"The Sovereign Lord said: "You have sinned too long, you rulers of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression. Do what is right and just. You must never again drive my people off their land. I, the Sovereign Lord, am telling you this."
— Ezekiel 45:9 The Good News Bible

Welcome to the Holy Land Awareness and Action resource pages on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. We hope that you will find the information interesting and useful!

We are an interfaith task group that works for a just peace in Israel/Palestine in the congregations of the United Church of Canada’s Toronto Conference through providing workshops, speaking events, sermons and other resources. The note to prospective pilgrims, tourists and witnesses comes from our own experiences from various trips there; we hope our insights can benefit prospective visitors.

The cornerstone of our group was the 2003 Toronto Conference resolution R4: to work for a just peace for all Israelis and Palestinians by calling for the boycott and divestment of corporations that support the illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories. We received our mandate from Toronto Conference’s World Affairs Committee in 2005 to implement this campaign, which was also to include education and other justice efforts. The United Church’s General Council 39 in 2006 voted on national measures that further support our activities, including:

• An annual week of congregational focus on Israel/Palestine called "Holy Land Week";
• Resolution GS2, which explicitly defines "ethical investment", as well as corporations engaged in "non-peaceful activity" in which investment should be avoided;
• Advocacy to take leadership in efforts for a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict as well as
• United for Peace, to support projects and groups working for peace in Palestine and Israel.

Companies to boycott (PDF)

Please contact us! We would appreciate your feedback and we would like to help you form similar education and action groups to provide leadership in your own communities.

Contact us:
By phone: 416-241-2677 ext 246
Email: palnet@sympatico.ca

The Committee Members:
For additional information please contact
Jean Lee (Chair)
Karin Brothers
John Gilbart
Judith Weisman
David Wurfel