Occasionally and somewhat unpredictably, readers of PINontheGo emails and followers of the EPF PIN Facebook page will find a message that we have "signed on" to a statement or letter, or endorsed a webinar or other action initiated by another group. Endorsements are upon request from the initiating group and after consideration by our Communications Workgroup or/and the Steering Committee. Endorsements can be important tools in amplifying our message to a wider audience that includes non-Episcopalians. Endorsements also help solidify the connections between EPF PIN and other denominational PINs, and with larger, umbrella religious or secular organizations pursuing justice, reconciliation and peace in Palestine and Israel.
In late May, for example, the Communications Workgroup, with the support of our Steering Committee, joined more than 60 other organizations in endorsing a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken initiated by Representative Cori Bush (1st-MO) and signed by 15 other House members. Her letter asked President Biden's senior diplomatic officer to press Israel to stop the forcible transfer of over 1,000 Palestinians from their Masafer Yatta homes in the hills south of Hebron. While this and a similar letter initiated by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley seem to have not had the desired impact, by signing the letter we gave witness to your concerns and let the influential first term Representative Bush know we have her back.
About a week earlier EPF-PIN posted a statement on our Facebook page supporting the Rev. Stephen Sizer, a priest in the Church of England who faced a religious tribunal after accusations of antisemitism made by the Board of Deputies of British Jews. We believe Rev. Dr. Sizer was targeted by the small but influential Board of Deputies because his statements and activities in support for Palestinian human rights and opposing Christian Zionism have been influential in shaping opinions. The Bishop's Tribunal in the Diocese of Winchester began on May 23 and lasted five days. The verdict may not be known immediately, and Rev. Dr. Sizer is prohibited from commenting on the process until deliberations are complete. But Mick Napier of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign provided an enlightening series of daily reports on his Facebook page which can be viewed here.
We signed on to two other late May letters initiated by Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA). The first endorsed their renewed campaign entitled FIFA: Suspend Israeli Apartheid. With the Football (Soccer) World Cup scheduled to be played later this year in Qatar, the attention of much of the world will be drawn to the matches. But as the campaign asserts, FIFA is not following its own rules when the Israel Football League (IFL) is concerned. Specifically, IFL matches are a venue for blatantly racist chants (e.g., “Death to Arabs”) and anti-Arab violence. The IFL also allows players and clubs from illegal Israeli settlements to play. At the same time, Israel restricts travel by players and coaches between Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Israeli officials also refuse permits to build stadiums and training facilities, fail to release sports equipment from customs, arrest players and tear gas sports events. During the struggle in South Africa, the boycott of rugby proved influential in bringing the Apartheid practices to an end. If you would like to sign FOSNA's message to FIFA, you can begin by endorsing the campaign here.
The second FOSNA letter we recently endorsed calls on President Biden to raise the issue of access to holy sites in Jerusalem and other locations in Israel and the West Bank. This year, tensions ran high as the observance of Passover occurred at the start of Orthodox Holy Week and the end of Ramadan. Beatings, tear gas and rubber bullets marred Muslim prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque when municipal police escorted Jewish worshippers around the Temple Mount. Christian leaders also protested when strict attendance limits were placed on the number of people who could participate in traditional Easter services. Use the link above if you would also like to sign the letter before the President's trip to Israel later this month.
EPF PIN has also used the opportunity provided by the Episcopal News Service (ENS) to publish Press Releases which we can then highlight in PIN on the Go! and our Facebook page as we did twice recently. In mid May the ENS published our press release concerning the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh outside the Jenin Refugee Camp and the intimidation and violence of the Jerusalem police as her body was being carried to the church for her funeral. In late May ENS also published a PIN press release that was critical of the House of Bishops Pastoral Letter on the Holy City of Jerusalem. While we have not sought endorsements from other denominational PINs, the Releases have been shared by email to wider audiences,
Of course, not every month offers as many endorsement opportunities as have occurred recently, but we will continue to respond to opportunities which come to us, and share them with you here and on our Facebook page.
Thanks to EPF PIN members Randy Heyn--Lamb and Priscilla Read for keeping up with out endorsements and writing and editing this report.
