Week 43: Women in Conflict Online Gathering 2023

On October 24, 2023 as Rev. Sally Azar of ELCJHL joined us to discuss how women are being affected by the war in Palestine and the ongoing occupation.

More about our guests:

Rev. Sally Azar is the first female Palestinian pastor in the Holy Land and heads the English-speaking congregation at the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem.

Advocacy Instructions

This week, we want to ask medical unions in our countries to support the medical teams in Palestine and Gaza. Below are some talking points you can use in your emails, letters, and phone calls. And following the talking points is contact info for medical unions in the UK, Ireland, U.S., and Canada. However, please feel free to contact medical unions in your own country as well. (Facebook only: If you find contact info for a medical union in your country, please add it as a comment below.)

Talking points:

• Medical facilities, as well as the medical staff and patients, are protected under international humanitarian law.
• Call for Israel to end the restriction of essential medical supplies from entering Gaza: free passage of such items are protected under the Geneva Convention.
• Highlight the crisis of electricity, water and food and that medical staff are having to perform life-saving surgeries by flashlight.
• Medical unions, as represenatives of doctors, must stand for the protection of civilians and patients in accordance to the Hippocratic Oath.
• A resounding call for descalation must be made in order to avoid further Israeli airstrikes. Highlight the threats that have been made against other hospitals all over Gaza such as Al Quds Hospital.
• The British Medical Association has condemned the bombing

Contact info:

• British Medical Association (Medical Trade Union) – England media office – 020 7383 6448 | mediaoffice@bma.org.uk
• Scotland – BMAScotland@bma.org.uk- Wales – BMAWales@bma.org.uk
• Northern Ireland – BMANorthernIreland@bma.org.uk
• Irish Medical Organisation: – imo@imo.ie
• US – American Medical Association (contact form for residents) – https://www.ama-assn.org/form/contact-us
• Canada – Canada Medical Association – memberservicecentre@cma.ca

Consider sharing your letters and this action to social media. Use the hashtags #KumiNow, #Gaza, #CeaseFireNOW

From the Presentation/Chat

Here’s an article about Rev. Sally Azar: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/01/sally-azar-becomes-first-palestinian-woman-pastor-ordained-jerusalem 

Here is the ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry: https://www.elcjhl.org/index.php/gender-justice-ministry-1

Some other unions to contact for the American friends:

NUHW: https://nuhw.org/contact/

UAPD: https://www.uapd.com/contact-form/

I can find: https://www.phr.org.il/en/a-humanitarian-disaster-in-gaza-must-be-averted/?pr=3533

Response from Israeli Medical Association- they just said that loss of civilian life is tragic but puts sole blame on Hamas and goes on to centre Israeli trauma from people blaming the IDF for the bombing

https://ima-contentfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/LetterToDrTedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus18102023.pdf

The English-speaking congregation at the Church of the Redeemer. Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/01/sally-azar-becomes-first-palestinian-woman-pastor-ordained-jerusalem#ixzz8H4W2aydW