EAPPI
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) is an international programme coordinated by the World Council of Churches. It brings people from around the world to the West Bank to serve for three months as human rights monitors. We call them Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs).
EAPPI was founded in response to a call from the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem. Since 2002 over 1,500 international volunteers from 22 countries have served as EAs. In the UK and Ireland, it is coordinated by British Quakers on behalf of 16 churches and NGOs who they call partners.
Their mission is to witness life under occupation, engage with local Palestinians and Israelis pursuing a just peace, and work to change the international community's involvement with the conflict, urging them to act against injustice in the region. You can read and share the eyewitness accounts EAs from Britain and Ireland have written on the Eyewitness blog.
EAPPI recruits ordinary people from the UK and Ireland to live alongside communities working non-violently against the military occupation. EAs range in age from 25 to 70 years old and are from many different backgrounds, but what they all share is a deep dedication to human rights.
First and foremost, EAs witness life under occupation. They are on the ground 24/7 and are often the first to respond to human rights violations. EAs live with local communities and participate in daily activities. EAs monitor and report human rights violations, bringing eyewitness accounts to the world's attention. EAPPI has more international human rights monitors on the ground than any other organisation in Israel and Palestine.
EAs engage in protective presence. Their very presence protects vulnerable communities. It deters the Israeli military and armed settler groups from violating the human rights of civilians and makes local communities feel safer. EAs stand in solidarity with local churches and Palestinian and Israeli peace activists, upholding them in their nonviolent resistance to the occupation. For more information please visit the EAPPI UK and Ireland team website and contact them at: eappi@quaker.org.uk