A delegation of black church leaders voiced concerns about conditions of Palestinians in the Holy Land following their first visit to Jerusalem at the invitation of local Christian leaders.
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(Photo: Church World Service/ Lesley Crosson)His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, told leaders from the historic Black churches in the United States, "You are the right delegation to come to talk about these problems because of what you have experienced yourselves." Pictured l-r: Rev. John L. McCullough, Church World Service; Rev. George T. Brooks, Sr., National Baptist Convention of America; Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; His Beatitude Theopolis; Bishop Louis Hunter, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; Rev. Dr. A. Wayne Johnson, National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; Rev. Dr. Charles Mock, National Baptist Convention USA.
Leaders from historic African American churches compared the situation of Palestinians in the West Bank to the inequality and injustice experienced by people of color under apartheid in South Africa and during America’s pre-civil rights era.
“I found myself tearful at times as I looked at the consequences of that wall,” said delegate member the Rev. Dr. Charles Mock of the National Baptist Convention USA in a statement on Nov. 9. “I come back with mixed emotions because I also see complacency and a lack of commitment to struggle in defense of the have-nots at home.”
Church World Service hosted the 12-member delegation of black church leaders on Oct. 27-Nov. 3. The delegation spoke to Palestinian Christian leaders about the controversial 400-mile-plus West Bank barrier being constructed by Israel which says the barrier is necessary to protect itself from Palestinian suicide bombings.
The concrete wall portion of the barrier is nearly 26 feet high and in some areas is built on Palestinian residential property and farmland.
Palestinian Christians make up the majority of the 1.5 percent Christian population in the region. The Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS Executive Director, fears that if the segregation situation continues, it will “seriously endanger continued collaboration amongst the three Abrahamic traditions” as well as threaten the existence of an already deteriorating Christian presence in the Holy Land.
"The mostly Palestinian Christian community is facing a period of intense crisis because of the expanded separation wall and restrictions on the ability of Palestinians to travel from the West Bank into Jerusalem," said McCullough, according to the group’s report. "Israeli security and defense policies also seem to unfairly infringe upon the churches, including the effective conduct of their affairs, the nurturing of their members, and the fulfillment of their ministries.”
Delegation members were asked to help bring awareness of the issue to the United States upon their return. The delegates presented the report of their findings on Nov. 9 in Orlando during a combined General Assembly of Church World Service and the National Council of Churches USA.
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