Over 100 US Congregations Reflect on Plight of Palestinian Christians, Rebuking Administration’s Christian Zionism
Less than two weeks after Mike Pompeo visited a museum in Jerusalem honoring Christian Zionism, more than 115 U.S. Christian congregations representing 10 of the largest Protestant denominations and the Catholic church preached on the plight of Palestinian Christians and Muslims living under Israeli occupation.
Organized by Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), which supports the work of the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, the “Keep Awake” campaign called on Christian congregations throughout the U.S. and the world to “Preach Palestine,” and reflect on how their parishioners can support peace and justice in the Holy Land.
The effort, planned for November 29 to mark the first day of Advent and the U.N. Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, took on political significance in light of Pompeo’s visit.
Church and Mosque in Jerusalem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
“We had a lot of churches commit to participate after they heard Pompeo’s anti-Palestinian rhetoric,” said Rochelle Watson, FOSNA’s National Organizer, adding “It was clearly important to them to say, ‘He doesn’t speak for us. We have a more just message,’ and they are saying that from the pulpit.”
Palestinian Human rights attorney and Evangelical, Jonathan Kuttab, said, “As Pompeo is courting Christians in hopes of a 2024 Presidential run, it’s heartening to see churches take a principled position against politicians who try to use the Bible for a nationalist, right-wing agenda.”
Rifat Kassis, a leader of the Palestinian Christian organization, Kairos Palestine, was also appreciative of the effort, saying, “We are thankful to FOSNA for inviting American Churches to incorporate Palestine in elements of worship because we believe churches have the ethical strength, weight, and credibility to side with truth and justice.”
FOSNA has kept its resource online so more pastors and congregations can “Preach Palestine” throughout the Advent season. Fosna.org/keepawake
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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