Middle East Peacemaking Delegation: January 4-17, 2011
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| Neal Musselman and Rachel Peterson replant olive trees near the village of At-Tuwani, south of Hebron. Photo: Bob Gross |
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| The peace delegation gathers near the small house used by CPT volunteers living in At-Tuwani. Photo: Bob Gross |
LISTENING, ACTION, LEARNING, VIOLENCE REDUCTION
Conflict in Palestine/Israel has taken center stage in recent months. Despite involvement of the Quartet on the Middle East (United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia) and overtures from the Obama administration, the situation for many Palestinians living in the West Bank remains grave. Road closures, home invasions, checkpoints and the presence of militant Israeli settlers in Palestinian villages continue to threaten Palestinian human rights. Israel's separation barrier (much of it built on confiscated Palestinian land) not only separates Palestinian communities from each other, but also acts as a barrier between ordinary Israelis and Palestinians seeking to come together for peace. Participants will gain perspective on how these issues affect daily life.
Delegation members will gain a perspective on how these issues affect daily life. Delegates will meet with Palestinian and Israeli human rights representatives and peace workers in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. They will visit Palestinian families whose home and livelihoods are threatened by expanding Israeli settlements. They will travel to the city of Hebron and the village of At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills and experience firsthand the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams alongside Israeli and Palestinian partners. They will challenge the structural violence of the Occupation through nonviolent public witness.
CPT has had a continuous presence in Hebron since June 1995 and in At-Tuwani since September 2004. Click here for more of the story.
Delegation Leader: Rick Polhamus, Fletcher, Ohio has worked with CPT in Palestine/Israel for several years and has led several previous delegations to Israel and Palestine.
Participants should be prepared to:
- Spend 12 days in Israel/Palestine
- Prepare for the trip by becoming familiar with the current conditions there
- Communicate their experiences to local congregations, groups and the media upon return
- Raise $2750 US ($2950 Canadian) to cover costs of the trip from a designated point in North America. (Includes international airfare, all in-country travel, simple accommodations, two meals per day, honoraria and delegation fees.)
For more information on Christian Peacemaker Teams delegations, click here.
On Earth Peace can assist Church of the Brethren members and attenders in raising funds for the trip with limited scholarships, and networking/fundraising ideas & support!
Why do a delegation?
From Rich Meyer, former CPT Hebron team support:
"I am a strong believer in the value of these delegations: for CPT, for our churches, for peacemaking, and for the delegates.
"I appreciate the energy, the eagerness to absorb, the openness that new eyes and ears have, and the intensity of emotion that shows on the faces of delegates having their first personal encounter with Israelis and Palestinians and their stories of loss, fear, pain and hope. I value the questions that delegates ask of CPTers and of CPT.
"The voyage of a delegate often has a powerful impact on your home community, especially on those who love you. They have many different ways in which they reveal how your decision to act on this call challenges them.
"You will have some unusual opportunities to speak for the people of Israel and Palestine when you return, not because you have been turned into an expert, but because you are a reliable witness who can testify to what you have seen and heard.
"And whether or not you or your friends and family have said it in so many words, we all know that encounters such as this can change us in ways that only happen when we move our bodies to that new place and see from that new perspective -- a 'dangerous' thing to do in a world that strives for certainty. After you've heard and seen, you have to figure out how to integrate that in what you do from then on!"
How you Can Support
Three ways you can support this peace delegation!
- Pray
Pray for the delegation, for all peacemakers in the Middle East, and for the Israelis and Palestinians suffering from the violence and systemic oppression. Raise prayer concerns for the delegation in your Sunday worship services on January 15th and January 22nd. Ask God for guidance about your own participation in future delegations.
- Witness
Write to your representatives and senators in Washington, write to your local newspaper, and talk to your neighbors about the importance of changing the current US Middle East policy to one of support only for peace-building efforts. Make connections with local peace action groups in your area that are speaking up about the situation in the Middle East.
- Support
You can help with the costs of the delegation by sending a contribution to:
On Earth Peace
PO Box 188
New Windsor, MD 21776
Speakers, Resources, Links
Speakers: After the delegation returns, selected members will be available for speaking and preaching. Please contact Matt (mguynn@onearthpeace.org) or call 503-775-1636 if you would like to arrange a visit.
Resources: A resource packet has been developed on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and Middle East peacemaking. Please contact Matt Guynn to order a copy.
Links: Web sites on Israel, Palestine, and Middle East Peace
- Organizations
- News Sources
