Over the three days of July 28-30, two gatherings, with dramatically different and contrasting agendas, will be converging in the Washington, DC area. One group, Interfaith Action for Palestine, convened and coordinated by an interfaith coalition of organizations, including Christians for a Free Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Mennonite Action, will be mobilizing to challenge, expose, counter, and disrupt the Annual Summit of the other group, Christians United For Israel (CUFI). Founded by the far-right televangelist pastor John Hagee, CUFI is the largest Zionist, pro-Israel organization in the U.S. with over 11 million members. It espouses Christian (overwhelmingly white) supremacy and promotes Christian nationalist policies. In contrast Interfaith Action for Palestine will be bringing Jesus’ message of nonviolent love and justice, calling for an immediate and permanent end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and freedom and human rights for Palestinians.

Jonathan Brenneman, an organizer with Christian for a Free Palestine, reports there will be a variety of actions for those who participate in person, including interfaith worship, banner drops, nonviolent direct actions, and lobbying. There will also be an online component for those who can’t attend in person.

UCC PIN is one of many organizations supporting Interfaith Action for Palestine; members of our steering committee will be participating. "As genocide against Palestinians continues to unfold," explained steering committee member Linda Noonan, "I feel the need to 'pray with my feet,' as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel did when he took to the streets with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others during the Southern Civil Rights Movement. I feel the need to put my body on the line as together we offer a Christian witness to counter the so-called 'Christians' United for Israel action in Washington, DC and to stand where I believe Jesus would stand now.”

To learn more, sign up for an informational call Thursday, July 11 at noon ET here. To register to participate, either in person or online, go here.

This is a section of the UCCPIN July 2024 E-Newsletter. To read the entire newsletter, follow this link.