Israeli Soldiers Overrun Lutheran School of Hope, Ramallah

CHICAGO (ELCA) Israeli Defense Force soldiers "invaded" the Lutheran School of Hope, Ramallah, West Bank, April 16 at 11:35 a.m. local time. The school is operated by Lutheran Church of Hope, one of six congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine) (ELCJ).
"Despite signs indicating the building is a Christian school, the soldiers blasted open gates and the front door and entered the school," according to a news release the ELCJ issued April 16. No students, teachers, staff or guards were present in the school at the time. The school had been empty for more than two weeks.
The incursion continued in the afternoon, despite the efforts of the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the ELCJ, the release said.
Bishop Younan "called many people in the Israeli government and military, as well as foreign diplomats and partner churches, in an effort to stop the incursion as soon as possible," the ELCJ release said.
The Rev. Ramez Ansara, pastor of Lutheran Church of Hope and school, "lives only a short distance away but is unable to go to the school because of the curfew," said the release. The whole city of Ramallah is under a 24-hour curfew, "so neighbors could only watch the soldiers' actions and telephone the pastor." Neighbors also reported "the sound of guns and sledgehammers being used inside the Lutheran school, and hearing glass being broken."
"Bishop Younan and the Lutheran church denounce such acts and demand that the international community and the State of Israel secure the protection and the sanctity of church compounds and properties, including schools," the release said.
"It seems that this is not a war against terrorism," Younan said. "This seems to be a war against the hope and the future of the Palestinian people. We demand that every institution that gives hope to the Palestinians must be protected and strengthened. We also demand full withdrawal of the Israeli army from the re-occupied territories in order that the Palestinian society may operate in the normal way like other societies in the world, and that children and youth may go again to school and university and revive the remaining hope in them."

LWF DELIVERS FOOD TO WEST BANK
Staff of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Jerusalem reported that a convoy, made up of two trucks loaded with food supplies, gained access into Bethlehem, Beit Jalla and Beit Sahur April 15. The trucks were accompanied by representatives of several major international Christian agencies including LWF.
The convoy was "an expression of solidarity with the people living in the towns," according to an update Action by Churches Together (ACT) issued April 15. The people "warmly welcomed" the convoy, according to ACT and LWF. Food was distributed from "central church-owned centers" in the three towns. Convoys are planned for Tulkarem, West Bank, April 17 and Ramallah, West Bank, April 19. LWF and ACT will participate in both convoys.
LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947, the LWF now has 133 member churches in 73 countries representing 60.2 million of the world's nearly 64 million Lutherans.
The LWF, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a member of ACT -- a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the LWF. The ELCA is a member of the LWF and the WCC.

** The Rev. Mary E. Jensen is communication assistant for the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine).

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html