by Alan Quick

CREDITON town councillor, Liz Brookes-Hocking, is working for the next three months as a human rights observer for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) which is a World Council of Churches initiative.

Liz will be mainly in the West Bank – the occupied Palestinian territories – as an Ecumenical Accompanier (EA).

EAs receive training on detailed reporting of events such as house demolitions or attacks on property.

They help Palestinian communities to maintain daily life in safety while living under occupation.

EAs regularly escort children to school through military controlled checkpoints and accompany villagers to harvest olives or graze their herds.

Liz will also spend some time in Israel and will meet Israeli peace activists and learn more about their work.

Liz explained her reasons for going: "Many years ago, I worked on an Israeli kibbutz for a few weeks.

"In Jerusalem, I met Palestinians who were made refugees when the modern state of Israel was established in 1948.

"At the time, I had no idea that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians lost their homes when Israel was formed and still remained refugees decades later.

"I promised I would tell people about the Palestinian situation but I didn’t, even though things have continued to worsen for all sides.

"I have the chance to go again so I can tell people what is happening now".

The EAPPI was set up in 2002 in response to the request from Jerusalem church leaders for a non-violent international presence.

It involves 25 countries worldwide and is managed in the UK and Ireland by Quaker Peace and Social Witness.

Its mission is to help to end the occupation and to encourage a just and peaceful resolution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, following international law and United Nations resolutions.

When Liz returns she says she will talk to groups about her work as an EA.

She says she wants to explain some of the issues involved in finding peace and reconciliation for both Palestinians and Israelis.