July 2, 2007

Representative of Christian churches and church related organizations all over the world met in Amman, Jordan (17-21 June 2007) at the call of the World Council of Churches to launch the "Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum." The conference convened to mark the 40th years of Israel occupation to Palestine.

According to the WCC Central Committee decision, the Forum was an instrument to "catalyze and coordinate new and existing church advocacy for peace, aimed at ending the illegal occupation in accordance with UN resolutions, and demonstrate its commitment to inter-religious action for peace and justice that serves all the peoples of the region."

The Forum as such will be a space to develop comprehensive approaches for peace building that could help in ending the occupation, strengthening and identifying new models of church solidarity in action, and develop a long-term advocacy strategy.

The MECC was represented by its General Secretary and the director of International Relations and the director of MECC Amman office who coordinated the overall preparations for the conference. The General Secretary addressed the conference at the opening session by confirming the stands of MECC of "supporting the calls of the Heads of Churches in Palestine for peace and justice, defending the right of Palestinians of self-determination, and the right of refugees return." The General Secretary expressed the MECC "deep concern about the situation of Christians in the Holy Land and urges the world to contribute effectively towards the implementation of UN resolutions which may bring peace to the Middle East region.

HRH Prince Gazi Bin Mohammad received the WCC General Secretary accompanied by the MECC General Secretary and another six WCC representatives on behalf of His Majesty King Abdullah II. They discussed the objectives of the WCC Peace Conference, and the final statement, HRH Prince Gazi fully supported the mission of the WCC.

Following an Orthodox Vesper prayer, eighty WCC participants visited the Baptism Site at the Jordan River and planted an "olive tree of peace" at the site to commemorate the occasion.

For further information contact: mecc@cyberia.net.lb, wafa_mecc@go.com.jo, http://www.wcc-coe.org/.

Middle East Council of Churches