By Mark Saludes
Manila (Philippines): Christian churches in the Philippines joined the observance of the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel. The Sept. 21-28 event was highlighted by the celebration of the International Day of Peace, an initiative of the World Council of Churches.
“Commitment to peace is an imperative of our faith and an obligation,” said Minnie Anne Calub, acting general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict started in 1948 after the establishment of the state of Israel.
In 2017, Human Rights Watch reported that from January to November of the previous year, Israeli security forces killed 62 Palestinians, including 14 children, and injured at least 3,494 others. Palestinian forces, meanwhile, killed at least 15 Israelis including 10 security officers. Rommel Linatoc, ecumenical relations director of the Council of Churches, appealed to the international community to put more pressure on Israel to engage in “more sincere peace negotiations.”
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