World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel (WWPPI)


The 2016 WWPPI theme

The theme of WWPPI 2017 will be announced in the spring of 2017.
Find information at: http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace/

Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations around the world to join together for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness.

This annual observance of a week of prayer, education, and advocacy calls participants to work for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine, so that Palestinians and Israelis can finally live in peace.

How to get involved
As participants in World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, in the third week of September, churches around the world shall send a clear signal to policy-makers, community groups, and their own parishes about the urgent need for a peace settlement that ends the illegal occupation and secures the legitimate rights and future of both peoples.

During WWPPI, participants will organize events/activities around three main principles:

1. Praying with churches living under occupation, using a special prayer from Jerusalem
and other worship resources prepared for the week.
2. Educating about actions that make for peace and about facts on the ground that do not
create peace, especially issues related to prisoners.
3. Advocating with political leaders using ecumenical policies that promote peace with
justice.
The action week’s message is that now it’s time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace; it’s time for freedom from occupation; it’s time for equal rights; and it’s time for the healing of wounded souls.

Why?
This annual observance of a week of prayer, education, and advocacy calls participants to work for an end to the
illegal occupation of Palestine, so that Palestinians and Israelis can finally live in peace. It has been 66 years since
the creation of the State of Israel. This has not led to the creation of an independent Palestinian state but has only
deepened the tragedy of the Palestinian people. It is now 47 years since the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West
Bank and Gaza overwhelmed the peaceful vision of one land, two peoples.

Creative options
There are many creative options that can be used in the observance of the Week. Each group responds in ways
most suited to their situation. The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum will provide updates prior to the Week of
events that are being planned in different locations. This will, hopefully, serve as a reference point for all who
observe the week. The important thing to bear in mind is that the three components of prayer, education, and
advocacy are somehow included.

Website: http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace/
See an abundant collection of worship and educational resources from several years of WWPPI:
http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace/resources

See PIEF’s exhibit of 15 images with captions that vividly portray the Israeli occupation
– a LARGE FILE, will take some time to load:
http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace/resources/exhibitimages.pdf

 

THE MESSAGE

It’s time for Palestine.
It’s time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace.

It’s time to respect human lives in the land called holy.
It’s time for healing to begin in wounded souls.
It’s time to end more than 60 years of conflict, oppression and fear.
It’s time for freedom from occupation.

It’s time for equal rights.
It’s time to stop discrimination, segregation and restrictions on movement.
It’s time for those who put up walls and fences to build them on their own property.
It’s time to stop bulldozing one community’s homes and building homes for the other community on land that is not theirs.
It’s time to do away with double standards.

It’s time for Israeli citizens to have security and secure borders agreed with their neighbours.
It’s time for the international community to implement more than 60 years of United Nations resolutions.
It’s time for Israel’s government to complete the bargain offered in the Arab Peace Initiative.
It’s time for those who represent the Palestinian people to all be involved in making peace.
It’s time for people who have been refugees for more than 60 years to regain their rights and a permanent home.
It’s time to assist settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to make their home in Israel.
It’s time for self-determination.

It’s time for foreigners to visit Bethlehem and other towns imprisoned by the wall.
It’s time to see settlements in their comfort and refugee camps in their despair.
It’s time for people living more than 40 years under occupation to feel new solidarity from a watching world.

It’s time to name the shame of collective punishment and to end it in all its forms.
It’s time to be revolted by violence against civilians and for civilians on both sides to be safe.
It’s time for both sides to release their prisoners and give those justly accused a fair trial.
It’s time to reunite the people of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It’s time for all parties to obey international humanitarian and human rights law.

It’s time to share Jerusalem as the capital of two nations and a city holy to three religions.
It’s time for Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities to be free to visit their holy sites.
It’s time in Palestine as in Israel for olive trees to flourish and grow old.

It’s time to honour all who have suffered, Palestinians and Israelis.
It’s time to learn from past wrongs.
It’s time to understand pent-up anger and begin to set things right.
It’s time for those with blood on their hands to acknowledge what they have done.
It’s time to seek forgiveness between communities and to repair a broken land together.
It’s time to move forward as human beings who are all made in the image of God.

All who are able to speak truth to power must speak it.
All who would break the silence surrounding injustice must break it.
All who have something to give for peace must give it.
For Palestine, for Israel and for a troubled world,
It’s time for peace.