Bishop urge solidarity for Palestine struggle

A bishop of the Church of South India (CSI) is calling on the Indian Christian community to commit itself for solidarity with the "suffering and tormented" people of Palestine.

"There is a paradox in history: Where the Prince of Peace was born is the world's worst conflict zone. The Prince of Peace wants us to be partners in the salvific and liberative history of Palestine too," expressed Rev Dr V Devasahayam, Bishop of CSI Madras Diocese.

He was speaking at a theological consultation in Chennai, organised by the Indian Solidarity Ecumenical Network – Palestine (ISEN-P), the Board of Theological Education along with the Church of South India.

A renowned Dalit theologian, Rev Devasahayam urged the Indian theological fraternities to "re-read and re-interpret Zionistic readings of Bible".

Indian churches and civil societies must voice out against any kind of suppression and be part of the liberative histories of peoples all over the world, he said.

Also speaking at the meet was Rev Vincent Rajkumar, Director, Christian Institute for Study of Religion and Society (CISRS).

Rajkumar notes that there are lots of commonalities between Indian and Palestinian realities. For instance the rightwing fundamentalist's ideologies such as Zionism and National Culturalism of Hindutuva and British colonization and Israel colonization.

Apathy, de-humanization, humiliation and discrimination were some of the issues brought out by other speakers.

The July 12-14 consultation is attended by bishops, theologians, social activists and heads of Christian bodies, including NCCI, CSI and YWCA.

As part of this year's World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, from May 28 to June 3 2012, churches in at least 24 countries stressed the urgent need for a peace settlement that ends the illegal occupation of Palestine and secure the legitimate rights and future of both peoples.

It has been more than 63 years since the partition of Palestine. The World Council of Churches (WCC) is one of many major bodies involved in efforts for peace in the Holy Land since 1948 when the state of Israel was created and the WCC formally established.