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World Alliance responds to criticisms of report of International YMCA Team visit to Palestine
February 12, 2001
The World Alliance of YMCAs has received some reactions from individuals and organizations
calling into question the report of the International YMCA team's visit to
Palestine in November 2000. In summary, these reactions have
suggested that:
· The report is one-sided, biased, does not include issues as viewed from the perspective
of the Israelis, and is based on views from Palestinians
· It fails to show concern and sympathy for the loss of Israeli lives
· It makes no mention whatsoever of Palestinian violence
· It is inflammatory in nature and has cast a shadow of hatred and is therefore
detrimental to the cause of peace and non-violence
The World Alliance has written replies along the following lines:
The YMCA has long held the view that if there is to be a
settlement of the conflict in the Middle East, it can only happen when there is justice
for the Palestinians and security for the people of Israel. We are also convinced that our
mission as a Christian organisation compels us to work for reconciliation between people
who are or have been in conflict. Yet we know that justice is the pre-condition of
reconciliation.
Our positions have been developed over many decades of involvement with the people of the
region. The recent report was based on the visit of an international team who for reasons
of time and circumstances did not also visit Israel. In the past however our international
groups have visited Israel and this is certainly foreseen for future visits to the region.
None of the members of the recent team has any quarrel with the people of Israel. Perhaps
they will disagree with the methods now being employed in the context of violence in the
region by the Israeli government but the report was based on visits to villages, towns and
cities, and on meetings with many people who have been victims of Israeli aggression.
We have a long history of service to refugees and victims of war.It has always been non
discriminatory in nature. Anyone who suffers falls within the scope of YMCA work. It is in
this context that our current involvement among the Palestinian people must be seen.
Several international figures from YMCAs in Europe, USA, Canada, Asia, Africa and Latin
America have visited the YMCAs in Palestine and Israel to study the situation and to
examine ways of a global YMCA response to it.
We are sure that you are familiar with the fact that United Nations representatives and
parliamentarians from a wide range of religious and ideological beliefs have also visited
the region. Other international NGOs have also sent study teams into the region. The World
Alliance of YMCAs' standpoint on the question of Palestine is similar to the positions of
many organisations. It also does not differ from what Peace Movements within Israel
advocate and argue for. The international community broadly takes the view that the
Palestinians are the victims of the ongoing tensions and lack the basic and legitimate
right to a homeland and to live in dignity as all other people and nations. Having said
this, we also hasten to state that our position is not against the Israeli people. We
condemn all violence, Palestinian or Israeli, as a means of resolving conflict. The death
or injury of anyone in conflict is cause for sadness.
The YMCA has always been inclusive. Around the world, it is a model of people from
different religious, economic, ethnic, social and ideological backgrounds working together
to make a better world. We pray and yearn for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East
which will provide the grounds on which Jews, Muslims and Christians can all live together
- with and for each other.
Allow us to share an excerpt from our mission statement: the YMCA "seeks to share the
Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and
reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation". Such a framework implies
that our view of conflict resolution can, and will, only revolve around methods of
dialogue and non violence.
The World Alliance reaffirms that it is unequivocally committed
to the cause of a peaceful, just and lasting settlement of the conflict between the
Israelis and Palestinians. The World Alliance reiterates its understanding that Israelis
and Palestinians must live in peaceful co-existence. It reaffirms its long held view that
Israel has the right to exist within safe and secure borders. At the same time, the
Palestinians have their right to a state and nationhood. The World Alliance believes that
the peace that is required must be based on justice for the Palestinians and security for
Israel and that both tasks must be undertaken in parallel.
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