A member of Action by Churches Together (ACT), Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) Jerusalem reports that a Joint Christian Emergency Relief Convoy
gained access to Beit Jalla, Bethlehem and Beit Sahur yesterday. The
two trucks loaded with food supplies, were accompanied by representatives
of several major international Christian agencies, including the Mennonites
and LWF Jerusalem/ACT and personnel of the French General Consulate.
Members of the Christian Accompaniment Program from Denmark and Iceland
assisted with the difficult logistics - helping make the convoy comprising
25 vehicles possible. LWF Jerusalem writes that in spite of a short
lifting of the curfew in the areas, shots were heard. "(Also), we could
hear heavy gunfire when we had our debriefing meeting in Tantur." The
curfew was re-imposed once the convoy left the areas.
In an update of its work, LWF Jerusalem writes that the convoy was
an expression of solidarity with the people living in the towns. "We
were warmly welcomed."
The food is to be distributed from central church-owned centres in
the three towns.
The next convoys are planned for Tulkarem (Wednesday 17 April) and Ramallah
(Friday 19 April). LWF Jerusalem/ACT will participate in both convoys.
ICC humanitarian
convoy delivers aid to people of Ramallah
The International Christian Committee (ICC) of the Middle East Council
of Churches' Department of Service to Palestine Refugees - a member
of ACT - reports that a three-vehicle convoy made it safely into the
West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday, April 13.
As a strict curfew is in force in Ramallah, access has been all but
impossible, according to ICC. The executive secretary of ICC, Ramzi
Zananiri, reports that they had to liaise with the military authorities
to gain access and bring humanitarian aid to the area. In total, 20,000
kg of food and water was delivered to two distribution points, St Andrew
Episcopal Hall and the Greek Catholic Church.
Referring to the mission as "modest", Mr. Zananiri writes that the
two trucks and one van were denied access at first when they approached
the Qalandia checkpoint. "Apparently, our visit had not been communicated
yet to the soldiers on duty. We waited patiently. I gave all the needed
information very politely (and in Hebrew, which certainly helped), some
telephone calls were made and then the roadblocks were removed The clearance
was confirmed. After every vehicle and all passports had been controlled,
we headed towards the churches."
Mr.
Zananiri writes that for him, the result of the shelling of the buildings
was not the only sign of destruction. Another sign was the expression
on the face of a young girl hiding behind a pole, as the convoy drove
past.
"It felt terrible to see so lively a city now totally empty - turned
into a war zone. It has become a ghost town," he writes.
He also writes that the trucks were offloaded at the last distribution
point with the help of a group of volunteers - neighbours who had sneaked
onto the grounds of the Greek Catholic Church. After offloading the
supplies, "we took our way back to Qalandia checkpoint. At one of the
main squares we bumped into another tank, machineguns were pointed at
us, and a sniper from behind, coming from a building, shouted at us.
We stopped, waited for them to come to us, waving our papers. Better
not fooling around with these soldiers, as they looked very nervous.
Again they checked and double-checked everything, and then finally we
could continue our route".
Five members of the Dutch Unified Civilians for Peace, which according
to Mr. Zananiri helped neutralise a potentially difficult situation,
accompanied the convoy. This visit was considered a test by ICC and
its success means that more can be expected from ICC in terms of emergency
relief and access to areas where strict curfews are in force.
