The international human rights community agrees: 

Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people amounts to apartheid. 

In the first two months of 2023, we have seen the current Israeli regime horrifically doubling down on the brutal oppression of Palestinians. World powers are doing nothing to curb this frightening escalation.

Nevertheless, citizens of the world are standing up to expose and reject Israeli apartheid and to put their words of opposition into action. Apartheid-Free Communities (AFC) is a bold new campaign being organized this year by many faith-based and civil society partners.

In this webinar, we will learn from an exceptional panel the inescapable reality of Israeli apartheid and how it works today, both inside Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

We will also learn about concrete steps we can take now to become part of the solution.

Read on to learn more about our speakers.

Join us for this unique briefing on current apartheid realities in Palestine/Israel and the newly emerging collective action to reject and dismantle Israel apartheid.

OUR SPEAKERS

New webinar speaker! Omar Shakir, author of the groundbreaking Human Rights Watch report on Israeli apartheid.

AIDA TOUMA-SLIMAN has been a Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset since 2015, representing the political party Hadash-Ta'al. She has chaired the Knesset's Standing Committee on Women and Gender Equality. Aida is a leading activist for feminist causes and the founder and past head of the Arab feminist group, Women Against Violence. Born in Nazareth, Touma-Sliman was previously the editor in chief of the newspaper Al-Ittihad. She is frequently featured in reporting by news outlets around the world.

DOV BAUM is the director of Economic Activism Program at American Friends Service Commitee (AFSC). She is an Israeli citizen who refused to do mandatory service in the Israeli military. Dov is also a feminist activist and scholar who has taught about militarism and the global economy from a feminist perspective in Israeli and U.S. universities. She co-founded Who Profits from the Occupation and the Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel, and she has been active with numerous groups in the Israeli anti-occupation and democracy movement, including Boycott from Within, Zochrot, and Women in Black. 

UNITED METHODISTS IN PALESTINE

United Methodist leaders report on first-hand experiences with Israeli apartheid and Palestinian resilience in the Holy Land

Palestinian Christians have long called to us to "Come and See, Go and Tell" the stark reality of Palestine today, to dispel the world's grievous misconceptions and mobilize the global church to be effective justice-seekers and peace-builders. 

United Methodists are answering that call with prophetic truth-telling.

In November 2022, United Methodist leaders – representing the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) and the General Commission on Religion & Race (GCORR), as well as United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR) – attended the international gathering convened by the Palestinian Christian movement Kairos Palestine, in Bethlehem, Palestine. They also visited a dozen or more Palestinian communities and projects during their intensive fact-finding mission.

On January 11th, they will bring us their reports and their personal insights as well as the urgent message they were tasked to carry home by our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

Hear about first-time experiences with an apartheid regime and firsthand impressions of the powerful matrix of control throughout Israel/Palestine. 

Learn of the ongoing work and the current conditions at United Methodist-supported Advance projects and key Palestinian communities including: Wi'am, the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center; Holy Land Trust, the center for nonviolent activism; the courageous village of Wadi Foquin; Tent of Nations, the Nassar family's remarkable peace project; the oft-besieged Aida refugee camp; the six Palestinian organizations under attack by the Israeli government, and more.

Hear their thoughts on what United Methodists – and all people of faith and people of conscience – are called to do today in the face of escalating oppression in the Holy Land that continues to impact the entire world.

These United Methodist ambassadors report that, far from having a discouraging experience, they found themselves immersed in Palestinian hospitality, hope, and resilience. 

On January 11th, United Methodists throughout the Connection are invited to share in the fascinating experience of these church leaders' journey in Palestine and to engage in a lively Q&A following the main program. 

 OUR SPEAKERS

 HOLLY METCALF is the Peace with Justice Director at the UMC General Board of Church and Society, with responsibility for advocacy efforts on peacebuilding, conflict resolution, disarmament and nonproliferation, and gun violence prevention. Before joining the GBCS staff, Holly was a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department, working on human rights, religious freedom, and refugee issues. Previously, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer and a high school teacher.

In her foreign service work, Holly engaged with persecuted religious minorities and victims of human trafficking, supported American citizens incarcerated abroad, and worked with asylum-seekers in Greece fleeing war and violence. She is currently completing her Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary and is a candidate for ordination in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference.

 ALKA LYALL is a member of the Board of Directors of the UMC General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), and an ordained elder in the Northern Illinois Conference, where she has served the people of God since 2000. She has twice been elected as a Northern Illinois delegate to General Conference and was also a delegate to the World Methodist Council as a youth representative from India in 1986, later serving on its Presidium. Alka has chaired and served on various boards, agencies and committees in her conference. She currently chairs the NIC Annual Conference committee and serves on the Board of Directors of NIC Justice for our Neighbors. Alka also serves on the Board of Directors of the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN).

 J. PAULA RODERICK is an employment discrimination and civil rights attorney practicing in the Chicago area, a Steering Committee member in United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR), and a justice leader in the Northern Illinois Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. She also serves on the board of Eyewitness Palestine and has made multiple visits to Palestine. Paula is a tireless activist and organizer with numerous social justice organizations tackling issues related to human rights, policing, Black youth, and Palestinian liberation, including Blacks4Palestine, Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy, and Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, among others.

The world's climate and environmental crisis touches every corner of the globe. The people of the world are truly "in this together." However, some are being hit harder and sooner. The most vulnerable and marginalized populations of the world are bearing the brunt of climate change and suffering daily environmental injustice.

Nowhere is that more true than in Israel/Palestine.

For Palestinians, climate change is not just a natural phenomenon, but a political one. Israel‘s regime of occupation and apartheid, which denies Palestinians the right to manage their land and resources, greatly heightens the impact of the climate crisis for Palestinians, making them more vulnerable to all climate-related conditions.

Today, after a century of unbridled colonialism, the historically green and fertile land of Palestine has lost much of what it once offered the world, and environmental conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly. Massive destruction of agricultural land, rampant pollution of indigenous communities' farmland and local water sources, denial of essential health infrastructure, wide-scale water deprivation, over-exploitation of natural resources, dangerous dumping and processing of waste in occupied territory...the list goes on and on.

Yet Israel cultivates an image worldwide as an environmentally conscious, “green” society. It is even considered to be an environmental leader for the world.

The reality is dramatically different.

Join us to learn the environmental reality in Israel/Palestine today, what is being done by the land's indigenous protectors. and what we can do to support their efforts.

We are honored to have one of Palestine's leading voices on Palestinian activism and resistance, Mazin Qumsiyeh, who is also an authority on the natural world of Palestine and environmental justice. Dr. Qumsiyeh isthe founder and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University.

He is also the author of several books, including Sharing The Land Of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle and Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment, and he has been called "the most important chronicler of contemporary popular resistance in Palestine."

When we gather online with Mazin Qumsiyeh in early November, representatives from around the world will be meeting in Egypt for the United Nations' global climate conference, COP27. As we will see on November 9th, the fight for climate justice for all is directly connected to the Palestinian struggle.

Palestine is a climate justice issue.

For decades, we have seen an extreme Israeli/Zionist bias in press coverage of Israel/Palestine. Israeli hasbara (propaganda) has been the nearly universal message in mainstream media. How has that been accomplished so effectively? In what ways does the press present a dishonest and unjust depiction of Israeli oppression and Palestinian resistance?

In recent years, we are beginning to see occasional positive changes, where Palestinian perspectives and voices are heard and Israel's crimes are more honestly reported. Where are we seeing these shifting norms and how widespread are they? What factors may have contributed to changes in coverage of Israel/Palestine?

What can we do, as individuals and as a movement, to achieve more honest and justice-oriented media coverage of Israeli colonialism and apartheid and the Palestinian people's liberation struggle?

SPEAKERS:

MARIAM BARGHOUTI is a Palestinian writer, journalist, commentator, and policy analyst based in Ramallah, Palestine. She is the Senior Palestine Correspondent at Mondoweiss. Her reporting has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, Newseek, The Intercept, CNN, amongst others. Barghouti is also a policy analyst for the Palestinian think-tank, Al-Shabaka and has contributed to various books and anthologies including I found Myself in Palestine.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Barghouti obtained a BA in English Literature and Language at Birzeit University in Palestine and an MSc in Sociology and Global Change at the University of Edinburgh. She has consulted in the public and private sectors in monitoring and evaluation as well as context analysis and risk mitigation for humanitarian and development aid missions in countries such as Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as in Palestine. Her research focuses on historical relationships with social structures and hierarchies. Her political analysis focuses on the interplay between social, economic, political, and health dynamics.

LAURA ALBAST is a Palestinian-American journalist, media analyst and activist. She is currently the Senior Editor of Digital Strategy and Communications at the Institute for Palestine Studies-USA in Washington DC, as well as an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement. Her publications and appearances include The Washington Post, The New Arab, Aljazeera, Doha News, TRT World, KPFA, and other outlets. 

Albast is an accomplished researcher focused on public diplomacy and media governance in the Middle East and Northern Africa. A skilled Arabic/English translator, she has contributed to dozens of projects in video, audio, and print including Bloomberg and The Nation. She obtained a BA in Political Studies and Communications from the American University of Beirut and an MA in International Affairs and Journalism from Boston University. 

Advocating with government leaders for justice in Israel/Palestine can seem like a daunting task, but we do have the power to enact political change.

The United Methodist Book of Resolutions states: “The attempt to influence...public policy at all levels of government is often the most effective means...to keep before humanity the ideal of a society in which power and order are made to serve the ends of justice and freedom for all people.” (UMC Book of Resolutions, #5012)

In our July webinar, we will learn valuable tools to connect with decision makers in government and methods to maximize our impact, along with current issues, campaigns, and messaging for the Palestinian rights movement.

The U.S. Congress will be on recess in the month of August, a key time for constituents to meet with legislators, in both face-to-face and virtual meetings. And, with congressional elections coming up this fall, many incumbent and new candidates will be speaking at town hall meetings before November.

Legislators often say they don’t hear enough from constituents who are advocating for Palestinian rights and freedom. Working together - and with our many justice partners - we can change that!

Join us to hear from seasoned activists who will share their years of practical experience in political advocacy.

Aimee Hong serves as the Special Executive Director of Education and Engagement at the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) in Washington DC. As the director of the UM Seminar Program, Aimee designs seminars on issues of justice and peace that include visits to legislative offices. Growing up in the church, Aimee has had a lifelong interest in the intersection of personal faith and social justice, but felt the church was silent on how to engage in social justice. Since her graduation from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and before coming to GBCS, Aimee served as a local pastor and an education director where she actively incorporated justice and peace into faith formation and curriculum.

Kyle Cristofalo is Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). He holds a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Messiah College, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Kyle was first introduced to Middle East advocacy work during a semester abroad in Cairo, Egypt. After graduating from college, he spent 10 months serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Palestine, at Bethlehem Bible College. Most recently, Kyle served as the Program Assistant for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on Legislation (FCNL) where he helped coordinate lobbying work on Middle East policy and trained grassroots advocates in how to lobby their Congressional representatives.

Pat Minor, a member of UMKR’s Steering Committee and an experienced political activist, will moderate this webinar and will also share her experience in the practice of "birddogging" candidates. Pat holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Iowa and has been advocating for Palestinian rights since she returned from her first trip to the region in 2005. She is an organizer in Iowans for Palestine, a political advocacy group that works to educate legislators, candidates, and voters about Palestinian rights.

Few would suggest that the devastating invasion of Ukraine deserves less than our deepest concern and a robust response. However, these events dominating our Western media for two months have also raised unavoidable and troubling questions among justice advocates and human rights defenders.

The continuing flood of media attention, the outrage over war crimes, the endorsement of grassroots militant resistance, the empathy for refugees and support for their determination to return home, the embrace of BDS actions in government and business...it goes on and on. While the vivid double standards and hypocrisy on display and the racism that underlies them are shocking, they may also be instructive.

In this webinar, we will examine these developments more closely and consider what can be learned to inform and strengthen the movement for Palestinian liberation.

Our panel will include Edo Konrad, Editor-in-Chief of +972 Magazine, one of Israel's premier publications for groundbreaking reporting and analysis. Edo will be joined by Nada Elia, a prominent Palestinian activist and speaker, a widely published author and political analyst, and an award-winning academic on subjects concerning global affairs and ethnic studies. UMKR communications director, M. Theresa Basile, will be the moderator for this discussion

How are denominational activists organizing their own constituencies for a just peace in the Holy Land. How do you get individuals, congregations, regional bodies and denominations educated and motivated to take a stand, pass resolutions, lobby politicians, find local partners, work in coalitions, recruit activists, engage in boycotts and divestments? We will compare and contrast different approaches. Our guests will include Joe Roos with MennoPIN (Mennonites), Noushin Framke with the IPMN (Presbterian) and John Thomas with UCCPIN (United Church of Christ.)

A panel discussion of Israel’s labeling of six Palestinian organizations as terrorists and the bigger picture of Israeli lawfare - manipulation of legislation, political labels, and their own judicial system to muzzle human rights defenders, violate universal rights with impunity and hide the reality of Israeli apartheid and brutal oppression. The panel will consider the history of harassment all these groups have endured and the methods Israel has been using against other prominent human rights defenders and humanitarian organizations.

Compared to the kinds of justice action that we usually admire and embrace, starting a sister city connection with Palestine might seem rather low-key, perhaps even “toothless.”
Yet activists have found it can bring about a remarkable sea-change in a community’s awareness and understanding of the issues, often more quickly and on a wider scale than our usual approaches.
With art exchanges, entrepreneurial collaborations, pen pal connections, opportunities to “come and see” (as Palestinians have long urged us to do), and so much more, a sister city relationship can achieve a quantum leap in a community’s understanding of the people of Palestine, how they live, and what they endure.
Breaking through decades of Israeli propaganda and effectively persuading the public about current realities in Palestine - is an essential priority in the movement for Palestinian rights.
Even before a sister city relationship is established the public discussion and debate it can stimulate are a magnificent means of “waking up” an entire community. Imagine initiating those discussions in thousands of cities around the world and the changes we would see in our societies!
Join us to hear from experienced Sister City organizers and learn about this under-utilized and dynamic means of fostering justice for the people of Palestine.
Essrea Cherin is a co-founder and current vice-chair of the Boulder-Nablus Sister City Project, designed to inspire cross-cultural friendships between Americans and Palestinians. She serves as the Executive Director of Pilgrims of Ibillin, and has extensive experience in connecting people with the goals of peace and justice in the Middle East.
Youssef Elzein is a Lebanese American who has been a key organizer in the campaign to establish a Sister City relationship between his city of Dayton, Ohio and the Palestinian city of Salfit in the West Bank. Elzein has worked as a Civil Engineer for 35 years.

On May 12th, Phyllis Bennis, eminent political analyst and author with extensive expertise in the Middle East, and Philip Farah, lifelong Palestinian rights activist, national organizer and speaker, will discuss the substance and the implications of these apartheid charges and what they could mean for the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom. Join the call to wake up to the reality of Israeli apartheid.

Around the world, colonialism destroys lives, shatters communities, and obliterates the human rights of indigenous peoples through subjugation and enslavement, land theft, the plunder of natural resources, and the erasure of native culture and language. On February 10th, UMKR and MFSA will bring together four speakers representing Turtle Island, the Philippines, Africa, and Palestine to address the past destruction and very present dangers of colonialism as it impacts their peoples.

How can we meaningfully reject the sin of settler colonialism and support these indigenous peoples' liberation struggles?

Turtle Island: Native Americans have been subjected to centuries of ethnic cleansing and genocide and their struggle against the loss of land and heritage continues today throughout the North American continent.

Philippines: In a country steeped in the legacy of Spanish, American, and Japanese colonialism, indigenous Filipinos are courageously endeavoring to protect their land, their communities, and their human rights.

Africa: Millions of Africans were enslaved by colonialists who also conquered their homelands and stripped their natural resources; many of the same Western powers continue their interference and exploitation today.

Palestine: Settler colonialists have seized more and more of historic Palestine since the early 20th century; today they control the lives of millions of Palestinians with a brutal apartheid military regime while making millions of others into second-class citizens.

Our speakers are:
Rev. Alvin Deer - Retired Clergy in Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, UMC
Rev. Lloyd T. Nyarota – Clergy in the Zimbabwe East Conference, UMC
Rev. Armando Arellano - Filipino Clergy in the East Ohio Conference, UMC
Ata Manasra - Director of the Wadi Foquin-Narjes Community Development Project, former Mayor of Wadi Foquin, West Bank, Palestine
Moderator - Michelle Dromgold-Sermen, former UMKR Intern, PhD candidate in sociology, University of North Carolina

Register and attend the joint MFSA and UMKR webinar addressing the question "Is is Antisemitic to Criticize the State of Israel?"

While antisemitism is a real and persistent evil that needs to be eradicated the charge of antisemitism can also be a highly potent weapon against the movement for Palestinian rights. Today that weapon is being used throughout the US and in many other countries to destroy personal reputations, bring legal charges against certain individuals and rob others of valuable opportunities, intimidate private and governmental institutions, and shut down free speech on campuses.  Our speakers, Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the North Carolina Conference and Mark Braverman, Program Director of Kairos USA and author of "Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land," will take a close look at this controversial question as it impacts the church, and discuss how we can appropriately respond.

Join on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 10am PT/ 1pm ET/ 5pm GMT/ 8pm Palestine by registering here.