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It seems that the present Israeli government is becoming more rightist and radical than anybody thought of. Or I can say, it is dealing with the present situation with a military, security perspective rather than apolitical security perspective. This is a frightful issue that leads our region to undue war, and to a growth of religious and political extremists, fanaticism, and fundamentalism. It seems that in these measures, Israel will be in isolation and the Palestinians under siege. Will then just peace ever be possible in such a formula?

This situation is causing psychological trauma that has effects on Palestinian children. During last Sunday school at our Beit Jala congregation, the Sunday school teacher told that children used to break crayons, reflecting their nervousness in class. On Monday, after the shelling of Beit Jala, the children suffered from headaches, diarrhea, dizziness, bedwetting, and other disturbed psychological behavior. For this reason we need now to start special psychological treatment for our traumatic children. We are crying as the Macedonian did: "come and help us". For this reason, I appeal to you:

• To use your good offices to seek protection for us unarmed people. We call for international protection for the Palestinian people
• To use your offices that all this spiral violence may immediately cease, and that negotiations between the two parties will soon start to find substantial solutions and implementation of the agreement signed and according to the international legitimacy, based on the UN resolutions.
• To intensively pray for the Christian Churches in Jerusalem and their prophetic role for a lasting, comprehensive, just peace and reconciliation in our area.
• To work with the all churches around the world that the rights of the Christian churches in the Holy Land will be secured and legislated in the constitutions of both Palestine and Israel.
• To support the mission of the Church in education, diaconia, dialogue, and reconciliation. Our Christian schools are the haven to mold the Christian Palestinian identity, to teach equitable coexistence with the religions and nations and to promote peace education.
• To do your utmost that neither the church schools, nor its institutions can be stopped or closed for any political situation or financial deficiencies, because the witness and the mission of the Church are very much needed, especially at this stage of history.
• To form a delegation that will come and visit us and be in solidarity with us in such a terrible crisis, that we have never witnessed before.

As the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem, I appeal to you, as sisters and brothers in Christ: DO NOT LEAVE US ALONE. I call upon you to move from writing statements to incarnate your good ideas on the ground. The Christian Church in Jerusalem needs you, your solidarity and immediate actions at this special time for the continuation of God's mission in the land of resurrection. Please continue to pray for us.

Bishop Munib A. Younan,

The Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem

Copyright © 2000 World Faith News

Recent media coverage of conflict in Israel and Palestine includes:

Clinton Meets With Yasser Arafat—Associated Press (Nov. 9, 2000)

Palestinians say state declaration not imminent—Gulf News (Nov. 9, 2000)

Arab boy haunts army from grave—The Guardian (Nov. 9, 2000)

Songs of Arab heroism reverberate in Mideast—CNN (Nov. 9, 2000)

The Palestinians' little bombers—The National Post (Nov. 9, 2000)

Barak dangles carrot of 'Palestinian state'—The Irish Independent (Nov. 9, 2000)

Mideast violence flares on eve of Clinton meeting—USA Today (Nov. 9, 2000)

Previous Christianity Today stories include:

Latin Patriarch tells Israel to Surrender Lands to Palestinians | Catholic leader says Israel will never have peace unless it "converts all of its neighbors to friends." (Nov. 1, 2000)

West Bank Squeezed by Warring Majorities | (Nov. 16, 1998)

Temple Mount on Shaky Ground? | (April 6, 1998)

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November (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44