PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANSCrisis in the Holy Land

All men are brothers. Being endowed with reasonand conscience, they are members of one family.

They are free, and possess equal dignity and rights.

Article 1, June 1947 draft, Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted in a different form by the UN in 1948.

History

Roman Empire roughly 27 BC to 1453 (split)

Crusades 1095 - 1272

Ottoman Empire 1512 – 1920

History

World War I 1914-1918

Balfour Declaration England 1917"view[ed] with favour the establishment in Palestine of a

national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object” (Rothschild and Weitzman)

British Mandate 1920 – 1948 League of Nations “Liberated from Turkish barbarians”

History

World War II and Holocaust 1939 – 1945

Partition (UN Resolution 181) 1947 Jerusalem an international city 56% of territory to Israel including Negev 43% to Arabs including 1/3 of coastline and all highlands

State of Israel established in 1948 Arab-Israeli War

History

Arabs relocated (750,000)Refugee campsUN Resolution 181, right of returnLand confiscated 1950

1949 ArmisticeGreen Line

History

1967 War (Six Day War) Israel acquired Sinai Peninsula, Gaza, Golan Heights

Hamas created in 1987 political/guerilla group won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006

History

2002 Israel begins construction of Separation Wall

2007 Hamas controlled Gaza (militant) Fatah controlled West Bank

Israel imposes blockade on Gaza (still in effect)

Church History

1820s “London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews” Evangelical fervor Adventurism

1841- 1886 shared Bishopric with Prussian Church (Lutherans)

1897-8 St. George’s Cathedral constructed, consecrated (East Jerusalem)

Church History

1917 surrender of Jerusalem to General Allenby signed on Bishop’s desk

1958 First Arab Bishop consecrated

1976 Diocese reconstituted to include Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon

Christian Situation

In 1914, 24% of Palestinian population was Christian Today, about 2% 7000 Episcopalians in entire Diocese (5 countries) Greek Orthodox, Roman, Coptic, Maronite Decline from emigration and low birth rate Minority twice

Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

Bishop Suheil Dawani

• 22 parishes• 12 schools• 5 institutes for disabled• 2 homes for the elderly• 2 hospitals• 1 full service clinic• 4 guest houses• 6 affiliated institutions

The Arab EvangelicalSchool in Ramallah

Building blocks of peace

Tolerance and respect

1949 Green Line vs. 2009 Separation Wall

Theodor Schneller School in Marka, Jordan

Breaking the Cycle of bitterness and disappointment for third Generation refugees by providing a stable and

loving environmentand an education that leads to employment

In a conservative Muslim kingdom, this school encourages girls to choose higher education,

business, government service

The Ahliyyah School for Girls in Amman, Jordan

www.j-diocese.org

Princess BasmaCenter for Disabled Children,

East Jerusalem

Holy Land Institute for the Deaf in Salt, Jordan

Ending the isolation of physical andmental handicap, championing

community-based solutions

Penman ClinicZebabdeh, West Bank

Offering medical care to eleven neighboring

villages

Gaza

1.5 million people

18 miles long x 4 miles wide

1 million live in refugee camps

750,000 are under 14 years old

Gaza Refugee Camps

Ahli Hospital in Gaza

Built by Baptist Missionaries 100 years ago

Full service 80 bed hospital

Providing free services and medication sinceBombing

Overwhelmed

Electricity outages persist

Shortages in food, fuel, medical supplies• one crossing open

Staff exhausted