 MENNONITE PALESTINE ISRAEL NETWORKMennoPIN Update – November 24, 2023 In This IssueHostage Release Begins Did Biden Really Say That? Mennonite Action on Palestine Donate to Support Children/Families in Gaza MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update! Prayers from Sabeel Stay Informed on Palestine Hostage Release Begins  Released Palestinian prisoners wave flags atop a car as they leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer. [Ammar Awad/Reuters] On Friday, November 24, 2023, the exchange of hostages began. Hamas released 24 hostages to Israel, mostly women and children, and Israel released 39 Palestinians, mostly from the Israeli Ofer Military Prison. Friday began a four-day pause before which, for 49 days, Israel has unleashed more than 6,000 bombs on Gaza, an area about the size of Las Vegas, NV. Upwards of 15,000 Gaza citizens have been killed, the majority of which were women and 5,000 children. It is hoped that both sides, Hamas and Israel, will adhere to the Qatar-brokered halt to the bombings. US President Joe Biden, who has been involved in the hostage and pause negotiations, stated “the chances are real” that the pause could lead to a longer cease-fire. Former CIA operations officer Marc Polymeropoulos, with extensive experience in the Middle East, believes Biden is facing considerable pressure from Democrats, Arab leaders and others in the international community to press for a permanent cease-fire, according to the New York Times. Already, 140 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, fuel and medicines have entered Gaza and, according to Biden hundreds more will follow.” Biden’s clear bias on the side of Israel came through when he said that the aid is “coming to support Palestinians who are suffering greatly because of the war Hamas started…Hamas doesn’t give a damn about [the people of Gaza].” He added that “I don’t trust Hamas to do the right thing. I only trust Hamas to respond to pressure.” Nothing about seventy-five years of Israeli lies, apartheid, and oppression of Palestinians or the seventeen years of siege and blockade of Gaza. Did Biden Really Say That?  President Joe Biden speaks Friday to reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, about hostages freed by Hamas in the first stage of a swap under a four-day cease-fire deal with Israel. (STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Late Friday, November 24, 2023, President Joe Biden held a press conference about the hostages releases. One reporter asked him about the calls from some Democrats who would like to see aid conditioned on a reduction in Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Biden’s response was: “I think that’s a worthwhile thought, but I don’t think if I would have started off with that we would have gotten where we are today. We have to take this a piece at a time.” Whether that was a Biden gaffe to be walked back soon, or if it reflects Biden’s acknowledgment that many members of his own party and the public think he should call for a cease-fire remains to be seen. But if he did mean what he said, that he might consider conditioning aid to Israel, he would be the first president since Dwight Eisenhower to even mention the possibility publicly. Mennonite Action on Palestine Mennonite Action is holding a national organizing call on November 28, 2023 at 8:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on Zoom. Mennonite Action is a movement of Mennonites bonded by a common belief that we must be public about our peace vows. We believe that Mennonites have a responsibility to use our voices as powerfully as possible for the cause of peace and justice. On the call hundreds of Mennonites from the United States and Canada will join to grieve the ongoing violence in Palestine, to call for a cease-fire and the end of the occupation in Palestine, and to gather together as a community to prepare to take action. If you want to join the call, sign up here. Donate to Support Children/Families in Gaza MennoPIN encourages you to help support families in Gaza through the Middle East Children’s Alliance. All proceeds will go to Youth Vision Society. MennoPIN has been in relationship with YVS through our Gaza Twinning Initiative for four years. We affirm that both MECA and YVS are trustworthy organization who will make sure your donation will be 100% directed to families and children in dire need to food and medicines. You can donate here. MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update! MennoPIN wants to get this Update out more frequently, but we need help to do that. If you have experience in working with MailChimp and Word Press, you would be ideal in creating regular issues of MennoPIN Update and maintaining our website. Even if you don’t have direct experience with these two platforms, but would be willing to learn, we would love to hear from you. Each issue typically takes 3-5 hours of time gathering materials, writing copy, finding appropriate photos and publishing the Update through MailChimp. If you are interesting in exploring this possibility further, please write us at mennopin@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon! Prayer from Sabeel With every minute that passes, the situation in Gaza worsens. According to several sources, Israel has dropped the equivalent of two nuclear bombs in explosives on one of the most densely populated areas in the globe. While intense bombings and fighting continues in the north of Gaza, the south is also bombed frequently. All of Gaza is facing a severe humanitarian crisis; nowhere is safe.– Sovereign Lord, the blood of the thousands of lives lost is crying out from the ground, haunting us day and night. The words of prophet Habakkuk remain true to this day, “The law is ignored and justice is never upheld…” We come to you, O Lord, asking for your liberating love, comfort, and strength. Do not let us become numb to the pain of the oppressed as time goes by. Lord, show us the way of genuine solidarity rather than pity or despair.Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer Stay Informed on Palestine MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends: OrganizationsFriends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and IsraelChristian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)Kairos PalestineKairos USAAmericans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)Christian ZionismPalestinian Christian Alliance for PeacePalestine Portal Web PublicationsMondeweissThe Electronic Intifada+972 MagazineB’TselemPalestine InSight |
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