Dear Friends,

We just completed Bearing Witness: Palestinian Christian Theologians Speaking Tour across Australia. For those who joined us in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, or Perth between 28 July and 3 August, your presence made this tour a success, and it meant a great deal to have you there. For those who could not make it, you can watch Dr Khoury’s presentation in Sydney here:

🎥 Watch Dr. Yousef’s Full Speech on YouTube

Hearing directly from Dr. Lamma Mansour and Dr. Yousef Al-Khoury – voices from the living Christian community of the Holy Land – is not something many Australians get the chance to do. Your willingness to show up, to listen, and to sit with their stories is itself an act of solidarity, and we are deeply grateful.

When facing overwhelming injustice, it is easy to feel powerless. But as Palestinian Christians, we are reminded that truth is our most courageous act of faith. In a deeply moving and prophetic talk, Dr. Yousef speaks with raw honesty about the heartbreaking reality our brothers and sisters face every day in Palestine and offers a vision of hope grounded in genuine love and justice.

Speaking Truth in a Time of Hopelessness

During his address, Dr. Yousef exposed the painful reality on the ground: the relentless expansion of illegal settlements, land grabs, and over 925 military checkpoints choking Palestinian towns and villages. He spoke of mothers forced to give birth at checkpoints, of daily dehumanization under occupation, and of Palestinian Christians barred from worshipping at the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Settler violence is rising, backed by an extremist government, with billboards posted on roads telling Palestinians “There is no future in Palestine” to crush their spirit and force them to leave.

Faced with this brutality, Dr. Yousef reminded us of why we cannot look away:

“The situation is really hopeless. That’s why we need to tell the truth about what’s really happening. We have no other option left for us to do but to tell the truth.”

He directly confronted the theology of Christian Zionism, calling on the global Church to see its devastating fruits – a theology that finances destruction, justifies terror, and bombs people in their homes, rather than bringing peace and reconciliation.

When asked how Israelis and Palestinians can ever live together, Dr. Yousef gave an unforgettable, prophetic response grounded in scripture:

“You cannot tell me you love God whom you cannot see and hate your neighbour whom you can see. We begin with loving God by loving our neighbour”

He reminded us that true peace will never come from walling people off or maintaining apartheid. The only way forward is dismantling the system of occupation, ending the madness, and establishing peace and equal justice for every person living on the land.

       The Church cannot remain silent.

🙏 How You Can Stand With Us

This tour was never meant to be a single moment; it’s meant to be a beginning. If you’re moved to keep walking this road with us, here are a few concrete ways to stay engaged:

  • Pray – weave prayers for a just peace into your church’s bulletins or small groups and join the global Sabeel Wave of Prayer.
  • Host a screening of Beyond Pilgrimage in your church community.
  • Join PCiA and PIEN to stay connected — via the PCiA Resources and PIEN Resources pages.
  • Write to your federal MP or Senator — a personal, faith-grounded letter       calling for ethical foreign policy carries real weight.
  • Support PCiA’s advocacy and growth through a donation.
  • Save the date and express your interest to attend the Church at the Crossroads Conference, planned for Australia in February 2027.

You can find the full list of ways to get involved on our Just Peace page.

Thank you again for standing with the Palestinian Christian community — the Living Stones of the Holy Land. We hope to see you again soon at our next event.

Grace & Peace,

Palestinian Christians in Australia (PCiA)