Ambassador reacts to church week for peace

Raphael Schutz is Israel's Ambassador to NorwayOslo.Raphael Schutz is Israel's Ambassador to Norway.Photo: Erlend Aas / NTB scanpix

This week, the Norwegian Christian organizations  are holding a “Church Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel,” but the way it is done is not to the liking of the Israeli ambassador to Norway.

Kirkeuka for Peace is, according to organizers, a prayer and solidarity week to “put an end to the illegal occupation and ensure a just peace in Palestine and Israel.”

On Wednesday they organized a prayer gathering at Asker Church under the title “Prayer against the Wall”, something the Israeli ambassador in Norway, Raphael Schutz reacted to, writes Dagen.

– When you pray in opposition to the Wall, you are inviting a political prayer. You pray a prayer against something that has saved thousands of Israeli lives said Schutz, who believes the Norwegian Church could pray against terrorism or for peace instead.

– They lose all confidence from us Israelis. It is then difficult to dismantle walls and make peace, said the ambassador, who did not get an understanding for his criticism in the Ecumenical Council.

– This is the type of criticism that they have repeated for many years. What characterizes the criticism is that it is not very concrete.

One may wonder how the ambassador is reading the material. Had he done so they would have seen that it is about peace for both Israel and Palestine, says Berit Hagen Agøy, secretary general of the Ecumenical Council.

She says the church is on the side of the weakest party.

– Thus in this conflict, we believe it is the Palestinians who are suffering the most. Israel is the stronger military power. Israel is the occupier, and the Palestinians are occupied, says Hagen Agøy.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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