Hope is a flickering candle

One of the things I do here in Tiberias is offer hospitality to members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme (EAPPI) of the World Council of Churches. These are people who come from all over the world to stand as witness and to record violations of international law in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. They are here for 3 months at a time and live in community in 5 different locations in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Jordan Valley.

‘A group of ecumenical accompaniers serving from 15 April – 23 June found that the number of human rights violations keeps increasing. The most recent group of accompaniers reported 863 violations, whereas about one year ago, accompaniers reported 301 violations. This represents a 186.4% increase.’[1]

Living in community, in the heat (just now) and witnessing relentless micro aggressions and violation of International Human Rights is exhausting mentally, physically and spiritually. Visiting bereaved families is especially exhausting.

Here in Tiberias EAPPIs come for two or three days at a time and rest. Some sleep a lot, others enjoy the pool at the Scots Hotel and others visit sites around the Sea of Galilee.

Although EAPPIs serve as witnesses, who do not intervene and who are committed only to non-violent accompaniment through checkpoints or through agricultural gates or to be present at confrontations between illegal Israeli settlers and communities, they have been experiencing increased harassment themselves. Recently, access to the Old City of Jerusalem has been denied to EAPPIs wearing their distinctive khaki vest with the dove of peace on the back.

As part of their handover ceremony a candle flame is passed from the departing team to the new team.

EAPPIs witness and record and collate statistics, but more than that they sit with families and stand beside them. Although their witnessing is hard, harrowing work there is some encouragement.

“We thank you for your humanity and support to us,” said a man from the Susiya community in Massafer Yatta.

“I am really happy to see you. You are doing great work,” added a lawyer from the Arab Al-Kaabneh Bedouin community in the Jerusalem area.[2]

Although the EAPPIs reports are collated and published, it is not easy always to find them. Following EAPPI on Facebook is a good step and I have added a couple of links in footnotes here.

I want to flag an event late in September World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel – 16-23 September 2023 (Including UN International Day of Peace, 21 September). There is material on the WCC website which requires some interpretation before use in worship or prayer groups or schools.[3]

Pax Christe has produced some prayer cards incorporating a prayer by Jan Sutch Pickard which can be ordered from them or printed off.[4]

Thinking about the escalation of violence and about those who experience it and those who witness it, I have been reflecting on the meaning of hope. I think in the past I would have reckoned that hope is founded on signs of the kin-dom: love, joy, peace etc. Here, where there are few grounds for hope at the moment (though love, joy and peace can be found) I am reflecting that perhaps hope is build on vision: a prophetic, flickering candle which will not go out.

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[2] https://www.oikoumene.org/events/world-week-for-peace-in-palestine-and-israel

[3] https://www.oikoumene.org/news/ecumenical-accompaniers-see-human-rights-violations-nearly-triple-during-past-year

[4] https://paxchristi.org.uk/campaigns/israel-and-palestine/world-week-for-peace-in-pi/