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EAPPI supports Palestinians and
Israelis working for peace by monitoring and reporting violations
of human rights and international humanitarian law, offering
protection by accompanying local communities in daily activities,
and by advocating with churches for a peaceful end to the
Occupation. The programme, which began in 2002, is coordinated by
the World Council of Churches (WCC).
The WCC is a fellowship of 348 churches, in more than 100
countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. Its office is in Geneva, Switzerland.
A member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical
Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) was
attacked by a woman settler in the Tel Rumeida district of Hebron
on Friday, 23 June.
Whilst in the area of the Cordoba school, where Christian
volunteers accompany children to school, Duduzile Masango, a
South African ecumenical accompanier was attacked by an elderly
settler woman, who pulled a towel tightly around her head.
It is not known if the woman intended to suffocate her, but the
accompanier had difficulty breathing. Stones were also thrown at
Masango and four other internationals who were with her. The
incident left her shaken, although she did not need to receive
medical treatment.
Although a soldier was standing next to the group of volunteers,
he did not act to stop the attack. After the incident, members of
the international solidarity movement and the Tel Rumeida project
who had witnessed the incident filed a complaint with the police.
However, Masango was told by the police that they did not believe
her testimony.
Rifat Kassis, EAPPI international programme coordinator, stated:
"This is just one in a long line of incidents targeting
internationals in Hebron. The WCC continues to advocate that all
settlers in Hebron be withdrawn and settler-occupied properties
be returned to their Palestinian owners. A letter was sent to the
Israeli ambassador in Switzerland in April, following similar
incidents. It requested appropriate actions by the Israeli
authorities and law enforcement agencies to stop this behaviour
toward Palestinians and internationals. The WCC has so far
received no response."
On 1 April, a Swiss lawyer was stoned by a young Israeli settler
in the same Hebron district, and on 20 April still in Tel Rumeida,
a German social worker and a Norwegian sociologist were attacked
by some 15 young settlers. The Swiss lawyer needed seven stitches
for a head wound as a result.
In both cases, the Christian volunteers were escorting
Palestinian pupils of the Cordoba Girls School to protect them
from harassment by settlers. The WCC presented a formal protest
to the Israeli ambassador in Switzerland over these two incidents
on 25 April.
A team of four ecumenical accompaniers escort Palestinian pupils
of the Cordoba School to protect them from harassment by Israeli
settlers. The school is situated opposite the Beit Hadassah
settlement. Its pupils and teachers are frequent targets of
stone-throwing, kicking and spitting by the settlers.
Coordinated by the WCC, the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in
Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) began in 2002, and has deployed
nearly 300 accompaniers from 14 countries. Its purpose is to
support Palestinians and Israelis working for peace by monitoring
and reporting violations of human rights and international
humanitarian law, offering protection by accompanying local
communities in daily activities, and by advocating with churches
for a peaceful end to the occupation.
See also the 26 April 2006 press release referring to the earlier
attacks and the WCC protest:
http://www.oikoumene.org/wcc-protests-israeli-sett.html
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
website:
http://www.eappi.org
The WCC and Palestine/Israel:
http://wcc-coe.org/regconcerns-palestine-israel.html
Contact:
WCC Media Relations Office, tel: +41 (0) 22 791 6421/6153,
e-mail: media@wcc-coe.org.
In Jerusalem, tel: +972 (0) 2 628-9402 / +972 (0) 54 737-9766,
e-mail eappi-co@jrol.com.
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