​2019
​​UMKR Sept-Dec Newsletter:
Black Church Call, Trump's EO, 🎄This Season, South African Methodists,
Church Leaders and members are "all in" for HR 2407, 2020 Trips, and more...See our news & action
Dual Palestine Conferences:
Kairos Palestine's 10th
Anniversary and Sabeel's
International Gathering
The experiences and reflections of
United Methodists who attended these
back-to-back events in Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
December 2019 – See their reports
United Methodist Church: Opposing Israeli Settlements since 1976
United Methodist leaders, members appalled by Trump administration’s disregard for international law and human rights, acceptance of crime of colonialism.
November 2019 – See the press release
Kairos Palestine Statement on House Demolitions
Palestinian Christians speak to "hard hearts" as Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes rise; remind Israel it is God's law that truly protects
September 2019 – Read the statement
Jerusalem from the Lens of a Native Son
– Ghettoization and Pauperization
UMKR activist Philip Farah visits his homeland and reports on the dismal transformation he sees in Jerusalem
August 2019 – Read the article
UMC Regional Bodies Adopt 8 Resolutions
Addressing Palestinian Rights
Ethical investing, particularly
regarding government bonds, and the
plight of Palestinian children were the
primary focus of eight resolutions related
to Palestinian rights that United Methodist
annual conferences (regional bodies) in the
United States adopted in May and June 2019.
July 2019 – Read the report
UMKR Responds to GC2019 and Judicial Council Rulings of April 2019
UMKR grieves over exclusionary legislation of GC2019, renews commitment to LYNC Vision, and invites all United Methodists to work for a just peace in the Holy Land.
April 2019 – Read the statement
African Americans Show How Palestinian
Solidarity Is Done
M. Theresa Basile
Reviewing Michelle Alexander's NY Times Op-Ed "Time to Break the Silence on Palestine in the contexts of Black-Palestinian solidarity in recent years and of the praise and denunciations it has received.
January 2019 – Read the article
Time to Break the Silence on Palestine
Michelle Alexander, The NY Times
January 2019 – Author of the
"The New Jim Crow" compares
Martin Luther King's controversial
opposition to the Vietnam War to
the current issues surrounding
support for Palestinian rights,
especially when African Americans take a stand. Describing the changes and challenges in the U.S. public debate - with a mention of the United Methodist Church's divestment from Israeli banks – Alexander identifies Palestinian rights as a cause she cannot ignore in 2019.
January 2019 – See the editorial
Unite to Protect Americans' Right to Boycott
Fifteen faith organizations have issued a statement condemning the current bill in the Senate that would support state legislation penalizing those who support a boycott targeting Israeli human rights abuses. They call on all Americans to contact legislators and urge them to oppose such legislation.
January 2019 – See the statement
2018 Year in Review: UMKR & Partners' News
Our annual "mega edition" of The Response includes
a full review of UMKR activities in the previous year, a selection of the
biggest news from faith communities and other partners, and our top picks of 2018 resources.
Read this newsletter in your browser
Download a pdf file of this newsletter (15 MB)
2018
Ecumenical Statement from 16 Christian Leaders:
Current U.S. Policy, Israel/Palestine, and the Churches
This statement was sent to all members of the U.S. Congress, as well as to the White House. It addresses the disturbing shifts in U.S. policy regarding Israel/Palestine during the Trump Administration.
November 2018 – See the statement
UMKR & LYNC: We Are Stronger Together
UMKR has taken an important step in the vital work of intersectional justice by joining the Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC) in the United Methodist Church.​
October 2018 – Read more about this action
Seminal Conference of 2018 Makes Clear:
The Future of Justice Activism Is Intersectional
The September USCPR national conference, Together We Rise, brought together the most diverse lineup of presenters yet seen in the movement for Palestinian rights, put remarkable women in the limelight, and unmistakably set the intersectional path for the movement's future.
October 2018 – See the report
FOSNA Conference Empowers Faith-Based Organizing
FOSNA’s gathering in St Paul MN just before the national USCPR conference brought together over 100 leaders and activists from across the United States who, along with a racially diverse lineup of presenters, came together to explore how to strengthen local and national organizing for Palestine, with an appropriate and strong focus on church activism.
October 2018 – See the report
Reaching Evangelical Christians in the Bible Belt
UMKR provided multi-faceted support for the first-ever Christ at the Checkpoint conference in the United States, which featured
an impressive lineup of speakers from Palestine and across the U.S. and, like similar conferences in Bethlehem, focused on reaching evangelical Christians and refuting the theology of Christian Zionism.
October 2018 – See the report​
LYNC Convo Includes Call to Palestinian Solidarity
The national gathering of the Love Your Neighbor Coalition focused strongly on the upcoming 2019 Special General Conference, with diverse views of the proposed plans for the future of the UMC. Two dozen workshops in that weekend included "Why We Should Be in Solidarity with Palestinian Christians" presented by Giselle Lawn, former RMN board member and Rev. John Wagner, Co-chair of UMKR.
August 2018 – Read the report
2018 Resolutions Focus on Palestinian Children
Among the eleven Palestine-related resolutions adopted in annual conference this year, eight addressed the human rights of Palestinian children and their abuse in Israeli military detention.
July 2018 – See the report
UMKR Condemns Israel’s Apartheid Law
UMKR joins numerous partners in condeming the recent adoption by the Israeli legislature of the Nation State Law. This bill now enshrines in Israel's Basic Law, the Israeli equivalent to a national constitution, the denial of equal rights for Palestinian Israeli citizens who comprise 20% or more of Israel's population.
July 2018 – See the press release
Palestinian Missionary challenges UMC Leaders
Rev. Alex Awad, a retired UMC missionary and member of the UMKR Steering Committee challenges UMC leaders to do more for the people of the Holy Land, with several concrete suggestions for action.
May 2018 – See the letter
UMKR Condemns Israel's Response to
the Great March of Return 2018
UMKR condemns without reservation Israel’s deliberate killing of over
100 protesting Gazans and the maiming of thousands since protests
began on 30 March 2018, Palestinian Land Day, and through the
following weeks. See the statement
8000 United Methodist Women and UMKR is there
The largest gathering in the United Methodist Church isn't our General Conference, it is the United Methodist Women Assembly. UMKR had a successful display table at the UMW Assembly 2018. As a result of our special focus on education and action for the catastrophic conditions in Gaza, hundreds of personal solar lights for individuals to use were sent to families in Gaza.
May 2018 – See the report
↔︎
Our latest tweets
​​From the Christian community of Palestine, this profound statement of faith & urgent call to action has mobilized Christians worldwide. Learn more
United Methodists reject disgraceful
U.S. position change, now saying Israeli settlements may not be illegal. See it
UMKR ON SOCIAL MEDIA
UMKR Mailing Addresses
​​Resolutions for GC 2020
See resolutions that UMKR and partners have submitted for General Conference in May: protecting children from incarceration and abuse and defending our right to boycott for justice. See them
​​UMKR's Quick Facts Series
Packed with essential facts, these useful
handouts/flyers focus on key issues for
the Holy Land and advocacy for a just peace. In black & white for easy copying.
​​One of the most hotly debated questions today!Hint: details of the South African experience are NOT the international standard. See the answer
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FEATURED RESOURCES
UMKR Sept-Dec Newsletter: Black Church Call, Trump's EO, 🎄This Season, South Africa Methodists, more... See it
​​​PCAP CAMPAIGN FOR UNRWA: Support the vital services of this agency for Palestinian refugees. Learn more
Coming Events
Kairos Palestine's and Sabeel's 2019 Conferences in Palestine: hear from
UM organizers who attended See more
United Methodists are responding to the urgent call from Palestinian
Christians in Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth, to end the Israeli occupation and achieve a just peace in the Holy Land.. UMKR seeks – through nonviolent action and in partnership with our Palestinian sisters and brothers in Christ – freedom, justice and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis.
Giving Changes the World
With limited resources, UMKR has
had a remarkable impact in the global United Methodist Church! Historic divestment and boycott actions could not have happened without the vital support of those who believe in the cause of Palestinian rights. Please give whatever you can today, so that our work can continue. And rest assured that every donation, large or small,
helps the cause!
Christian Leaders write to Congress, applauding HR 2407. We can support their action: See this, Give your support!
​​Michelle Alexander, NY Times - Renowned author and civil rights leaders goes on the record: Palestinian rights is a cause she cannot remain silent about. See the op-ed
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