Prompted to remember those who have died of the virus, Bishop Azar launched a memorial to plant an olive or native tree for every person lost to COVID-19. The Tree of Life initiative was announced in December and launched in late March. The initiative is managed the Environmental Education Center, an educational ministry of the ELCJHL.
As we approach Holy Week, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land’s Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar shares his Easter message based on Mark 16:3 “Who will roll the stone away for us?”.
On Jan. 20, Joseph R. Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. The day marked the end of four unconstructive years of U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump with regard to Israel and Palestine. President Biden now has the opportunity to round a corner in U.S. policy and support a just peace for the people of the region.
Trump’s policies supported the further entrenchment of Israel’s occupation, for example by backing the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied territories, cutting all funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—the U.N. agency that supports 5.7 million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan—and ending assistance to other U.N. and humanitarian actors operating in the West Bank and Gaza. This assistance had been used to fund education, health care (such as through the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network, of which Augusta Victoria Hospital is a member), and other basic essential services for Palestinians.
President Biden needs to take decisive action to change the course of U.S. policy in Israel and Palestine, and to renew efforts to relieve the humanitarian crisis there. UNRWA, one of the largest health care providers in Gaza, said in November that the agency was facing its “worst financial crisis ever” and would be unable to pay full staff salaries without additional donor funding. COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly in the occupied territories because Palestinian health infrastructure is weak and maintaining hygiene and social distancing requirements is difficult. This makes humanitarian assistance critical.
President Biden’s campaign platform stated that he would “restore economic and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, consistent with U.S. law, including assistance to refugees.” His administration needs to make good on this promise by authorizing the resumption of funding to support UNRWA and by working with Congress to restore funding at least to the previous level of $225 million for bilateral humanitarian and development programs in the West Bank and Gaza.
Furthermore, President Biden must hold Israel accountable to its international obligations as an occupying power and strongly urge Israel to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are equally and fairly provided to Palestinians living under its occupation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. So far, Israel’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan covers only citizens of Israel, excluding the nearly 5 million Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under Israeli military occupation. As noted in a joint statement signed by the Middle East Council of Churches, Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifically provides that an occupier has the duty of ensuring “the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics.” This duty includes providing support for the purchase and distribution of vaccines to the Palestinian population under its control.
Take Action Today: Urge President Biden to restore funding to UNRWA and bilateral assistance to Gaza and the West Bank, and ask him to strongly appeal that Israel provide COVID-19 vaccines to all residents living under its control.
This week, as the White House transitions, you can reach President Biden by email — copy and paste the sample letter below into the White House “Contact Us” form.
Dear President Biden,
Congratulations on your inauguration as the 46th President of the United States. I hope that your administration will round a corner in U.S. foreign policy with regard to Israel and Palestine.
It is critical that your administration pursue a different course than the past four years of the Trump administration and restore funding to UNRWA and humanitarian relief agencies in the West Bank and Gaza. This funding is essential and even more urgent as COVID-19 continues to spread, with Palestinian health services unequipped to manage the outbreak. The Lutheran World Federation’s Augusta Victoria Hospital (which Dr. Jill Biden visited on March 10, 2010) and others in the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network need this vital assistance from the United States.
In order to stop the spread of COVID-19, it is also vital that Israel be held accountable to its international obligations as an occupying power, ensuring that COVID-19 vaccines are equally and fairly provided to Palestinians living under its occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. So far, Israel’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan covers only citizens of Israel, excluding the nearly 5 million Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation. Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifically provides that an occupier has the duty of ensuring “the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics.” This duty includes providing support for the purchase and distribution of vaccines to the Palestinian population under its control.
I therefore ask you to: authorize the resumption of funding to support UNRWA; work with Congress to restore funding at least to the previous level of $225 million for bilateral humanitarian and development programs in the West Bank and Gaza; and strongly urge that Israel provide COVID-19 vaccines to all residents living under its control.
Thank you,
On December 11, 2020 the ELCA joined 16 Christian denominations and organizations in calling for the incoming Biden administration to change the course of U.S. policy and undertake renewed efforts to bring peace to the Holy Land. The letter requests that the administration take six concrete steps to “build towards a future where human rights violations are ended and there is equality between Palestinians and Israelis.”
Read about hose six steps in the complete December 2020 Biden Transition Letter here.
On March 25, 2020 the ELCA joined other churches and church organizations in a letter to the Trump Administration about COVID-19 and the Middle East.
Generally the letter says, “We urge you to lift sanctions that negatively impact civilian populations and other restrictions that impair governments’ abilities to respond to the health crisis. This includes financial sanctions that impact the ability of countries to import much-needed medical supplies and equipment.” The letter lifts up specifics about Iran, Syria, and Gaza.
On Gaza, the letter states: “The U.S. should end its support for the blockade of Gaza and immediately press Israel to ensure that medical supplies and technology are provided to Gaza, that patients needing treatment outside of Gaza are given the permits necessary for extended periods of treatment, and that family members, especially parents accompanying children, are also granted permits to travel.”
Here is the full Letter to Administration on COVID-19 and the Middle East
“Born in Nazareth, Galilee, Rev. Dr Saïd Ailabouni moved to the US at the age of 19 to become a physician. But he was so angry at God that he went to study theology instead, becoming a Lutheran pastor. Now he is leading the Middle East & Europe desk of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Since leaving his hometown 50 years ago, he visits his Palestinian family regularly. As the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel approaches, Ailabouni agreed to share some of his lifetime observations with the Word Council of Churches.”
On March 28, 2019 the ELCA joined other US churches and Christian organizations in a statement rejecting President Trump’s recognition of Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights. Read the full statement here.
In April of 2018, the ELCA Church Council approved a Human Rights social criteria investment screen. Following this, at its August board meeting, Portico’s Board of Trustees approved the ELCA Human Rights screen for future use in its Social Purpose investment portfolios. Currently Portico is examining possibilities for implementing the screen taking into account both the need to ensure implementation is aligned with the ELCA screen, but also the need to consider the impact of all eight ELCA screens on the risk and return objectives of the social purpose portfolios. Consistent with the language of the screen, Portico’s approach will focus on disputed or occupied territories, including among others, those territories in the Israel/Palestine region. Portico hopes to implement human rights screening in the first half of 2019 and will continue to work closely with the ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility review team as it considers options for implementing the new screen. Additional updates and details on human rights screening at Portico will be provided on Portico’s website during the first half of 2019. If you have any questions about the implementation of the human rights social criteria investment screen you may email peacenotwalls@elca.org.
Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) shares a message of joy from Jerusalem.
Join the congregations of Washington National Cathedral and the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem (a congregation of the ELCA’s companion: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land), Palestine, for this annual live simulcast worship service (9:30 am in Washington, 4:30 pm in Bethlehem). Prayers, readings and hymns in both Arabic and English alternate between Washington, D.C. and Bethlehem bringing those of different lands, languages and ethnic backgrounds together in celebration of the birth of Jesus. All are welcome.
Join the Bethlehem Simulcast Service live by watching online