October 7 – lament, pray, act for peace in Palestine and Israel
For a year, we have pleaded for peace in Palestine and Israel and urged our government to unequivocally withdraw support for the armed conflict, which has led to devastating humanitarian consequences. We have mobilized churches throughout Canada and brought church leaders to Ottawa in the Gaza Ceasefire pilgrimage to call on Canadian officials to push for:
- An enduring and sustained ceasefire.
- Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
- Release of all captives.
- End all arms transfers to Israel.
- Ending occupation so a just peace can begin.
And yet, the violence and human suffering continue to escalate and have reached unimaginable proportions with irreparable consequences. Millions of people have become refugees in their own land – displaced, terrified, vulnerable and harmed. From that ground, peace cannot flourish. Peace must be tended with tender hearts, sown on fertile soil of hope and justice.
In the lead up to October 7 – KAIROS will share messages, calls to action and acts of love from our allies and partners in the region in solidarity with the victims of the escalating armed conflict that began that day.
In the coming days we invite you to watch and share these short videos. Listen to the voices of partners and churches and lament, pray and act for just peace in the region.
Follow and share on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter)
We echo our partners’ calls for peace. We believe that peace can only exist along with justice, human dignity and freedom. We believe that war, violence, and the irreparable loss of lives will never be the solution to past violence, as more pain will never balance the scales of suffering.
On October 7, we will share resources on our new Just Peace in the Middle East Ecumenical Hub to help you in your own efforts to advance just peace in the region.
KAIROS member churches and agencies and our local and global partners have consistently condemned the violence against Israeli and Palestinian civilians in Israel, Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. We have amplified the calls of partners for just peace, grounded in a commitment to non-violence, respect for human rights and dignity for all.
Today, almost one year since this new escalation of horrific violence began, these calls are more urgent than ever. The moral imperative to act has never been stronger.
Our hearts beat together because, in the words of Wi’am, our partner in the West Bank, we “yearn for a shared future where children, youth, women, and the community at large can grow up free from fear, violence, and oppression.”
And we amplify Wi’am’s call to Canadians and our government “to stand with us, not just in words, but also through decisive actions which forward peace, justice, and unequivocally denounces injustice, and promotes human rights, human dignity, and life.”
