Hope–Peace–Joy–Love, the four themes of Advent. 

The third of the four Sunday's of Advent is behind us, and even as congregations across Canada join to talk about hope, peace and joy brought to Bethlehem in the first century story of Jesus, there is no mention of words or actions to adopt the call of the Palestinian Christian community in the 21st century.  

18 months ago the Christian Palestinian community called out in a clear statement, but still in Canada there is silence.  

Provide the hope of international solidarity, the peace that can only be brought by justice of ending colonial-setter occupation & apartheid and realizing the right of return, and the joy of "just peace" beyond the zionist project that continues to commit war crimes. 

War crimes such as killing last week 4 year old Ahmed Abu Abed in Gaza.  

Call on all Canadian churches to take action as they have been called by their Christian brother and sisters.

• recognize Israel as an apartheid state; 
• condemn the Balfour declaration as unjust; 
• take a clear theological stand against any theology or Christian group that justifies the occupation and privileges one nation over the other based on ethnicity or a covenant;
• revisit and challenge religious dialogue partners; 
• defend the right of Palestinian Christians to resist the occupation creatively and nonviolently; support BDS.
• publicly and legally challenge Christian 
organizations that discredit our work and legitimacy
• lobby, advocate and develop active programs towards justice and peace for the people of Palestine

Before the Fourth Sunday of Advent, let us call for true love, the love of solidarity that Jesus called his followers to show with the oppressed in Roman occupied territory, and which we are called to do today for the people of Palestine under occupation, apartheid and settler-colonialism.  

There is no room to be a bystander.