WCC NEWS: 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. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 23 November 2022 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.” 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 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 ). WCC condemns bomb attacks in Jerusalem: “let us pray for the people of the Holy Land” - WCC news release 23 November 2022 WCC statement urges active engagement in dialogue to bring lasting peace and security for all in the Middle East - WCC news release 8 September 2022  Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel commemorates 20-year anniversary: 1,800 accompaniers from 25 countries - WCC news release 23 November 2022 WCC participated in the 17th enthronement anniversary of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine - WCC news release 23 November 2022 Inaugural pre-meeting of WCC Jerusalem Liaison Advisory Committee convenes, maps future - WCC news release 23 November 2022 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland