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EYEWITNESS FROM JERUSALEM |
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A WEEKLY JOURNAL WRITTEN BY SISTER MARY |
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EYEWITNESS FROM JERUSALEM |
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A WEEKLY JOURNAL WRITTEN BY SISTER MARY |
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Jerusalem Journal # 51 July 27, 2002 |
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Late
this afternoon the Middle East Council of Churches welcomed Rev. Jesse Jackson
to this land so torn apart by violence. Rev. Jackson, along with American
Catholic and Protestant clergy, Muslim religous leaders and rabbis, held a press
conference at Notre Dame Hospice in Jerusalem bringing a message of hope, a
message of reconciliation, reconstruction and peace. Rev. Jackson stated
that he knows there are groups of both Palestinians and Israelis who have been
active in the peace movement at the grass roots level. He urged them to make
more bold and direct actions for peace. Rev.
Jackson's group has a full itinerary throughout the rest of this month, meeting
with political leaders of Israelis and Palestinians, with peace activitists,
visiting with university faculties and students, visiting hospitals and refugee
camps, traveling in the West Bank to Ramallah and Bethlehem, mingling with
people and visiting the shrines and basilicas of the Christian community, then
into the Gaza strip to see first hand the suffering of the people there.
Throughout all this his message will continue to be one of hope as he and the
religious leaders traveling with him work not on behalf of any government, but
as independent religious leaders seeking to be bridge builders -- bridge
builders for a mutual recognition of our humanity and the humanity of the
"other". "Hope", as he says, "is a great weapon against
fear and despair".
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