Since the Palestinian militia attack on the State of Israel in the early hours of 7 October, we have been in close contact with people throughout the region. What we hear touches us deeply. To give just a few examples: We share the fear of Jewish Israelis who have sought refuge in a shelter in Mevasseret Zion (a Jewish suburb of Jerusalem), as well as the fear of Palestinian Israelis in a very similar shelter in Abu Gosh (an Arab suburb of Jerusalem). We stand in solidarity with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters who are treating Palestinian war victims at the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza without asking about their background - and with the countless Israelis, women, men and children, who were shamelessly attacked on the Jewish holiday of Torah joy. We mourn all the victims this war has already claimed.
The missiles do not distinguish between Israelis and Arabs, Jews, Muslims or Christians. Among the victims are soldiers and civilians, locals and migrants from Thailand who have come to work on the Israeli plantations around Gaza out of economic necessity. According to God's will, war shall not be!
EMS calls on all members, partners, brothers and sisters in the region to work towards peace:
1. The violence must stop immediately. The shelling must stop. All those held hostage or abducted in Gaza must be released immediately. This is especially true of women and children. Those who kidnap innocent mothers with their young children place themselves outside any religion and any human community.
2 Although this is the first time in exactly 50 years that Israel has been taken completely by surprise, it is not the first war over Gaza. The most recent armed conflicts took place in 2008/09, 2012, 2014 and 2021. In the intervening periods of relative calm, there has repeatedly been a lack of serious consideration of long-term solutions for the region. Careful observers have pointed out this failure on numerous occasions. It will be true again after the current war: The people of the Gaza Strip, largely sealed off by both Israel and Egypt since 2007, need prospects for life and development that have been denied them for far too long. At the same time, we must oppose the recurring misconception that the State of Israel is a "colonial settler enterprise" that will eventually disappear from the region if we refuse to "normalise" relations long enough. We are convinced of this: Israelis and Palestinians can and will live together in the long term - we must strengthen the forces of reason, reconciliation and justice.
3. The additional conflicts that Israel and Palestine supporters worldwide are waging against each other on the streets, in universities and on social media are not conducive to constructive solutions in the Middle East. Especially these days, there are frequent calls to take a stand for one side or against the other. As a result of such demands, some of which are made with as strong as they are understandable emotions, even the last open channels of dialogue between the different positions seem to be breaking down. We do not want to give in to such demands, but remain in dialogue with all those who continue to work for a peaceful and just relationship.
4. The Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS) is a fellowship of 25 churches and five mission associations in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is one of its members. The Anglican EMS member church runs the "Ahli Arab Hospital" in Gaza. The hospital is a service of the small Christian community to the wider society of the Gaza Strip. Through the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Revd Dr Hosam Naoum, we recently received a request for support from Dr Suhaila Tarazi, the Director of this facility. Dr Tarazi is a remarkable woman who has persevered through all the past wars as director of the Ahli Arab Hospital, and has ensured with her team that the civilian population of the Gaza Strip receives good medical care. Civilians on both sides of the conflict continue to suffer. Through our close links with our Anglican brothers and sisters in the Middle East, we are able to provide concrete and direct help in this one place at least. EMS has a standing account through which donations can be transferred to the Ahli Arab Hospital. Anyone making a donation to the EMS account with the reference "Hospital Ahli Arab” can be assured that the money will go directly to this important ministry.
Dr Tarazi ends her letter by saying, "Please pray with us that this wave of violence will be stopped, as there are no winners in wars. All are losers."
We pass on this request to everyone here and now: Pray with us that this wave of violence will be stopped! According to God's will, war shall not be!
Press contact: Rev. Dr. Uwe Gräbe, Head of Unit Middle East, graebe@ems-online.org, Tel. +49 711 636 78 -37
Donations Account:
Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS)
Evangelische Bank eG
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24
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Keyword: Hospital Ahli Arab