http://www.imemc.org/article/51397

Conference in Bethlehem on mobilizing faith communities for resistance

Friday November 09, 2007 14:56 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

The National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine together with Peace for Life organization organized a conference in Bethlehem on Friday on taking the faith communities to the front lines of resistance to end the Israeli occupation in Palestine.

Some of the audience in the conference, (Photo: IMEMC)

The conference was officially opened with a speech by the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, Dr. Khuloud Deibes, who welcomed the delegation of Peace for Life organization who come from a number of countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Puerto Rico, among them Jews, Christians and Muslims.

The morning sessions focused on Imperial designs, Vassals and the Autocracies in the Middle East, in which the relation between the United States and Israel was highlighted. In addition speakers also focused on the complexities of the Palestinian resistance in the reign of terror.

In this session, speakers stressed the need to upgrade the Palestinian nonviolent resistance and minimize the fragmentation of the Palestinian society in order to build a stronger resistance strategy. The afternoon sessions on the other hand focused on the need to take the international faith groups and communities to the front lines of resistance as one source of power.

A number of speakers highlighted and stressed the Palestinian civil society’s call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel until it abides by International law. The call was issues on the first year’s anniversary of the International Court of Justice of July 9, 2004.

The court ruled the wall illegal and demanded Israel to dismantle it and compensate the Palestinians affected by the construction and called upon all countries of the world to boycott all bodies, companies and investments that benefit from the construction of the wall in the West Bank.

Although this decision was nonbinding, it was highly effective and gave a strong basis to calls for boycott.

This is the first time the interfaith group Peace For Life held their conference in Bethlehem. The conference will be resumed in Amman for the coming three days.