Palestine

O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

(Psalm 122.6)

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Muslim Charities Foundation and the head of the Movement for Reform Judaism launched a joint appeal for funds towards humanitarian work in Gaza in January 2009:

Did you know Palestinian olive oil has been blessed at the Diocesan Chrism mass for use in anointing those being baptised and the sick and dying?

(find out about Chrism)

Our link:

Alice Gray, daughter of members of St. Mary's, Philip and Mary Gray, was involved in supporting Palestinian farmers to plant olive trees. In January 2007 she spoke to us about her work. For those who weren’t present, an account of the campaign by Alice is included below.

Following Alice Gray talking to us about the Olive Tree Campaign and her involvement with it we decided to support the work not only with donations following her talk but also with our Lent giving in 2007. Peace in the Holy Land (as everywhere) is such an important objective that it seemed right we give our support to a campaign that is part of the Advocacy initiative seeking to create the conditions for this.

You can now buy Palestinian fair trade olive oil and also olives and sun-dried tomatoes (single bottles / jars available) from our Traidcraft stall.

Olive Trees in Bethlehem - Keeping Hope Alive

On February 3rd, I will join an international group of olive tree sponsors and Palestinian farmers to plant olive trees near Bethlehem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, marking the commencement of the fifth planting season of the Olive Tree Campaign. This campaign is organised by the East Jerusalem YMCA in conjunction with YWCA of Palestine, and aims to repair some of the damage done to the livelihoods of Palestinian farmers by the ongoing conflict in the region and the construction of the Israeli Separation Barrier.

Since the beginning of the second Palestinian ‘Intifada’ (uprising) in 2000, over a million trees and thousands of acres of farmland have been destroyed throughout the Palestinian Territories. Approximately half of the trees uprooted have been olive trees, the mainstay of the Palestinian rural economy. Many farmers have gone from prosperity to poverty as they have seen their livelihoods crumple with the trees that have been tended by their families for generations. The construction of the Separation Barrier has meant not only the destruction of land and trees, but also the loss of freedom of movement, preventing farmers from seeking alternative employment in Israel. The Palestinian economy is sadly in such a poor state that it had no capacity to absorb the victims of land confiscation and property destruction.

Since it began in 2002, the Olive Tree Campaign has planted over 15,000 trees with the help of churches and peace groups from around the world. This season, more than 8,000 more are expected to be planted, the trees kindly donated by St Mary’s Church, Gillingham among them. These trees are given to the most needy farmers, who have lost many to the bulldozers of the Israeli Occupation. Three-year-old saplings that are reared in green houses in Bethlehem are used, and can start producing a crop in two years from the time of planting. Although it is but a small gesture in the general tumult and destruction that characterises the Palestinian Territories, the planting of olive trees is a genuine ray of hope to people who need all the help they can get. The olive tree, after all, is an ancient symbol of peace and renewal.

I would like to thank very much all those who are supporting the campaign. More details can be found at www.jai-pal.org for those of you who use the internet. I will be sending back reports and photographs of this year’s planting festival and hope these will be of interest.

With best wishes for 2007,
yours in peace,

Alice Gray