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In pursuit of just peace: WCC acting general secretary has historic meeting with Israeli president Isaac Herzog

In an historic meeting to discuss just peace in the Holy Land, Israeli president Isaac Herzog formally received World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca on 23 November. This marks the first meeting between WCC leadership and an Israeli president.

 

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WCC acting general secretary meets Israeli president

From left to right: Rabbi Prof.David Rosen, KSG CBE International Director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee, Past Chairman of IJCIC; Isaac Herzog, president of Israel; Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, WCC acting general secretary. 

Photo:
President's Office
24 November 2022
Regions
Middle East

Together, the two leaders considered both history and the future and agreed on the importance of working together on building bridges towards lasting peace, reconciliation and security for all within the framework of international law. 

Sauca reiterated the WCC policies regarding Israel and Palestine and mentioned that the WCC, through its EAPPI program, has been present with the accompaniment programme in the Holy Land since 2002 towards ensuring human dignity and rights for all. 

 Sauca added “We are encouraged by our partnership with the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC)  and other Jewish, religious and NGO’s organisations which share the same values and visions and look forward to work together for bringing peace and human rights for all”.

Sauca concluded “We ought to insist on the duty to guarantee human rights and the need for peace and decent living conditions for all. This is the moral value of justice and peace that we all need to commit to. Both parties would be blessed by a lasting solution, and it would be an important contribution to world peace.”

Recently, the WCC programatic work in the Holy Land has been restructured  and consolidated in the Jerusalem Liaison Office ( JLO).

This year marks EAPPI’s 20th anniversary, and over those two decades, WCC member churches have recruited over 1,800 Ecumenical Accompaniers from 25 countries to serve 3-month terms in placements around the West Bank. 

Sauca was accompanied in the meeting by Rabbi Prof. David Rosen, KSG CBE International Director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee, former Chairman of  International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC ).

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