Can you do more than just pray for peace in the Middle East and make a statement? This is the question posed by Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac to faith leaders and their communities. Rev. Dr. Isaac is a Palestinian Christian pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour and serves as the Academic Dean of the Bethlehem Bible College. A vocal advocate of interfaith efforts toward reconciliation, Rev. Dr. Isaac has been on a speaking tour of the United States.  As part of the Israel/Palestine NGO Working Group, QUNO NY had the opportunity to participate in a conversation with the Rev. alongside other humanitarian, human rights, and ecumenical organizations.  

During his address, Rev. Dr. Isaac had three key messages for faith leaders and their communities. First, he emphasised the need to recognize that the current crisis in Gaza did not start on October 7th. He urged that this recognition guide us to address the root causes of the conflict and work to dismantle systems of occupation and apartheid. Second, he asserted that “silence is complicity”. Rev. Dr. Isaac noted that while this war, described by the International Court of Justice as a plausible genocide, would not be possible without the financial and political support of the US and others, not speaking out against the war also represents a form of complicity. Rev. Dr. Isaac voiced his frustration at the silence of Western church leadership, who he described as having, chosen “comfort over confronting injustice.”  

Finally, Rev. Dr. Isaac reminded those assembled that we must “speak truth to power”. “You can’t just call for peace,” he said “You need to act to call out your political leaders.” This last message speaks loudly to Quakers who have always believed in the importance of courageously calling out injustices we witness, and demanding change.  As an organization guided by Quaker philosophy and community, QUNO’s work with the Israel/Palestine Working Group will continue to be catalysed by these traditions.