Anglican bishop of Jerusalem sues Israel over visa refusal

From The Guardian-

The Anglican bishop of Jerusalem has launched legal action against the Israeli government after it refused him and his family a residency visa for the city.

The Right Reverend Suheil Dawani, who is Palestinian by birth and US educated, has been denied the visa for more than six months after anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations against him of illegal land transactions and forgery. There are suggestions the accusations may have spilled over from an internal Anglican dispute within the diocese.

A letter in Hebrew from the Israeli interior ministry accused the bishop of "acting with the Palestinian authority in transferring lands owned by the Jewish people to the Palestinians and also [helping] to register lands of the Jewish people in the name of the church".

Dawani has denied the allegations and demanded details including the names of his accusers – so far unsuccessfully. He has been told he and his wife and daughter must leave the country immediately, though the order has not been enforced.

William Hague, the British foreign secretary, and the US state department have raised the matter with the Israeli government. Dawani has been supported by Israel's chief rabbi, Shlomo Amar. Dr Rowan Williams, who as archbishop of Canterbury leads the worldwide Anglican communion, and Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, the US Episcopal church's presiding bishop, have complained to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

More here-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/04/anglican-bishop-jerusalem-sues-israel

Religious leaders urge Obama on in Middle East peace efforts

As President Barack Obama's efforts towards a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine continue, religious leaders in the region and in the US are urging him to press for a lasting peace in the Middle East.

Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders representing the US-based National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East (NILI) have written commending Obama's decision to make Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace "a high priority from the start of his presidency."

The letter was sent in anticipation of several key meetings between President Obama and Palestinian and Israeli leaders on the eve of the White House summit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The President was also in conversation with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last month (May 2009).

Hardliners on both sides are continuing to resist a two-state solution, but analysts say the momentum is moving in that direction.

"Despite the challenges and discouraging developments, there remains a window of hope to achieve both a viable two-state solution, acceptable to majorities of Israelis and Palestinians, and a final comprehensive peace between Israel and all her Arab neighbours," said the NILI leaders last month.

Following a 14-15 May 2009 peace conference at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Suheil Dawani (pictured) joined other global Christian leaders in supporting President Obama's commitment to Middle East peace issues, while calling for Gaza's borders to be opened immediately.

Chaired by former President Jimmy Carter, the conference, entitled 'Towards a New Christian Consensus: Peace with Justice in the Holy Land,' welcomed leaders from The Kairos Project, Churches for Middle East Peace, and the World Council of Churches.

Dawani was the only participant in the group from Jerusalem's Palestinian Christian community, according to a press release from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

The rest-

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9570

A statement from the Bishop of Jerusalem

From bishop Suheil Dawani (shown with the PB doing that "dueling hats" thing)

At a time when great tragedy is occurring in the Holy Land in Gaza, I want to share some insight into what we are experiencing on a moment to moment basis. Our Diocese has one of 11 hospitals serving a population of 1.5 million residents in the Gaza Strip. The Al Ahli Arab (Anglican) Hospital has been in operation for over 100 years and has a very dedicated medical staff of doctors, nurses, technicians and general services personnel.

During the best of times they are stretched to their maximum meeting the medical needs of this populous community. Now, during the current military conflict with its heavy toll on human life and material, the hospital faces even greater responsibilities and challenges. The result is growing strain on the hospital's resources. Every day since the beginning of military operations, the hospital has received 20-40 injured or wounded patients. A large proportion of them require hospitalisation and surgery. These patients are in addition to those with non-conflict-related illnesses. About one-fourth of the patients are children.

More here-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/jan/08/gaza-anglican-dawani-bishop