The ELCA, ELCJHL and LWF continue to respond to Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the West Bank. Here are the statements and actions taken so far in 2020.
You can take action:
Send your members of Congress a message using this sample letter: Tell Congress: No to annexation, and no to continued occupation (June 2020)
ELCA:
“Amplifying the Message in Word and Deed: Liberation not Annexation” by Kathryn Lohre #DisturbingPresence (June 24, 2020)
Living Lutheran article: ELCA presiding bishop responds to annexation statement (June 18, 2020)
ELCA presiding bishop issues response to President Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” document (January 28, 2020)
ELCA Ecumenical:
Faith Leader letter opposing annexation June 2020: ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton joined 26 faith leaders in a June 2nd letter to Congress about the annexation of West Bank land by Israel. (June 2, 2020)
#ChurchesAgainstAnnexation CMEP Campaign : Bishop Eaton tweets #ChurchesAgainstAnnexation (June 29, 2020)
Letter to Congress about Peace to Prosperity Plan (February 25, 2020)
ELCJHL and Palestinian Christians:
“Statement on Unilateral Israeli Annexation Plans” by the Patriarchs and Heads of Local Churches of Jerusalem (May 7 2020)
Liberation, Not Annexation: A Statement and Pentecost Message from Bishop Azar (June 9, 2020)
The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope, a book by Pastor Munther Issac (June 16)
“This is the Holy Land (Exodus 3:5). It Needs Justice and Only Justice,” a statement by three former Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on the Israeli annexation plans (June 18, 2020)
LWF:
Annexation will undermine Peace in the Middle East: The Lutheran World Federation with World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and the Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance issued a statement on 29 June calling for an end to the occupation and for a resumption of dialogue to build lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis. (June 29, 2020)
International Agencies Warn Israeli Annexation Will Deepen Suffering and Poverty: The Lutheran World Federation and 9 other humanitarian, development and religious organizations serving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The statement calls on U.S. Congressional leaders and the U.S. Administration to oppose Israeli annexation of territory in the West Bank and warns that such annexation will deepen suffering and poverty. (June 22, 2020)
Statement: Peace can never be unilaterally imposed (January 29, 2020)
NGOs warn U.S. Middle East Plan risks exacerbating instability and rights violations (January 2020)
