In a statement seen by BosNewsLife, the World Council of Churches (WCC) said that the 4-10 June week was aimed at "praying for churches living under occupation, using a special prayer from Jerusalem."
At the same time Christians in Palestinian areas have also complained of Islamic extremism. Last year the director of the Gaza Strip’s only known Christian bookstore was found dead after being abducted near his home.
Rami Khader Ayyad, 32, was found stepped and shot to death in a street of Gaza City, the territory’s main city, October 7, six months after his Teacher’s Bookshop of the Palestinian Bible Society was blown up by militants,
ORTHODOX PRIEST
Archimandrite Artemios, the Greek Orthodox priest who heads St. Porphyrius Church in Gaza City, said recently Christians face more persecution than ever. "`Never in Palestinian history did we feel endangered until now," his said in remarks published by Bloomberg news agency.
Christians, a minority of 3,000 among the Gaza Strip’s 1.2 million Muslims, are increasingly menaced by Islamic fundamentalists in this Palestinian territory and Christians say they are on the verge of being driven out, he explained. "We face the question of whether we are part of this community or not.”
However the WCC made clear that the presence of Israeli forces in several Palestinian areas also added to problems for churches. "It’s time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace; time to end 60 years of conflict; time for freedom from occupation; time for equal rights; and time for the healing of wounded souls," WCC added.
Besides prayers, the ‘witness of peace week’ will also try to “educate about actions that make for peace and about facts on the ground that do not," WCC said on its Web site. It said churches and other organizations involved in the action want to," Advocate with political leaders using ecumenical policies that promote peace with justice," and to "to stress the depth of church concern."
