Participating in the panel discussion were bishop Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Huber, Hermann Gröhe, MP and expert for human rights and the Middle East, Hermann Bünz, the representative of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Tel Aviv, Dr. Hans-Georg Fleck representing the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung in Jerusalem, and Thomas Birringer, resident representative of the Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung to the Palestinian Autonomous Territories.

Bishop Huber stated his optimism for a permanent Protestant presence in the Holy Land and stressed the Protestant church’s responsibility to work towards peace in the region, deriving from the German past.

MP Hermann Gröhe underlined the meaning of Germany as an intermediary in the Middle East, highly esteemed on both sides. In the framework of her presidentship of the Council of the EU, German chancellor Angela Merkel had given a vital new impulse in order to revive the work of the Middle East Quartet. Furthermore, the formation of the new Palestinian government had been another important step in the right direction.

The three representatives of the political foundations illustrated clearly the peace work done by these organisations in Israel and Palestine, and their support for diverse realms of civil society. Thomas Birringer stressed in the ensuing vivid discussion, that the respective societies had to develop the institutions and instruments by themselves, it could not be “bought” from outside through financial support. This process could and had rather to be accompanied and supported via cooperation on an equal footing. Accordingly, the KAS consideres itself like other political foundations not as a donor, but as a partner.

Subsequently the topic of the discussions turned to the Christian minorities in Palestine and their high migration rate. Bishop Huber concluded with an appeal to intensify the work for peace in the Holy Land: “We cannot expect from Arab Christians to live under conditions, under which we would not want to live. Yet we can forge to improve the living conditions for all people in this region”. The political foundations will continue their work accordingly.