WCC Joins Calls for Calm in Jerusalem

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is urging Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters to put aside violence in favor of dialogue and understanding.
Rev. Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of WCC, expressed the concern of the global ecumenical fellowship of churches over the worsening situation.He also linked it to the threat of eviction many residents face in the Palestinian community of Sheikh Jarrah.Rev. Sauca expressed “deep distress at the plight of the Palestinian families of Sheikh Jarrah and at the unrest and violence that has ensued.”He added that the correct response should be “not more violence, but compassion and justice for the Palestinian people affected by this unfair and unjust situation.”
The WCC has been assisting the district’s residents in their drawn-out court battle to keep their homes, which began in 2008.Through its Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Israel and Palestine, the WCC has even attended court hearings in support of families facing eviction.