 MAY/SUMMER 2002 (XXXX 3) |
In view of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting approving a partnership with Ramallah Friends Meeting in the Palestinian West Bank, Friends may wish to apply to be part of a small delegation of Quakers to the Middle East, including Ramallah, July 25 to August 6, 2002.
These Friends will act as independent international observers, meet and work with Israeli and Palestinian peace and justice groups, meet and hear the stories of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, and engage in public witness on behalf of lasting peace in the region. The delegation will divide its time between Ramallah and Hebron where the permanent Christian Peacemakers Team presence is established, with visits to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
The delegation will be led by Bill and Genie Durland of Intermountain Yearly Meeting, who acted as peace presences in an interfaith Christian Peacemakers Team mission to the West Bank last summer. At that time they were blessed with an opportunity to share Meeting for Worship with Ramallah Friends Meeting, and to meet with Jean Zaru and her sister-in-law, Violet. Bill and Genie are now trained "reservists" in CPT. Bill and Genie expect be in the West Bank area beginning July 10.
Mustafa Barghouthi, President of the Palestinian Medical Relief Committees and Director of the Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute in Ramallah, says, "Palestinians have been asking for an international protection force to monitor events in the region for months. The U. S. has twice vetoed a United Nations resolution asking for this. Ten months ago, Palestinians began their own grassroots movement of international protection. Since then, delegations from a number of European countries, as well as Canada and the United States, have witnessed to and monitored the situation on the ground reporting the reality to their home countries."
Applications are needed by June 1. For information and applications contact Bill and Genie Durland, bgdryland@activematrix.net, phone 719-846-7480.
Gail Newbold
London Grove Meeting (PA)
PYM Representative to Friends Peace Teams
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM