Activist slams Churches' silence on Palestine

Quiet pulpits

Human rights and political activist Rifat Odeh Kassis is in the City for two days to share his community’s views on the suffering Palestinians have been subjected to, and the steps Christian organisations across the world need to take.

He said Christian organisations and Churches across the world must break their silence and take a stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Kassis said he was against any theology that legitimised military occupation. “Military occupation of our land is a sin against God and humanity,” he said. “Christian theology is a theology of love and solidarity.”

At a seminar organised by the United Theological College here, Kassis spoke about the ‘Kairos Palestine’ document that sets out the views of the Palestinian Christians about what is happening back home. The document prepared by the patriarchs and heads of various Churches in Jerusalem was released on December 11, 2009. It calls upon the international community and world Churches to accelerate the peace process in the Middle East.

He said there was a need for the Churches to revisit their theology that had been ignoring the Palestinian Christians. He recalled several meetings with Christians from Europe who are unaware of the Christian community’s existence in Palestine from the times of Christ. “Revisit your theology and find a place for us in it,” he said.

Racist laws

Kassis pointed out that in recent times, nearly 4,600 Palestinians had lost their residence permit in Jerusalem. “The residence permit law in Jerusalem is one of the most racist laws in the world. A Palestinian can lose his residence permit if his ‘central life’ is not in Jerusalem,” he says.

For example, someone who lives in Jerusalem but works in Bethlehem can lose his residence permit any time, he said. He adds that many from the Palestine region have not been able to visit Jerusalem, even though they live just a few minutes away from the city. He cited the example of his 26-year-old son, who has been all over Europe and Latin America, but has not been able to step foot in Jerusalem because of his political activities.