United Methodists are responding to Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth ,a statement of faith and urgent call to action from Christians in Palestine. UMKR seeks, through nonviolent means and in partnership with Palestinian Christians, freedom, justice and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis.
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UMKR Newsletter: Winter-Spring 2019
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PARTNERS' NEWS
PCAP: “The Palestinian people
will not be bribed into submission”
The Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace (PCAP) issued
a strong statement on the Trump administration’s
“economic workshop” in Bahrain in June, an overture in
Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century” to bring peace to Israel/Palestine. Besides rejecting the blatant bribery, PCAP also says: “The Trump Administration is putting the cart before the horse because no economic assistance program can ever succeed if the Palestinian people do not have their right to govern themselves in a full sovereign nation with all its institutions.” See the statement
Two Steps Forward for Evangelical Lutherans
The largest institutional investor for the Evangelical Church in America
(ELCA), Portico Benefit Services, has announced two recent actions
supporting the ELCA’s 2016 Churchwide Assembly resolution:
"Justice for the Holy Land Through Responsible Investment."
On April 1, Portico implemented the ELCA’s new Political and
Civil Human Rights social criteria investment screen for their
social purpose funds. Portico has established a comprehensive
process for identifying and screening companies; companies
will be screened out if identified as involved with a controversy
in an occupied or disputed territory where the denial of legal
and political human rights measures “severe” or “very severe.”
Also this spring, Portico joined Wespath Benefits and Investments
(of The United Methodist Church) in shareholder corporate dialogue with Caterpillar, a company of long-time concern to justice advocates for Palestinian rights. Read Portico's full release
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AMP: Over 500 Strong on Capital Hill
This April, the 5th Annual Advocacy
Day and Training with American
Muslims for Palestine (AMP) was
their most successful ever, with
double the attendance in 2018.
Over 500 participants of all
backgrounds and faiths came to
Washington, D.C., representing 32
states, and meeting with the offices
of 191 Members of Congress.
This is a unique time for AMP
following the historic election of the
first two Muslim Congresswomen, one of whom, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, addressed the delegation. emphasizing the need to support interconnected struggles from Palestinian human rights to the rights of immigrants and black communities in the U.S.
The main issues presented to lawmakers were: 1) Supporting a bill in defense of Palestinian children's rights, 2) Opposing bills that violate the constitutional right to boycott, and 3) Supporting humanitarian aid and human rights for Palestinians in Gaza. Read AMP's full report
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JVP Statement: "Zionism, a false and failed answer"
After engaging their national membership
in an extensive process of study and
discussion, in January 2019,
Jewish Voice for Peace published their
position on Zionism: one of the most
contentious issues in the Jewish
community worldwide, as well as the
American political arena.
With a base of tens of thousands of
members and hundreds of thousands in
their communications network, JVP's
thought-provoking declaration will inevitably influence the US and global debate on Anti-Semitism vs. Anti-Zionism.
FROM THE STATEMENT:
"Jewish Voice for Peace is guided by a vision of justice, equality and freedom for all people. We unequivocally oppose Zionism because it is counter to those ideals.
We know that opposing Zionism, or even discussing it, can be painful, can strike at the deepest trauma and greatest fears of many of us. Zionism is a nineteenth-century political ideology that emerged in a moment where Jews were defined as irrevocably outside of a Christian Europe. European antisemitism threatened and ended millions of Jewish lives — in pogroms, in exile, and in the Holocaust.
Through study and action, through deep relationship with Palestinians fighting for their own liberation, and through our own understanding of Jewish safety and self determination, we have come to see that Zionism was a false and failed answer to the desperately real question many of our ancestors faced of how to protect Jewish lives from murderous antisemitism in Europe.
While it had many strains historically, the Zionism that took hold and stands today is a settler-colonial movement, establishing an apartheid state where Jews have more rights than others. Our own history teaches us how dangerous this can be."
See the full statement
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READ MORE:
+972 magazine:JVP just declared itself anti-Zionist and it's already shifting the conversation Jewish Currants: Roundtable: The Jewish Voice for Peace Statement on Zionism Mondoweiss: After years of study and discussion, Jewish Voice for Peace rejects Zionism
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Read these sections of the
Winter-Spring 2019
newsletter:
TAKE ACTION:
• NO US $$$ for Abuse of Children - goes to our action alert eblast
• Rise Against Racism, Counter CUFI
• UNITED METHODISTS' NEWS:
Response to GC2019; 2019 Resolutions;
Oppose Anti-Free Speech Bill; MFSA Says "No"; UMC Board's Actions
• PARTNERS' NEWS
Two Steps Forward for Lutherans; AMP: 500 Strong on Capitol Hill; JVP: "Zionism, a false & failed answer"
IN THE NEWS: ISRAEL/PALESTINE
• SUMUD: The Great March Continues
• UN Report: Israeli War Crimes
• Removing Last Restraints in Hebron
• Palestinian Revenues, Economic Crisis
• Waging War on Prisoners
• Deporting and Denying Entry
• Israeli Elections: Game-changer or...?
IN THE NEWS: UNITED STATES
• Ilhan Omar and a New Frontier
• US, Israel Fight Int'l Criminal Court
• Airbnb Whirlwind Ends in Disgrace
• Occupied no longer? Golan Heights
• Deal of the Century...Not!
IN THE NEWS: SPOTLIGHT
• Black-Palestinian Solidarity
• SEIZE THE DAY
Coming Events, June-Dec 2019
• THE HOLY LAND BECKONS:
News on ethical tourism AND
Upcoming 2019 Trips
News & Analysis UMKR News & Alerts