from the Third Thursday for Israel/Palestine campaign
Holy Week brings pilgrims from all over the world to Jerusalem, yet Christians who live just next door to the city must get permits to worship there and may be denied entry altogether. Palestinian Christians are raising awareness about this and other issues through their April 7 “Kairos Palestine Easter Alert,” which focuses on the deep impact of the Israeli occupation on every aspect of life in Jerusalem.
Besides being a place of pilgrimage, Jerusalem is home to over 800,000 residents, 62% of whom are Jewish, 35% Muslim, and about 2% Christian. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, having unilaterally annexed the eastern portions of the city following the 1967 war in a move not recognized by the international community, including the United States. However, even as the final status of Jerusalem remains officially undetermined–awaiting a negotiated peace agreement– the facts on the ground continue to change in such a way that Palestinians are increasingly deprived of basic human rights.
Take a step for peace today: Contact your elected officials and ask them to support a shared Jerusalem where the rights of all are respected. Ask them to insist on a halt to home and property demolitions, an end to settlement expansion, fair residency laws, and freedom of movement for education, worship and all aspects of daily life.