Holy Land Youth Mission – Peacemaking in the Streets
On the way home one night, we passed this interesting set of young people. We asked if we could take a picture with them. Afterwards Martha inquired about their costumes and found that they were celebrating a bar mitzvah. She let them know...
Grassroots Efforts Overcome Holy Land Barriers
Holy Land watchers can take heart that in a season of ineffective diplomatic results, Israeli and Palestinian civilians are finding ways to engage each other through the arts, education and simple recreation. When the ELCA bishops traveled to the region in...
UN Security Council Debate on Palestinian Statehood
The UN Security Council holds monthly debates on the situation in the Middle East, with particular focus on the situation between Israel and the Palestinians. This month’s debate on the topic this week was possibly the last one before September, when the Palestinians will possibly be...
New Israeli Law Bans Boycotts of Israel and Settlements
On Monday (July 11) the Israeli Knesset passed a new law (47 to 38) that penalizes organizations or individuals who boycott Israel or the Israeli Settlements. According to the new law, organizations being boycotted can now sue an organization or...
Barrier Update: 7 Years After ICJ Advisory Opinion (New OCHA Report)
A new OCHA report is out that looks at the impact of the Separation Barrier on Jerusalem in the 7 years since the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the Barrier. The report looks specifically at the area of...
New ME-NETs: Demolitions in Jordan Valley & Christian Call to Peace
Two new Middle East Network – Action Alerts went out at the end of June. The first addressed the issue of increased demolitions in the Jordan Valley, where over 700 people have been evicted from their homes in the first half...
US Senate passes resolution vowing to cut aid if Palestinians pursue statehood via the UN
The US Senate has passed resolution 185, a move that would cut funding to the Palestinian Authority if it pursues its current announced intention to seek statehood through the United Nations. The Senate also called on President Obama to veto...
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...