Category: Friends of Sabeel

Friends of Sabeel Germany

Friends of Sabeel

c/o Canon i.r. Ernst-Ludwig Vatter
Im Lutzen 5
73773 Aichwald / Germany
Tel:         +49 (0) 711 9073809
Email:      fvsabeel-germany@vodafone.de
Website: www.fvsabeel-germany.de

Introduction
Friends of Sabeel (FOS) Germany was initially formed in 2007 as a result of a personal encounter with Rev. Naim Ateek on the occasion of visiting Palestine/Jerusalem. With their activities, FOS Germany are committed to justice and peace for Palestine and Israel. In cooperation with other organisations, lectures and events are provided, educating church audiences and the wider public about the root causes and current problems of the conflict and calling for a just peace for both parties. The FOS members meet at least three times a year, exchanging information, planning activities and getting involved in theological and political reflections.

Publications
On the initiative and the strong support of the German FOS, the book A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation by Rev. Naim Ateek was published in German (Gerechtigkeit und Versöhnung) in 2010. With this book, for the first time, a profound theological work about Palestinian liberation theology was made available to the German audience.
Recently a unique book called Recht ströme wie Wasser (Let Justice Roll Down like Waters) was published. It provides interesting and challenging reading for a calender year independent of weekdays. With quotations from Israeli and Palestinian authors, Jews, Christians and Muslims, from the Bible, the Talmud and the Koran, the daily reading contributes facts and figures, opinions and feelings , and clarifications and justifications from all kinds of positions collected to present an overall view provided by people of all walks of life to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Lectures
To inform and to build awareness in local parishes and the wider public, FOS offers and runs lectures by FOS members disseminating experiences gained on the ground through educational tours in Israel/Palestine. Some members have cooperated with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel, having served terms in Palestine.

Dialogue
For the churches in Germany, the Christian-Jewish dialogue plays an important role due to the legacy of the Shoa (Holocaust). As a result, a theology after Auschwitz has been developed reflecting the theological Anti-Judaism entrenched in much of church history. This process has led to a deeper understanding about the two religions and coined in a new way the relationship between the two faiths. But, of course, the churches’ mainstream feels that the fruits of this effort should not be touched and disturbed by the political Palestinian agenda resulting in accusations and subsequently feared delegitimation of Israel.

Advocacy Work
The churches and parishes in Germany reacted in a very reserved way, if at all, to the cry expressed by the Kairos Palestine Document. Due to various reasons, church authorities deny to really get involved in the conflict. Therefore it is still our concern to press for more involvement and advocacy work.
This is done through letters to church institutions, letters to editors and responding to articles in publications. Only recently FOS Germany has sent a plea to all Protestant regional churches in Germany pointing out the deplorable situation in Palestine, indicating the systematic violation of human rights by Israel and calling on the churches’ responsibility.

Events
In order to offer reliable information backed up by personal experience, FOS Germany has over the years organized lectures with Palestinian, Jewish and other experts often in cooperation with other NGO’s like the German Kairos Palestine Solidarity Network, Pax Christi and Friends of Al Kalima Bethlehem Association.
Well known lecturers like Mark Braverman (USA), Rolf Verleger (Germany), Max Blumenthal (USA), Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb (Bethlehem), Sumaya Farhat Naser (Birzeit), Jeff Halper (Jerusalem) and Eitan Bronstein Aparicio from Zochrot (Israel) were welcomed and served as excellent witnesses. To illustrate the situation, films were also employed like “Within The Eye of The Storm” or “The Iron Wall”.
The biggest German Protestant Convention (Deutsche Evangelische Kirchentag), held in Stuttgart 2015, served as an excellent opportunity to draw attention to the Israel/Palestine conflict and to highlight the issue in public.
An outspoken and supporting letter to the Palestinian cause by The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus, South Africa, addressed to the Kirchentag, called for urgent attention to churches and the visitors to the event. Alongside, special lectures were organized with Rev. Naim Ateek as well as with Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, Mark Braverman, Dr. Helga Baumgarten, Jeff Halper and Bishop em. Eberhardt Renz (ret.) and Thomas Maria Renz and politicians of different parties. During the two day event altogether more than 1800 visitors were welcomed.

The Kairos Palestine Document

Since the launch of the Kairos Palestine Document in December 2009, FOS Germany has paid great attention to the challenges and cry for help of the Christians in Palestine. The situation of the German Protestant churches in responding to the document was reported by Gerhard Dilschneider, member of FOS Germany, to the Kairos Palestine 5th Anniversary Conference held in Bethlehem, December 2014.

The complete report dealing with the rather disappointing responses by the German Protestant churches is available from the author (dilschneider@gmx.net)

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)

The state of Israel’s policy of occupation and discrimination – and not the Jewish people – is aimed at in the Kairos Palestine appeal to support BDS….For the German churches even this quest is not at all “acceptable” and across the board rejected. The churches’ position refers to the historical experience with the Nazis’ racist program “don’t buy from Jews”. By referring to the German history the BDS call is almost silenced. Avoiding BDS, the churches overlook the fact that during the Nazi time this policy was pursued to exclude, humiliate and destroy the life of one section of the population on a racial basis, whereas the BDS movement is meant to enforce justice, freedom and self-determination for all members of the society in Israel and Palestine according to universal human rights….

Summary of the Churches’ Response

German churches express their solidarity with Judaism witnessing to God’s faithfulness towards his chosen people. Driven by a guilt-complex resulting from the holocaust, the state of Israel is unconditionally supported. This is linked with the unquestioned acceptance of the narrative of Israeli victimhood in regard to its history and present. Though the “cry for hope in the face of despair” is heard, at the same time rather strong reservations are formulated over and against the facts on the ground as presented by KPD. It is obvious that the institutional church does not really see and perceive what is going on in Palestine….
Even a reproach is formulated: the KPD is “dramatizing the situation”. One has the impression that the representatives of the German churches know better what is going on in Palestine and even paternalistic tones are not being avoided. The impression appears that KPD is discredited as theologically unsound and politically unacceptable. By studying the German churches’ responses …one gains the impression that a low profile and an uncommitted position is preferred. Convincing suggestions showing their willingness and solidarity to participate in the struggle are more or less missing. Even the worsening oppression does not provoke any bold or clear action and to get involved in a long-term advocacy process is not reflected.

Marc Braverman (USA) states: “The Christian impulse for reconciliation has morphed into theological support for an anachronistic, ethnic nationalist ideology that has hijacked Judaism, continues to fuel a global conflict, and has produced one of the most systematic and long standing violations of human rights in the world today.”

by Ernst-Ludwig Vatter and Gerhard Dilschneider

Freunde von Sabeel Deutschland
c/o Canon i.r. Ernst-Ludwig Vatter
Hagdornweg 1
70597 Stuttgart /Germany
Tel: ++49 (0) 711 9073809
fvsabeel-germany@vodafone.de
www.fvsabeel-germany.de

Friends of Sabeel Canada (CFOS)

Friends of Sabeel

Rana Atie
Executive Director
Canadian Friends of Sabeel

Office
7565 Newman Blvd.
P.O. BOX 3067
Montreal, QC H8N 3H2
Tel:          (+1) 416 846 6344
Email:     info@friendsofsabeel.ca
Website:   https://friendsofsabeel.ca/

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Canadian Friends of Sabeel formed in 1998 when participants at an ecumenical conference in Ottawa on “Justice and Peace in the Holy Land” decided to undertake a formal partnership with Sabeel Jerusalem. We began as a chapter of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) but soon developed as our own Canadian organization.

Our vision is to work non-violently for a just and durable peace for Palestinians and Israelis, and support the struggle for equality, justice, freedom, and human rights of Palestinians living under the illegal Israeli military occupation.

Highlights of our activities:

  • We collaborate with a total of 18 nation-wide partner church denominations, faith-based organizations, and other partner groups.
  • We organize, host, and promote speaking tours throughout Canada of Sabeel leaders and other leaders from Palestine.
  • We organize theatre, film, video, photography, and other educational resources, and provide prayer and other worship resources on our website.
    • For example, we worked with Sabeel to issue a 50th-anniversary commemorative photo exhibit of al-Nakba, and to present it at many venues Canada-wide. CFOS worked with Sabeel to develop the renewed 60th edition and then the 65th, digitizing it as a free download now available at https://friendsofsabeel/resources/#Exhibit.ca/
  • We raise funds for humanitarian assistance projects in Gaza, before and since October 7, 2023.
  • We advocate to the Canadian government to adopt policies and measures in support of a just peace in Palestine/Israel. Since the genocide on Gaza, our advocacy has urged Canada to call for a ceasefire, to recognize the State of Palestine, to implement a two-way arms embargo on Israel, and to suspend diplomatic relations with Israel.
  • We support campaigns to end the illegal occupation of Palestine, such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions).
  • We host the annual James Graff Memorial Lecture, named in honour of James Allen Graff (1931-2005), professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto and passionate advocate for Palestinian rights. Held in-person and on-line, the lectures feature internationally renowned speakers to raise public awareness of the plight of Palestinians living under the illegal Israeli occupation.
  • We send Canadians to Palestine to learn directly from Palestinians, especially the Palestinian Christian community.
  • In this regard, we developed a set of principles for Canadian church or para-church groups to help them plan and implement itineraries for groups making pilgrimages to the Holy Land. This project is called Authentic Christian Pilgrimage. Its principles were developed in consultation with twenty Palestinian organizations.
  • We are grateful for the support and commitment of hard-working volunteers Canada-wide.

Rana Atie, Executive Director
Canadian Friends of Sabeel

Office
7565 Newman Blvd.
P.O. BOX 3067
Montreal, QC H8N 3H2

Email:     info@friendsofsabeel.ca
Website:   https://friendsofsabeel.ca/

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOS-NA)

Friends of Sabeel

PO Box 3192
Greenwood Village, CO 80155
friends@fosna.org
(503) 653-6625

Website: www.fosna.org

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20 Years of Pilgrimage–“Come and See”

Twenty years ago a handful of American Christian pilgrims, scandalized by the injustice they had witnessed in the Holy Land, and learning of the role of the U.S. in supporting Israel’s ongoing illegal military occupation of Palestinian land, were inspired to take up the Palestinian cause back home, to educate their fellow Christians and church leaders, and build a movement with the ambitious goal of changing U.S. policy in the Middle East. It was 1996, a year of Likud incitements on Haram al-Sharif, bus bombings in Jerusalem, and a Sabeel international conference with hundreds of participants, including many Americans, that concluded with the World Council of Churches International Advocacy Week.

But back home in the U.S. our Sabeel Friends were discouraged by the apathy and ignorance they found in their faith communities. Palestine was a remote reality, a place read about in history books, a name that invoked TV news of terrorists set on destroying the little country of Israel. Most American Christians did not know that Palestinian Christians even existed. It would not be an easy task to break through the fog of misinformation fed by the media and swallowed by God’s people in the pews.

“The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water,
and breeds reptiles of the mind.” ~William Blake

But how to break through America’s illusions of inviolability and triumphalism? Hats off to those first faithful, undaunted Friends of Sabeel who began planting seeds to win hearts and minds. They were like the first Christians set out to build the Kingdom of God in the midst of an unfriendly Roman Empire. Voices in the wilderness (sound familiar?). Through grassroots education in churches from 1996 to 2000, early FOSNA made great strides in bringing more awareness to the U.S. role in Israel’s military occupation.

In 20 years that tiny mustard seed planted in the fertile soil of steadfast faithfulness to the demands of Gospel justice has grown into a tree where the doves of peace have perched.

“a million birds on the branches of my heart,
are singing fighting songs.”
~Mahmoud Darwish

Twenty years is but a blip on the screen of history, but these years raised new consciousness among American Christians, thanks to hundreds of volunteers and thousands of financial supporters. Indeed, that mustard seed has gone wild, its roots going deep into the heart of things, its branches reaching up toward heaven and out to embrace the world. It is a symbol of faith and, as its name implies, it burns with a passion for justice.

“I came to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already kindled!” Luke 12:49

FOSNA is now well-positioned to coordinate major national campaigns such as No Child Behind Bars/Drop G4S. G4S (Group 4 Securior), the world’s largest private security company, is complicit in violations of international law. G4S profits from the detainment and abuse of Palestinian children. This is in direct contravention to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The systematic attack on children and their parents, in Gaza and the West Bank, traumatizes an entire generation in an attempt to limit Palestinian self-determination.

FOSNA is leading the No Child Behind Bars/Drop G4S campaign to identify and expose G4S. Our Municipal Divestment Organizing Guide helps local groups identify contract renewal dates, map local power structures, form coalitions, and win. The momentum is building on this campaign, and we are excited to see local “Drop G4S” campaigns sprouting up all over the United States. Learn more on our website: http://fosna.org/howtostopg4s.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you,
then they fight you, then you win.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

We are confident in our foundation, our anchor, our rock, who is Christ the Liberator. We will carry on with this work of Sabeel, undaunted by a world spinning increasing toward violence. We believe the Kingdom of God is at hand, ours to discover, to nurture and release into the world. In prayer and in solidarity with our Palestinian friends, with the Peace of Christ, the Salaam of Christ, we will be called back to life.

PO Box 3192
Greenwood Village, CO 80155
friends@fosna.org
(503) 653-6625