Thursday, June 21, 2007 by Ryan Jones
Christians for Fair Witness on the Middle East (CFW) issued a statement this week harshly criticizing the reaction of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) to last week's military conquest of Gaza by the Hamas terrorist organization.
As Gaza fell last week before a bloody Hamas onslaught marked by widespread atrocities, CMEP issued a bland statement calling for an end to “domestic fighting” in Gaza, while at the same time taking the opportunity to demand Israel end its “occupation” of Judea and Samaria and hand over the eastern half of Jerusalem.
CFW National Director Ruth Lautt reminded her traditionally pro-Palestinian Christian peers that in just four days of internecine Gaza violence “over one hundred Palestinians were killed... people were thrown off rooftops, children witnessed the slaughter of their parents, [and] corpses were dragged triumphantly through refugee camps.”
Lautt concluded that "one would reasonably expect those who routinely complain about Israeli military actions to condemn Hamas with equal fervor.”
However, “the statement posted by CMEP seemed designed to convey a belief that the siege in Gaza was a mere diversion from fighting the ‘occupation,’” noted Fair Witness Executive Committee member Dexter Van Zile. “We believe it is irresponsible for Christian voices in the US to be silent on the extent of this brutality while seeming to attempt to focus attention on Israel.”
In addition to the general violence in Gaza last week, numerous attacks targeting local Christians and Christian institutions were reported. Those incidents were largely ignored by the Christian world.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 by Staff Writer
Palestinian police seized Baptist church during Gaza fighting
Behind the crocodile tears Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas shed after Hamas militants sacked a Catholic compound in Gaza City lies the fact that his own men similarly abused and endangered local Christians at the height of last week's civil war.
As Hamas forces advanced through Gaza City, members of the Palestinian Authority security forces loyal to Abbas demanded entrance to the Gaza Baptist Church, the only Evangelical church in the coastal strip, in order to use the place of worship as a lookout post.
Pastor Hanna Massad told the Associated Baptist Press that when he refused to open the gates, the officers forced their way in and seized control of the church. He later found that Abbas' men had stolen about $4,000 worth of computers and other electronic equipment.
International law enshrined in the Geneva Conventions forbids the use of religious sites and places of worship as military positions during an armed conflict, a stipulation that is regularly ignored in the Muslim Middle East.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 by Staff Writer
Churches ignore plight of Gaza Christians
The World Council of Churches gathered in Jordan on Monday to demand an end to Israel's “occupation” of its biblical heartland, while conspicuously forgetting to make any mention of their besieged Christian brothers and sisters who are now living under strict Islamic rule in Gaza.
Following the gathering, the Geneva-based church body that claims to represent some 560 million Christians worldwide announced the launch a global campaign to put as much pressure as possible on Israel to surrender Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Arabs.
“The initiative aims at calling on all churches to work seriously for putting an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands [sic],” read a statement released by the council.
The conference took place just days after Hamas completed its military conquest of the Gaza Strip and affiliated terror groups warned local Christians to come in line with strict Islamic religious law.
And to make sure Gaza's Christians got the point, Hamas-aligned militants sacked and burned a Catholic church and adjacent convent in Gaza City.
The World Council of Churches was completely mum on the treatment of fellow Christians by their new Hamas overlords.
