​Palestine Network – Shining Waters Region (PalNet – SW) 

Resources 

​​Raising Our Voices for Human Rights in Palestine and Israel
In response to the 2021 Cry for Hope of Palestinian Christians, Shining Waters Region adopted a proposal in November 2021, “Raising our Voice for Human Rights.” It reaffirms the United Church policy of disengaging financially from companies doing business in the illegal settlements in Palestine.  The proposal urges congregations with trust funds to inform themselves on the issue and divest any shares they may have in such firms.
 
By adopting the Proposal in 2021, Shining Waters Region committed itself to “speak out on human rights for Palestinians in an effort to support the ending of the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, and specifically, to provide practical resources and support to communities of faith in the Region so that they may divest from funds invested in companies profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”
 

Raising our Voice guides communities of faith on this simple yet powerful action.

Available at: https://shiningwatersregionalcouncil.ca/justice/raising-our-voices  

​Download it and go through the five steps:
 
Discovery
                 Consensus-building
                                                    Action
                                                                Raising your voice
                                                                                                Encouragement
 
Assistance is available. Mentors are ready to work with your community of faith! Contact Shining Waters staff person Celio de Andrade Santos Jr., <CDeAndrade@united-church.ca>, 416-231-7680 x 2020 or 1-800-268-3781 x 2020 for assistance.
Want to learn more? 
​
​Jean Zaru’s Occupied with Non-Violence (2008) is a great place to begin learning about life in Palestine. As a Palestinian Quaker living in Ramallah, Zaru has a lifetime of experience with the pain of living under occupation. Her book is full of hope however, as she bears witness to the reality of the situation and faces it with deep conviction: that Palestinians have a right to live where they were born. For Zaru, the struggle for justice must be carried out with the recognition of the value and worth of each of us, as neighbours, in peace. A profound and transformative read.

PalNet SW has led several studies of Occupied with Nonviolence.

Films

​The Present (2020) is an award-winning 25-minute film about a father and daughter in the West Bank trying to buy a wedding anniversary gift, encountering Israeli checkpoints in the process. Available on Netflix. Netflix is carrying a number of Palestinian films, including Salt of this Sea, 3000 Nights, and Born in Gaza. Search on “Palestine” for other films. 
​David and Goliath (2020) is a 30-minute episode from MCC’s Undercurrents podcast. Produced and narrated by Ken Ogasawara, it provides a very accessible overview of the major issues involved in seeking justice for Palestine.

To find more resources for learning, check out