Addressing a group of church leaders, journalists and NGO representatives in London earlier this week, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal clearly carried the weight of the suffering of the Palestinian community; he looked tired and reflected his peoples’ desperation. By Bishop Riah Abu el-Assal, Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem www.hcef.org By Bishop Riah Abu el-Assal, Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem Addressing a group of church leaders, journalists and NGO representatives in London earlier this week, Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal clearly carried the weight of the suffering of the Palestinian community; he looked tired and reflected his peoples’ desperation. Speaking from the heart, Bishop Riah provided details of the current situation in the Holy Land and made a plea for help and support from the World Church and its leaders, and from the World Council of Churches for his fellow Palestinians and the Christian community which he leads in the Middle East. The Bishop commented on how the Jewish and Muslim groups are strongly supported by their worldwide communities, and he went on to lament “there are two billion Christians in the world – we receive messages of encouragement and support as well as gifts from Malaysia, even Sudan! But the church in the States, Australia, Canada and the UK …” He asked how he and his fellow clergy are meant to help their congregations believe that they are members of the body of Christ, “We are desperate for support these days, we are desperate.” Rev Hanna Mansour from St Luke’s hospital in Nablus, West Bank, agrees, “It is time for the Church to show their commitment. Statements are not enough, we need more tangible things. Christians must show solidarity with the marginalized, the injured, the victims of injustice and those under occupation. Talk is easy during peaceful times, it is a burden during these difficult days of conflict.” Bishop Riah spoke too of the frustration that across the world the Christian community focus on Christian – Muslim relations instead of the human rights abuses, suffering and apartheid situations that Palestinians are facing daily. “We need to protect human rights across the board – not one party only.” This was reiterated by Rev Mansour, “We live in harmony with the Muslim community here. The current Intifada has reflected Palestinian unity to the world; we live together under the Israeli tank fire, as human beings, as one people. Enough talking – we want action from the world’s Christians. We want to challenge them to a commitment, a worldwide commitment from Christians.” The Jerusalem Diocese itself has 34 institutions with over 1200 people employed – hospitals, clinics, schools, homes for those with disabilities, and for the elderly – “Our institutions are badly needed in times of war, the services of the church are greatly appreciated but without support and finance we cannot help.” Unemployment in Gaza is now at 81% and in the West Bank over 180,000 people are out of work. People had invested greatly in what was meant to be a boom in tourism but instead hotels lie empty. The bishop gave one example of a hotel in the centre of Jerusalem which has 360 rooms and yet only nine people are there. St George’s College has had to cancel nearly all of its courses as people are unable to get to Jerusalem and overseas students are returning home. Rev Mansour commented, “Things are awful. I have never experienced such a situation, even during the first Intifada. The amount of violence practiced by the Israeli military is simply intolerable … Movement around Nablus is difficult to impossible. The present situation is economically crushing, and there is no way for families to provide their daily bread. They come to us, the hospital and the Church, for help, and assistance.” The Bishop highlighted, “In Nazareth, as Israeli Arabs the people recognize that they are better off than their brothers and sisters in Gaza and the West Bank.” In response the congregation at Christ Church, Nazareth, recently collected over 20,000 kilos of rice, flour and cooking oil for 100 families in the West Bank. This was taken in UN lorries to Jerusalem and then put into other vehicles and taken to the West Bank. Within Jerusalem the congregation of St GeorgeA~