Feb 22nd, 2024

On Wednesday, February 21, a delegation from the Palestinian Christian initiative - Kairos Palestine met with the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay and his accompanying delegation to Palestine. During the meeting, Kairos Palestine delegation emphasized the prevailing conditions in Gaza and the West Bank and drew attention to the genocidal and ethnic cleansing war to which our Palestinian people are exposed and its dangers to the Palestinian existence in general and the Christian existence in particular. The delegation asked the General Secretary to work more in favor of the Palestinian rights.

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٣ حزيران ٢٠٢٣

بمناسبة عيد ميلاده التسعون وتكريما لفكره وعمله ومواقفه العادلة من احل السلام والعدالة للشعب الفلسطيني نظمت المبادرة المسيحية الفلسطينية وقفة حق / كايروس فلسطين ندوة حوارية مع غبطة البطريرك ميشيل صباح بطريرك الشعب يوم الجمعة ٣ حزيران ٢٠٢٣ في جامعة دار الكلمة في بيت لحم.

شاهد الندوة الحوارية كاملة 

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June 3rd, 2023

On the occasion of his 90th birthday and in recognition of his ideas, work, and just positions in the pursuit of peace and justice for the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Christian Initiative “ Kairos Palestine” organized a dialogue seminar with His Beatitude Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah, former Patriarch of Jerusalem on June 3rd, 2023 at Dar Alkalimah University in Bethlehem. 

Read the article on the dialogue seminar in English

2022 marks the 13 year anniversary of the launch of the Kairos Palestine document. Therefore an international conference will be held in Beit Sahour at the Golden Park Hotel on Friday November 18th, 2022. This year’s conference topic is “ The people, The Church and resisting occupation”. This year’s conference is of great importance as it commemorates the work of the past 13 years and discusses the approach of future work for Kairos Palestine and Global Kairos for Justice Coalition.

September 3, 2022 

"We Palestinian Christians in the USA and supporters write now with an urgent plea to all assembled churches and representatives to take courageous action now to achieve peace with justice and equality and dignity for all people in the Holy Land, from the river to the sea..."

Read the full statement

September 12th, 2022 The WCC assembly in Karlsruhe has just ended. A strong conflict there concerned the suppression of the voice of the Palestinians. The Kairos Palestine Solidarity Network in Germany, through this Open Letter, protests against the actions of the Protestant Church In Germany/EKD, which played an inglorious role in this suppression. We offer, below, a detailed report of the Palestine/Israel related events at the Assembly...

Read the full open protest letter

We, the participants of the conference on “Embracing Solidarities through Sharing Stories of Struggles to Resist Empires”, a four day consultation organized by Global Kairos for Asia Pacific Palestine Solidarity (GKAPPS) in collaboration with the Academy for Contextual Theologies in Taiwan (ACTT), from April 27 to 30, 2022, seek to express our radical solidarity with the people in Palestine in their struggles to overcome the decades-long colonial/apartheid regime that deprives them of their fundamental human rights, including the right to life.

Read the full conference statement

July 20th, 2021

On Sunday July 18th, 2021, The United Church of Christ “Special Edition” General Synod approved a resolution decrying oppression of Palestinian people. The resolution calls on the General Synod to adopt a Declaration on the Requirements for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel articulating the principles that must be in place and honored in any future just and peaceful relationship between Israel and Palestine. 

Read the full article 

Read the General Synod full resolution

Read the General Synod full resolution in French

Read the General Synod full resolution in Dutch

Read the General Synod full resolution in German

We pray that the world will come together to fight the pandemic and then face all the other pandemics —especially racism, hatred, injustice, occupation, oppression, and degradation of human dignity.

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In spite of initiatives to criminalize the 2005 Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS, the movement for justice and equality continues to grow. To further pressure on Israel to end its 72 years of injustice and oppression, Global Kairos for Justice has launched an online BDS Toolkit “Resisting Apartheid & Racism.”

View Full Article on Mondoweiss

Launching Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah film in Arabic "بطريرك الشعب – محطات مع البطريرك ميشيل صبّاح" / "The people's Patriarch - milestones with Patriarch Michel Sabbah"

On Dec. 12th, 2020 and during a virtual launching event on zoom organized by Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center and with the participation of AL- Liqa' Center for Religious and Heritage Studies in the Holy Land, Youth of Jesus Homeland – Palestine (YJHP), Kairos Palestine and many Palestinian national, religious and academic figures in the diaspora and the homeland , "The people's Patriarch" film was launched. The film is a modest contribution made for the aim of honoring Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah and to shed light on some of the important milestones in his life, his thoughts and his passion with the consolidation of love, justice, and peace. The release of the film aimed to celebrate the person and heir of Patriarch Michel Sabbah and document his pioneering role in defending the Palestinian people, based on his Christian faith and spiritual message. The film was directed by Mr Mohammad Al Attar and produced by Dr Lily Habash.

You can watch the film on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gV9l_rWd7c&t=1329s

Israel’s military occupation of Palestine continues in its 53rd year. In particular, Palestinians in Gaza are suffering under a callous siege. The U.S. administration has withdrawn aid for Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem and for the United Nations’ humanitarian work in the occupied Palestinian territory.

America Magazine: Read more...

We are happy to announce that yesterday Nov. 5th, 2020 Kairos Palestine signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Federation of Chile to Join the Global Kairos for Justice Coalition.

In a decisive document released earlier this month, Palestinian Christians insist that churches around the world bring their influence to what is happening in the cradle of Christianity, urging, “We cannot serve God while remaining silent about the oppression of the Palestinians.”  Global Kairos for Justice, a community of human rights advocates—Palestinian Christians, their friends and supporters around the world—released “Cry for Hope: A Decisive Call for Action,” asking Christian supporters to sign onto the pledge and take actions to end Israel’s occupation, including boycotts against Israel.

2019 marks the 10 year anniversary of the launch of the Kairos Palestine document. Therefore an international conference will be held in Bethlehem in Dar Al Kalima University College on November 29th, 2019 that is also the international solidarity day with the Palestinian people. This year’s conference topic is “ 10 years of Kairos, Past present and future.” This year’s conference is of great importance as it commemorates the work of the past 10 years and discuss the approach of future work. it also serves as a space for the international friends and partners to re-strengthen as well as to exchange achievements, strategies, and campaigns.

To register for our conference: http://atg.ps/register/

Sabeel 1^st International Gathering

December 2^nd - 7^th December 2019

A Gathering of both local and international individuals to learn about different Palestinian theological Centers and movements that have evolved in relation to Palestine realities.   

The gathering will include mini conferences of the respectable organizations ( Al-Liqa, Bethlehem Bible College, Dar al-Kailma, Kairos Palestine, and Sabeel)  

In addition to the local theological movements and organizations the schedule will include exposure trips and workshops with over 30 organizations in Palestine and Israel who are working for Justice and peace

For more information click here or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here to view Conference Program

A Kairos Palestine delegation visited South Africa for a week. The delegation was: Father Jamal Khader, Mr. Rifat Kassis and Ms. Muna Nassar. The delegation met with many Christian and Islamic leaders, leaders of some churches, the Palestinian ambassador, the staff of the Palestinian embassy and representatives of different ministries, official institutions and political parties, including representatives of the ANC and many civil society groups, pro-Palestinian groups and representatives of the South African Resistance. The Kairos delegation stressed the need to strengthen the awareness of churches and civil society about the plight of the Palestinian people as a result of the Israeli occupation and the Apartheid regime imposed by the occupation on us wherever they are as the South African community has suffered apartheid, racism and oppression for many decades. The delegation also met former South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

For the first time, a delegation from the Palestinian Christian Initiative -Kairos Palestine - conducted a two-day solidarity visit to the Gaza Strip on March 6 and 7, 2018. The delegation was headed by HB Patriarch Michel Sabbah and included Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb and Father Dr. Jamal Khader.

As a student back in the seventies, it took a while for Rifat Kassis to come to terms with being both a good Christian, and a Palestinian living under occupation. His call to become a reverend in the Lutheran Church in Palestine brought him to Germany to study theology 40 years ago. But his enthusiasm quickly faded when he realized the discrepancies between his own faith and the realities in his home country. Without any guidance or support from clergy, he felt he could not finish the studies, so he returned home and became politically active instead.

The past weeks haven been weeks of a lot of lobbying and advocating all around the world. Kairos Palestine is proud and thankful of its partners all around the world, who share our Call for a Just Peace and creative resistance against the illegal Israeli occupation. Clearly, the ongoing achievements of the worldwide Christian movement for Palestine can be seen as a success in countering increasing hegemonic and heavily biased narratives and attacks from the Israeli government and its worldwide lobby institutions. The BDS-resolutions in so many churches clearly give a signal to the world, that it is not right, neither morally nor legally, to occupy land and oppress the people living in it. With concrete actions like that of the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Universalists or the UCC South Africa and the Quakers, Baptists and United Church of Christ last year, we show the world that we all have a responsibility to work and campaign for justice and peace, not only in Palestine, but everywhere where life in dignity is endangered!

The Kairos Palestine document, a theological-political analysis of Palestinian Christians of their situation and a cry for solidarity from the churches of the world, contains a double-strategy which is a special contribution from the churches to the economic advocacy work for a just peace in Israel/Palestine.

Palestinians from the Westbank are banned from entering Jerusalem during the Holy Week, including Good Friday. We are very sorry for all who could not come to our Prayer for Peace, the launching event for this years Easter Alert. We were thinking of you and want to share some pictures! Patriarch emerit. Michel Sabbah during his homily: Jesus told us, "In the world you will have hardship; but be courageous. I have conquered the world" (Jn16: 33). We pray and we believe that God will hear us, and He will triumph upon evil.

As part of the World Council of Churches campaign – Thirst for Justice, Kairos Palestine has contributed in writing a piece that reflects the Kairos spirit and perspective on this issue.

Over the past weekend, many friends expressed concern and condemnation over the detention of Palestinian Archbishop Theodosios Attallah Hanna. His Eminence is fully aware of the risks incurred as he continues to resist the occupation and aggression of his people, but insists on living his Kairos calling

May God bless his soul. Kairos Palestine is deeply saddened by the loss of one of its authors and a pillar in Interfaith relations. Born in Fassouta (in the Upper Galilee), Israel in 1952, Ph.D. in Philosophy and Theology, he served as the director of Al Liqa Center for Religious and Heritage Studies in the Holy Land. At present, he was also Dean of the Theological Department at Mar Elias Educational Institutions. Dr. Geries Khoury passed away Wednesday, 03. February 2016 during a visit to the Vatican in Rome. Our hearts and blessings are with his family. May he rest in peace.

On January 20, 2016 Kairos Palestine in joint collaboration with Sabeel has held a Clergy Seminar in Tabgha – Tiberias under the title 'Towards developing a Palestinian-Christian Ecumenical Discourse’ in the spirit of the Kairos Palestine Document.

May 30, 2015
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ I send very warm greetings from Cape Town to you all. Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag is a special organization that occupies a special place in this old man’s heart. It has played an exemplary and prophetic role in gently nudging modern Germany, with its powerful economy, towards using its power actively and compassionately for justice. I remember how, in the 1980s, you struggled with your consciences over taking “a clear stand” against apartheid – and ultimately acted on your impulse to do the right thing, closing your accounts at Deutsche Bank over its dealings with South Africa. Thank you.

We, members of the Kairos Palestine Movement, write from Palestine to express our thanks and appreciation for your solidarity, and the solidarity of all South Africans, with our people, with our struggle, with our quest for liberation and freedom. We follow all solidarity initiatives conducted by our sisters and brothers in South Africa with great admiration and inspiration.

An influential document full of hopes and aspirations, having received worldwide acclaim for highlighting the struggle of Palestinians against oppressive Israeli occupation, continues to seek a future after its fifth anniversary was celebrated in December last year.

December 01, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBhFF8V2_J4

Kairos Palestine-co-author Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb presents seven things you never knew about Palestine and the Palestinian Christians at the Greenbelt Festival in 2014.

The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, including Bishop Munib Younan, have visited the Islamic Waqf and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem to show the solidarity of the churches and Christianity with Islam here in the Holy Land. (Photo by Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land)

On the 7th of November 2014, Kairos Palestine committee met to discuss the celebration of the 5th Anniversary and the International conference  entitled " Life with Dignity" that will take place in Bethlehem from the 2nd till 4th of December 2014. The committee ensured the continuity and the  role of Kairos Palestine in promoting a just peace.

Kairos Palestine organized its second seminar in the series of Kairos: Challenges and Responsibilities of Palestinian women today. The format adopted was open dialogue with Minister of Women’s Affairs Rabiha Diab, Mayor Vera Baboun, Dima Samman, The Higher Education Ministry, May Amireh, Head of the YWCA Vocational School and Suraida Hassan General Coordinator of the Technical Affairs Committee. Topics pertained to the present status of women and current laws ensuring rights, the flaws and challenges of education in a pluralistic society and the concept of true citizenship. About 30 participants gained deeper insight about the importance of individual and communal active participation in the building of a nation. The road is long but possible.

Yasmine Khoury and Nora Carmi led a bus load of women from Wiam, Arab Educational Institute and Dar a Nadwa on a field trip to Birzeit where they listened to Dr.Samia Butmeh’s lecture on”Women and the Boycott campaign. At the Roman Catholic Parish, they were received by Father Louis Hazboun and groups of women from St. Vincent of Paul and The Committee for the Elderly. Several people signed the Kairos Document before taking a quick but meaningful tour in the three museums established at the Convent. There was much exchange and laughter over lunch before touring the old city and participating in the opening of the annual Rozana Festival.

Between 8th- 20th May 2014, Nora Carmi was in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada upon the invitation of Canadian Friends of Sabeel and the Women Missionary Society (Presbyterian Women).  She updated the Kairos Ecumenical Forum on the political and church developments in Palestine with a special focus on the local and international challenges and responsibilities of Kairos Palestine.

The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches invited member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations around the world to join together  during 21-27 September 2014, for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. The theme of the week  was “ Let my people go!”

Church of Sweden appreciates government’s recognition of Palestine: Erik Lysén, head of the international policy unit at the Church of Sweden, a member church of the World Council of Churches (WCC), has called the recognition of Palestine an important step towards the peace process.

Read more: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/svenska_kyrkan/pressreleases/recognition-of...

Father Issa Musleh, spokesperson of the Christian Orthodox Church in occupied Jerusalem, said the Israeli law is the true form of “divide and conquer”, adding that it is part of many Israeli attempts which have been rejected by the Church. An example of this is the draft law to recruit Arab Palestinian Christians in Israel, to join the Israeli military, as part of the attempts to create internal tension and divisions among Palestinian Christians themselves, and to create conflicts between Muslim and Christian Arabs and Palestinians.

Read more: http://www.imemc.org/index.php/69248?redirect=article/69248

The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches has initiated a petition to be presented to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for justice for Palestinians illegally imprisoned in Israeli jails:

September 12, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peSsc-vRkjQ

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On behalf of all Christians in Palestine, we wish to extend our warmest gratitude and solidarity for your decision to divest from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions, three companies that profit from Israel’s illegal military occupation.Your resolution on this matter is thoughtful, thorough, and well-reasoned, born of many deep discussions and debates with your constituencies and with the companies themselves.

On July 3rd, 2014, the Swiss Kairos Palestine - petition was officially presented to the church leaders in Switzerland at the event "Thousand voices for Palestine". The presentation took place in Bern, Rifat Kassis and Martha Tonsern from Bethlehem were attending.

July 01, 2013
Four United Methodist conferences (New England, Minnesota, Pacific Northwest and Upper New York) voted this month to divest or have their funds divested from companies involved with Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land. They join five other conferences (West Ohio, New York, Northern Illinois, California Nevada and California Pacific) that had already taken similar action.

The following statement was released by the Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Council (PHROC) a coalition comprised of the Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association, Aldameer Association for Human Rights, Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Defence for Children International – Palestine Section, Ensan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, Hurryyat – Centre for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights, Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights, Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies, Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling, The Palestinian Center for Human Rights.

As the Presbyterian Church USA holds its 2014 general assembly in Detroit from 14-21 June, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town Desmond Tutu has issued this call on delegates to vote in favor of divestment from companies that assist “apartheid” Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian people:

May 09, 2014
'Price tag, King David is for the Jews, Jesus is garbage' graffiti found on wall adjacent to Roman Church, just a day after Vatican urges Israel to secure Christian sites.

As the international community observes Palestinian Prisoners Day on 17 April, the World Council of Churches resolutely confirms our solidarity with the nearly 5000 Palestinian men, women and children languishing in Israeli prisons. As people of faith, we are called to pray for, visit and tend to the needs of all prisoners, no matter the reason for their detention. For Israel and Palestine, prisoners have taken on even greater significance than in the past.

Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, "Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true." Then Jesus had his disciples bring him a colt, and they threw their cloaks over it for him to ride. The news of his arrival rippled through the city, and crowds poured out onto the road to see him.

On Monday, February 24th, Israel’s Knesset passed a controversial new bill that will create a legal distinction between Muslim and Christian Arabs, categorizing them as “non-Arabs,” a separate minority, writes Claire Matsunami for Palestine Monitor.

October 31, 2013

Between 28th of October and 8th of November 2013, Kairos Palestine under the umbrella of National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine (NCCOP) participates at the World Council of Churches 10th Assembly. This year, the theme of the assembly is “God of life, lead us to justice and peace”. Kairos Palestine is part of the Palestinian Christian booth at the Madang. Come to visit us!

August 31, 2013
A call for action for peace and justice in the Middle East, issued by the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI), on behalf of the two organizations: East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine.

August 22, 2013
By Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre

Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custodian of the Holy Land and head of the Franciscan Order in Israel, wrote a letter to Israeli President Shimon Peres, published by Haaretz on 27 February 2013, asking him to intervene in to stop incidents of vandalism against Christians in Jerusalem.

August 16, 2013
By Suheir Azzouni for The Oslo Times

Last month, my family and I went back home to Palestine for summer vacation. Five days into the vacation, the Israeli Ministry of Interior (MoI) handed us documents expelling us from our country, leaving us to face statelessness and exile.

August 16, 2013
Written by: Mohammed Al-Sammak; translated by: Khalil J. Fawadleh

In her book entitled Prophecy and Politics: The Secret Alliance Between Israel and the U.S. Christian Right, the American writer, Grace Halsell, who used to write the political speeches for the late US President Lyndon Johnson, recounts the story of her visit to the Palestinian city of Nazareth – a visit she made along with a delegation of American Christians who made a tour of holy Christian places in Israel.

June 10, 2013
By Asa Winstanley for The Electronic Intifada

Reports on Saturday’s fourth national Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions conference in Bethlehem tended to focus on the shaming of Palestinian Authority minister Jawad Naji (including my own initial one). But the conference itself was a bigger story.

May 20, 2013

By Stuart Littlewood for Salem-News.com

(LONDON) - While the Jewish State was putting its finishing touches to Operation Cast Lead (the horrific blitzkrieg launched over Christmas-New Year 2008/9 against Gaza's civilians, including the Christian community there), the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, joined Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in a visit to the former Nazi camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau to demonstrate their joint solidarity against the extremes of hostility and genocide.

April 26, 2013

The Israeli Special Appeals Committee for land seizure under emergency law released its verdict last Wednesday 24/04/2013, in the case of the Cremisan Valley against the separation wall. The verdict ruled in favor of the proposed second route which leaves the convent on the Palestinian side of the wall. With this decision the appeals submitted by Advocate Ghayyath Nasser who represented the land owners in the Cremisan Valley and the lawyer of the Society of St. Yves, Advocate Manal Hazzan-Abu Sinni, who represented the nuns of the Salesian Convent, were all together rejected. The decision came out two months after the final hearing on 12th of February and after seven years of proceedings.

April 09, 2013

By Stephanie Westbrook for The Electronic Intifada

Whenever calls are made to ban goods from illegal settlements in the West Bank, Israel’s standard response is that sanctions of that nature would have an adverse effect on Palestinian workers.

April 05, 2013

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) – Residents organized a sit-in on Thursday in front of the Red Cross encouraging detainees on hunger strike and in solidarity with the loss of detainee Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh.

Jerusalem figures and families of detainees participated in the demonstration.

March 29, 2013

Israel has issued fewer permits to Palestinian Christians wishing to visit Jerusalem on the holiest event on the Christian calendar, writes Lena Odgaard for Al-Monitor.

March 21, 2013

The majority of children are detained from their West Bank homes during the middle of the night by heavily armed Israeli soldiers. Several hours after their arrest, children arrive at an interrogation and detention center alone, sleep deprived and often bruised and scared. Interrogations tend to be coercive, including a variety of verbal abuse, threats and physical violence that ultimately result in a confession, writes Rifat Kassis for The Hill's Congress Blog.

March 12, 2013

I suggest that as U.S. President Barack Obama enters Bethlehem, from Jerusalem I presume, that he takes a look to his right, and he will see the Separation Wall. It is hard to miss. It is that ugly concrete structure that gives you the impression that you are inside a big prison. I am sure the president will notice how the Wall is killing life in Bethlehem, cutting deep into our neighborhoods, writes Munther Isaac.

January 23, 2013

Recently the UN voted to extend to the Palestinian people observer status in the United Nations. This vote has moved the process forward in some small way towards a just solution to the Palestinian issue, writes Randolf Turner for Peace for Life.