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Since 2003 Kansas City-based Citizens for Justice in the Middle East (CJME)
has educated the public about the issues involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and
seeks to
end U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
August 9, 2008 -
Popular Blog highlights Israel practice of keeping Palestinian
farmers from their fields
"Just kill me here, I want my land!"
Qalqilya North Terminal, where there's a maze of turnstiles and
fences and electronics with a grim stone pillbox looming overhead,
from which the soldiers can observe the poor souls who, having
permits to work in Israel, desperately line up in the predawn dark
to be checked through in time to meet their rides to get to work.
US Presidential Mideast
Policy - A response to Barack Obama's position on the US-Israeli
relationship
US Presidential candidate Barack Obama meets with
Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in July 2008.
On Saturday, July 19,
2008 twelve people who care deeply about our country’s place in the world
and its moral direction met to discuss Senator Obama’s Israel
platform. Among us were four Protestant ministers of various
denominations, teachers and retired teachers, business owners and
political activists.
Our recommended “corrections” to Senator Obama’s
Israel platform policy statements follow. The changes aren’t
comprehensive, but are a start towards what we consider to be a more
fair and realistic direction.
In the village of Azzoun situated
in the Qalqilya region, one army jeep and one
hummer, with 6-8 soldiers entered the village
dispensing sound bombs and teargas. (photo: ISM)
FEBRUARY
26, 2008, Azzoun, West Bank, Palestine...Our team just got tear
gassed by the army. It's our last day here and the Israeli army came
to the mosque so we went out of our house to head that way. When we
were a block from the soldiers boys threw stones from behind us so
we had to go down a side street. We were with people outside some
shops when tear gas was shot into a nearby intersection. The wind
blew it on us as three military vehicles passed by on their way to
the village gate. I'm sure they noticed us. Now we've come back into
the house. Our eyes burned and watered for a few minutes then were
ok I guess the military wanted to tell us goodbye. ... [
Read the full update on CJME's Google list ]
June 7 - Advocates for Middle
East Peace Meet with Catholic Priest
Representing both Citizens for Peace and Justice in
the Holy Land and Citizens for Justice in the Middle
East (left to right): Gary Fuchs, Ann Hayles, Abbot
Gregory Polan, Andrea Whitmore, Doug Whitmore,
Audrey Bockelman
On
Saturday, June 7, five advocates for peace with justice in Palestine
and Israel drove to Conception Abbey in Maryville, Missouri, for an
audience with Abbot Gregory. The abbot was attentive and congenial
and seemed pleased with the various books and other media we
presented for his own reading and for the Conception Abbey
community. The abbot stressed how he values his friendships in the
Jewish community (as do we all), while at the same time he is aware
of Jesus' sayings regarding the poor and the oppressed, a category
into which today's Palestinians certainly fall.
> March 4, 2008 -
Take action by
calling or writing public officials
Witness - Two Schools in Nablus (Al Jazeera news, Jan 2007) -
Unpaid teachers, crowded classes and students at risk - a normal
Palestinian school.
December 14-16 - "Tour de force"
report on "Life in Palestine"
Human rights activist Anna Baltzer
(center)
with audience members after her talk at Broadway
United Methodist Church in September 2007.
Anna delivered a "tour de force" presentation to
forty people (yes!), who came out on a snowy Saturday morning to
Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
The presentation detailed Israel's atrocities committed against
Palestinians. Many in the audience heard for the first time
about the inhumane treatment within the Palestinian territories
and were quick to ask questions about our government's support
and complicity. The founder of the Lee's Summit group,
Citizens for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land, gave a
heart-warming introduction that honored Anna's commitment to
Middle East peace.
Anna gave her "Life in
Occupied Palestine: Eyewitness Stories and Photos" presentation
to four different groups besides Holy Spirit Catholic Church
between December 14-16 -- Lawrence High School, Ecumenical
Christian Ministries in Lawrence, Saint Andrew Christian Church
in Olathe and on "Every Woman" program on KKFI-FM 90.1 radio.
$10,000 Fundraising Goal Met
for Hope
Flowers School
Ibrahim Issa is
continuing the work begun by his
father (photo: BBC News)
The October 13 major fundraising event for Hope Flowers School in
Bethlehem, Palestine held at Saint Andrew Christian Church in
Olathe, Kansas and the November 4 Sacred Concert held at
Village Presbyterian Church were both a huge success. The
current fundraising amount raised after the October 13 and November
4 concert event is
$10,000!
Our
fundraising for Hope Flowers School in Bethlehem has made friends
for the school at the same time as it's educated about the dire
situation in Bethlehem--and in Palestine in general. The fundraising
for Hope Flowers School has had support from New Song Church;
Disciples Peace Fellowship; Peace and Justice Group; Grace Convenant
Church; Saint Andrew Christian Church; Heartland Presbytery; and
many of you.
Stay tuned for a full report soon!
Second Hope Flowers kickoff
raises $1600 - August 12
Several
of the 45 dinner participants at Holy Land Cafe on
May 31
CJME
along with New Song Church held a second fundraiser dinner for Hope Flowers School in Bethlehem. We raised $1600 at the
event on August 12 at Jerusalem Bakery in Kansas City. There were
35 people attending, and we have now raised $2800 towards
the $10,000 local campaign goal in 2007. Thank you each and
everyone! If you were unable to attend the August 12 fundraiser
dinner, you can support Hope Flowers by purchasing
TSHIRTS ONLINE or signing up for the
MAJOR FUNDRAISER EVENT.
"Israel wages a policy of
deliberate destruction" - article in Kansas City Star by CJME
President (2/20/07)
Jimmy Carter's best-selling book, "Palestine: Peace,
Not Apartheid," is causing quite a stir. Those who've read the book
know that Carter writes about Palestine (as the title says), not
Israel. Palestine is the area designated by the international
community as Arab and includes the West Bank and Gaza.
Make your
plans to attend the CJME monthly business meeting on the
third Monday of every month. This meeting is open
to the public and will focus on planning future events and
activities. Come out to hear how you can work towards peace with
justice! See
calendar for details.
Make your
plans to attend the CJME monthly business meeting on the
third Monday of every month. This meeting is open
to the public and will focus on planning future events and
activities. Come out to hear how you can work towards peace with
justice! See
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