08053
January 23, 2008

WCC asks for prayers, advocacy and solidarity with churches in Gaza

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service
and Juan Michel
WCC News and Information

GENEVA — In a letter issued today (Jan. 23), the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia called on the Council’s 347 member churches around the world to pray for the end of the suffering in Gaza and speak out for the people in Gaza to their governments.

Kobia was responding to a statement issued Jan.22 by the heads of churches in Jerusalem and the Holy Land calling on the international community and the state of Israel to end the current siege on the Gaza Strip which has caused most recently cuts in electricity and limited the shipments of medicine, fuel, food and other goods across the border.

The statement urged Palestinians to unite in ending their differences for the sake of the people in Gaza and urged Israel to act responsibly.
 
”Address your parishes, the public, your governments and the embassies,” Kobia writes, “calling for an end to the siege, an end to their collective punishments and a negotiated ceasefire.”

The letter urges churches to manifest solidarity with the churches in Palestine by supporting the work done by local churches on the ground and church-related agencies like Action by Churches Together. Kobia also suggests that messages of support be sent directly to the local churches.