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.”

Read the article from the World Council of Churches here.

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.

Read the full message here.

Bethlehem Simulcast Service

A nurse at The Lutheran World Federation’s Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem tends to Areen, a 10-month-old hemodialysis patient from Ramallah in the West Bank on Saturday morning, 8 September, 2018. AVH is the only hospital that offers pediatric hemodialysis for Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. Photo by Ben Gray / LWF

Media reports say the Trump Administration will not continue to fund the Lutheran World Federation-operated Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.  Please call the White House hotline (202-456-1111) to urge them to ensure there is no interruption of assistance for children and others in need of treatment for cancer and additional life-threatening diseases.

Prayer of Intercession:

Look with mercy, gracious God, upon people everywhere who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death. We remember before you today the Palestinians who come for healing to East Jerusalem hospitals, including the Lutheran Hospital on the Mount of Olives. As these hospitals struggle now with keeping their doors open, send your Holy Spirit upon us and all government authorities to provide the support needed for your healing work to continue in Jerusalem; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In her Aug 6 letter to Bishop Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), Presiding Bishop Eaton joins Bishop Azar in calling on the Israeli Knesset to rescind the recently adopted law titled: “Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People”.

Bishop Azar’s statement on the Jewish Nation-State law calls “on the many citizens of Israel and all people of goodwill to voice their objection to this law, and to stand for a future in which all the people in the land will enjoy equal rights, with equal responsibilities.”

In Bishop Eaton’s letter she writes “Like you, I am quite disturbed about several aspects of this new law. It excludes ethnic and religious groups that have been living in this land for centuries, restricts the international human right to self determination solely for Jews within Israel, determines the status of Jerusalem outside of any negotiation or international agreement, sets forth one language as that of a multilingual nation, and encourages Jewish settlement, which appears to be not restricted to within the de facto pre-1967 borders. A number of these provisions effectively codify a second-class status for all who are not Jews, yet who are citizens or residents of areas under the control of the State of Israel. This is a violation of fundamental democratic principles and internationally-recognized human rights.”

Bishop Eaton calls “upon my own elected officials to object to this law and its intent. I encourage the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and our ecumenical and inter-religious partners to continue together in the urgent pursuit of a future of peace with justice in Israel and Palestine.”

In joining in this ecumenical statement, the ELCA recalls a number of desired outcomes it has stated previously with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

1. Israelis and Palestinians co-existing in justice and peace, as citizens of viable and secure Israeli and Palestinian states.

In that regard, our Palestinian Lutheran partners have often said, the security of Israelis depends on the freedom of Palestinians and the freedom of Palestinians depends on the security of Israelis.

2. An end to Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

3. An end to terrorism and violence by individuals, groups, and states.

4. The establishment of and international support for a viable, contiguous Palestinian state.

5. An end to further expansion of the separation wall on Palestinian territory and the related appropriation of natural resources (e.g., water, farmland).

6. A cessation of all settlement activities and withdrawal from settlements on Palestinian territory to the 1967 boundaries.

7. A negotiated, final status agreement, which includes a “shared Jerusalem” that can serve as a capital to both Palestine and Israel, with access by and full rights in the city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Full text of the “70 Years On: Seeking a Hopeful Future in a Time of Yearning” statement.