BBC offers questions and answers about call for Palestinian statehood through the UN
Rumors and speculation are flying about a possible bid by the Palestinians to go directly to the UN to have Palestine declared a state. In order to do this, a petition must be turned in by July 15. President Obama has...
New UNRWA reports show economic woes in Gaza and record number of children displaced by home demolitions
An UNRWA report done on the 5th anniversary of the Gaza blockade shows that unemployment in the 2nd half of 2010 reached an unprecedented 45%, one of the highest rates in the world. Real wages continued to decline, especially in...
A Palestinian woman’s journey into “sports diplomacy”
“It’s not only about playing football. It’s about living in Bethlehem, the city of peace, and delivering the message that we are humans and that we have rights. Through football, we can change the world because football is a language...
Unilateral is in the Eye of the Beholder
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stated that if there is not sufficient progress in negotiations, the Palestinians plan to pursue recognition of Palestinian statehood in the United Nations this September. The US has stated their opposition to this, and yesterday, President...
Bishop Younan’s Statement of Solidarity with Algerian Church
Yesterday Bishop Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land released a statement of solidarity with the church in Algeria which has been under pressure from the Algerian government to close churches. The most interesing portion...
Ha’aretz: The New UN Process Begins in July
Ha’aretz: Palestinians plan to approach UN Security Council about statehood in July In addition to the article itself, the 300+ comments are quite interesting. It appears that Palestinian leadership has succeeded in changing the terms of the debate. Additionally,...
Doubling Down: The U.S. Commitment to the Peace Process
Greetings to you this U.S. Memorial Day. In addition to remembering those whose lives have been lost defending the United States, this is an important day to recognize “the things that make for peace” (Luke 19:42). In these days after...
NILI Urges President Obama to Visit Jerusalem and Restart Talks
The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East (NILI), a high level group of religious leaders of Christians, Muslims and Jews, which includes the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, the presiding bishop of the ELCA, is urging President Obama to visit...
President Obama’s Speech on the Middle East
President Obama gave a long-awaited speech on the Middle East on Thursday, May 19, that brought immedate criticism from pro-Israeli groups and GOP presidential hopefuls. Nothing he said was really new except perhaps that Palestine should have an international border with Jordan, which...
Palestinian President Abbas on a Palestinian State
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in an op-ed in the New York Times, talks about the importance and international legitimacy of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu takes issue with him and his account of history. President Abbas does leave...