Dear Zaineb,
It was, by all accounts, an unscripted moment.
While leaving occupied Bethlehem, Pope Francis asked his driver to stop next to the giant wall that separates thousands of Palestinians from their land, their families, and their histories. He touched his forehead to the concrete, next to the freshly painted words “Free Palestine”, and bowed silently in prayer.
That simple gesture has produced an image for the ages, bursting with all the poignancy, humanity, and irony (for we Jews who know the suffering inflicted by walled ghettos) one can bear.
Now a predictable backlash has begun. Unless we speak out now and thank Pope Francis for his heartfelt acknowledgement of Palestinian suffering, the next leader who visits the West Bank will get the message that it is too dangerous to speak the truth.
Click here to sign the petition: ThankYouPopeFrancis.org
As Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, atheists and so many others; as mothers and fathers, daughters and sons; veterans of war and conscientious objectors; we are united in our love for justice and liberation for all peoples.
We are profoundly moved by the Pope’s act of solidarity with the suffering of Palestinians. And we are called to join together, across faiths, across language, across nationality, to stand for an honest and painful but necessary accounting of injustice in order to create the conditions for a lasting peace.
We want the Pope to hear our thanks. Click here: ThankYouPopeFrancis.org
Israel says the wall where Pope Francis stood was designed to protect Israelis from attacks, yet some 85% of the wall’s planned 400 mile route is on confiscated Palestinian land —not on the Green Line. It enables the annexation of land for illegal settlements, and separates Palestinians from their land, teachers and students from schools, and families from each other.
In the moment Pope Francis stood for all the cameras to see, the wall became more than a prison wall. It became a message to the outside world showing clearly the reality that Israel tries to hide.
Young Palestinians who felt long forgotten by much of the world made this moment happen. They knew the Pope would pass by, and despite all efforts to stop them, managed to write the message on the wall that inspired the Pope to pause.
Let us remain inspired by their
sumud—steadfastness—and let’s make sure the Pope knows how much his gesture meant to people all over the world.
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Sydney Levy
JVP Advocacy Director
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