOPS: church organizing, advocating with elected officials, protecting free speech rights and more.
CMEP Peace Advocacy Summit Persistent Hope: 35 Years of CMEP
23-25 June 2019 • Washington DC, USA
Our 2019 Advocacy Summit will look back at everything CMEP has accomplished over the past three-and-a-half decades, as well as what our work will look like going forward and the opportunities to work for peace and justice that will come.
UK Sabeel-Kairos Annual Conference: Faith in Action 2019
• 29 June 2019 • Birmingham, United Kingdom
Meet like-minded people, learn about taking part in real activism, have good discussions, eat, drink, buy Palestinian food and enjoy Palestinian culture. The day’s schedule includes: Ethical investment, Campaign Action, Lunch, Palestinian Crafts and Photography, Palestinian and expert speakers, War on Want, Activist Workshops, Palestinian Food.
SAVE THE DATE: UNJPPI 2019 Gathering
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
• 13-15 September 2019 • Ottawa, Canada
Still in the planning stages, the proposed theme for this event, ‘Solidarity Matters’, is in keeping with Palestinian partners’ call for ‘costly solidarity’ of Christians around the world.
Two Holy Land Conferences!
Kairos Palestine and Sabeel Jerusalem are scheduling their 2019 events consecutively, so that supporters can attend both in one trip to Palestine. The Kairos Palestine conference will be held 29-30 November, to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (observed annually on 29 November). The Sabeel International Gathering will be held 2-7 December.
– See the Sabeel event below.
Palestinian Theologies In Action: An International Gathering for Friends and Supporters of Sabeel
• Monday-Saturday, 2-7 December 2019 • Bethlehem and Jerusalem, Palestine
Come and bring your friends! It will be a time of fellowship, friendship, and renewal, as well as a time to learn and discuss. We call on our friends to come and join us at this important gathering. Your presence gives us hope and encouragement as together we continue on the path of peace with justice.
Find more information about these events at our EVENTS PAGE.
Find more information about these trips at our TRIPS PAGE.
Watch this inspiring video from Ginghamsburg Church in Ohio (click the photo below): Church members share how they were convicted and touched by the experience of their 2017 Olive Harvest Trip, their first time in the Holy Land.
Living Stones Pilgrimages
with Pilgrims of Ibillin
May 13 -26
, 2019
Oct 15 – 28
, 2019
“Come and See” Israel/Palestine Witness Trip
Friends of Sabeel-Colorado
June 12-25, 2019
The Holy Land from a Woman’s Perspective
Led by Kathy Bergen
September 24 – October 4, 2019
Optional extension: October 4-7 in Ramallah, West Bank
Eyewitness Palestine Trips
Summer 2019: Community Arts & Resilience Delegation
Autumn 2019: Environmental Justice & Olive Harvest Delegation
Christian Peacemaker Teams Delegations
May 7 – 12, 2019 (Nakba Day Delegation)
August 6 – 20, 2019 (Multi-faith Delegation)
October 22 – November 5, 2019 (Harvest Delegation)
November 30 – December 14, 2019
Joint Advocacy Initiative Journey for Justice
For Youths and Young Adults between 17 and 30
July 27 – August 4, 2019
Learn more about these trips
Learn & Work with Others: DISCOVER organizations in your denomination, FIND groups near you, and SEE the global Church movement for justice in the Holy Land.
Explore Mapping the Movement
