‘That Justice and Peace might Embrace’ – a document that calls for solidarity with Palestinian Christians -will be launched on Thursday 29 November at 7 pm in the Duncairn Cultural and Community Centre, 174 Antrim Road.
‘That Justice and Peace might embrace’ is the founding statement by Kairos Ireland, an all-Ireland ecumenical group, who are responding to a call for solidarity by Palestinian Christians living under Israeli military occupation.
‘That justice and peace might embrace’ discusses the mis-use of the Bible in support for the Occupation of Palestinian Territory since 1967, which is illegal under international law. It calls on Irish churches and individuals to listen to the message by Palestinian Christians in the Kairos Palestine call; to lobby the UK and Irish governments to uphold international law; to follow the lead of some American Churches in divesting from investments in the illegally occupied Territories; and to follow principles of ethical tourism when visiting the region.
In welcoming the Kairos Ireland statement, Rifat Kassis, the chairperson of Kairos Palestine and founder of Defence for Children International, says, ‘This initiative comes at the right time…all of us need to intensify our efforts to stop the bloodshed.’ Rifat speaks about the importance of ‘resistance driven by love’.
The chairman of Kairos Ireland, Methodist minister John Parkin says, “Members of Kairos Ireland have seen the daily injustice of the occupation in Gaza and the West Bank. We long for an end to military domination. We support those people in Palestine and Israel who are working for a just peace often at great cost to themselves. A statement by Pope Benedict in 2007 sums it up, ‘..only an end to the occupation and a just peace with the Palestinians will offer security to Israel and release its people from the weight of anxiety that hangs on them.’”
For further information contact Annie Deighan – anniedeighan@yahoo.co.uk
(Image from Kairos Palestine Facebook Page)
It would be wonderful to see peace in Palestine. We can only hope that some solution is forthcoming.
Well done to Kairos Ireland for this initiative.