Latest news with #ChristianPalestinian
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit
TAYBEH, West Bank (AP) — Top church leaders in the Holy Land asserted Monday that Israeli authorities 'facilitate and enable' the presence of Israeli settlers who have intensified attacks in recent weeks on the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the occupied West Bank. Speaking in the village, Taybeh, on a rare solidarity visit, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa denounced an incident last week when settlers set fires near the community's church. They alleged that Israeli authorities failed to respond to emergency calls for help from the Palestinian community. In a separate statement, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem demanded an investigation into the incident and called for the settlers to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, 'who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh.' The church leaders also claimed that settlers had brought their cattle to graze on Palestinian lands in the area, set fire to several homes last month and put up a sign reading 'there is no future for you here.' Israel's military did not immediately respond to the allegations. It has previously said it takes action against outlaw settlers and that many incidents of settler violence involve stone-throwing and clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. The war in Gaza has sparked a surge of violence in the West Bank , with the Israeli military targeting militants in large-scale operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands . That has coincided with a rise in settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Palestinian militants have attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank. Pizzaballa, the top Catholic cleric in Jerusalem, said he believed the West Bank was becoming a lawless area. 'The only law (in the West Bank) is that of power, of those who have the force, not the law. We must work for the law to return to this part of the country, so anyone can appeal to the law to enforce their rights,' Pizzaballa told reporters. He and Theophilos prayed together in the church of St. George, whose religious site dates back centuries, adjacent to the area where settlers ignited the fires. The statement from the heads of churches comes as Palestinians report a surge of settler violence. On Sunday, hundreds descended on the village of Al-Mazraa a-Sharqiya, south of Taybeh, for the funeral of two young men killed during a settler attack on Friday. The Christian community in Israel and the Palestinian territories has dwindled as a percentage of the overall population over the decades, with experts citing lower birthrates and emigration by people fleeing conflict or seeking better opportunities abroad. Christians now make up a tiny percentage of the population. ___ Associated Press senior producer Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah contributed. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit
TAYBEH, West Bank (AP) — Top church leaders in the Holy Land asserted Monday that Israeli authorities 'facilitate and enable' the presence of Israeli settlers who have intensified attacks in recent weeks on the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the occupied West Bank. Speaking in the village, Taybeh, on a rare solidarity visit, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa denounced an incident last week when settlers set fires near the community's church. They alleged that Israeli authorities failed to respond to emergency calls for help from the Palestinian community. In a separate statement, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem demanded an investigation into the incident and called for the settlers to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, "who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh.' The church leaders also claimed that settlers had brought their cattle to graze on Palestinian lands in the area, set fire to several homes last month and put up a sign reading 'there is no future for you here.' Israel's military did not immediately respond to the allegations. It has previously said it takes action against outlaw settlers and that many incidents of settler violence involve stone-throwing and clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. The war in Gaza has sparked a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military targeting militants in large-scale operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. That has coincided with a rise in settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Palestinian militants have attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank. Pizzaballa, the top Catholic cleric in Jerusalem, said he believed the West Bank was becoming a lawless area. 'The only law (in the West Bank) is that of power, of those who have the force, not the law. We must work for the law to return to this part of the country, so anyone can appeal to the law to enforce their rights,' Pizzaballa told reporters. He and Theophilos prayed together in the church of St. George, whose religious site dates back centuries, adjacent to the area where settlers ignited the fires. The statement from the heads of churches comes as Palestinians report a surge of settler violence. On Sunday, hundreds descended on the village of Al-Mazraa a-Sharqiya, south of Taybeh, for the funeral of two young men killed during a settler attack on Friday. The Christian community in Israel and the Palestinian territories has dwindled as a percentage of the overall population over the decades, with experts citing lower birthrates and emigration by people fleeing conflict or seeking better opportunities abroad. Christians now make up a tiny percentage of the population.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit
TAYBEH, West Bank (AP) — Top church leaders in the Holy Land asserted Monday that Israeli authorities 'facilitate and enable' the presence of Israeli settlers who have intensified attacks in recent weeks on the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the occupied West Bank. Speaking in the village, Taybeh, on a rare solidarity visit, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa denounced an incident last week when settlers set fires near the community's church. They alleged that Israeli authorities failed to respond to emergency calls for help from the Palestinian community. In a separate statement, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem demanded an investigation into the incident and called for the settlers to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, 'who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh.' The church leaders also claimed that settlers had brought their cattle to graze on Palestinian lands in the area, set fire to several homes last month and put up a sign reading 'there is no future for you here.' Israel's military did not immediately respond to the allegations. It has previously said it takes action against outlaw settlers and that many incidents of settler violence involve stone-throwing and clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. The war in Gaza has sparked a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military targeting militants in large-scale operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. That has coincided with a rise in settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Palestinian militants have attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank. Pizzaballa, the top Catholic cleric in Jerusalem, said he believed the West Bank was becoming a lawless area. 'The only law (in the West Bank) is that of power, of those who have the force, not the law. We must work for the law to return to this part of the country, so anyone can appeal to the law to enforce their rights,' Pizzaballa told reporters. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. He and Theophilos prayed together in the church of St. George, whose religious site dates back centuries, adjacent to the area where settlers ignited the fires. The statement from the heads of churches comes as Palestinians report a surge of settler violence. On Sunday, hundreds descended on the village of Al-Mazraa a-Sharqiya, south of Taybeh, for the funeral of two young men killed during a settler attack on Friday. The Christian community in Israel and the Palestinian territories has dwindled as a percentage of the overall population over the decades, with experts citing lower birthrates and emigration by people fleeing conflict or seeking better opportunities abroad. Christians now make up a tiny percentage of the population. ___ Associated Press senior producer Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah contributed.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit
TAYBEH, West Bank (AP) — Top church leaders in the Holy Land asserted Monday that Israeli authorities 'facilitate and enable' the presence of Israeli settlers who have intensified attacks in recent weeks on the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the occupied West Bank. Speaking in the village, Taybeh, on a rare solidarity visit, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa denounced an incident last week when settlers set fires near the community's church. They alleged that Israeli authorities failed to respond to emergency calls for help from the Palestinian community.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
From stairs to restrooms: How a Palestinian-American designer's iconic symbols helped us make sense of the everyday modern world?
It's hard to imagine walking through an airport, train station, or even a shopping mall without being silently steered by the familiar icons that tell us where to go—where to find a restroom, an elevator, or the baggage claim. These everyday visual cues have become so seamlessly integrated into public life that we rarely stop to ask: who created them? The answer lies in the quiet brilliance of Rajie Cook , a Palestinian-American graphic designer whose revolutionary work still shapes how we move through the world today. #Operation Sindoor The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare A Name, a Journey, and a Vision Born Rajie Suleiman in Newark, New Jersey, on July 6, 1930, he was the son of Christian Palestinian immigrants from Ramallah. His surname, like much of his early identity, was shaped by a series of colonialisms and cultural translations—first Turkish, then British, and finally Americanized into 'Cook.' Even his first name was changed by a schoolteacher who decided 'Rajie' was too difficult, opting instead for 'Roger.' But in later years, he reclaimed his original name with pride, grounding his creative spirit in his heritage. Cook graduated from Pratt Institute in 1953 and was later named its Alumni of the Year. His professional path led him into advertising and design, but it was in 1967—when he co-founded Cook and Shanosky Associates—that his most enduring legacy took shape. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Car Novels Undo — stereochromo (@stereochromo) A Universal Language Without Words In 1974, the U.S. Department of Transportation posed a challenge: how can public spaces be made more accessible to everyone, regardless of language or literacy? Collaborating with the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Cook's firm was selected to design a comprehensive system of pictograms that could be universally understood. What followed was a design revolution. Drawing from global influences—Tokyo's airports, the 1972 Munich Olympics—the team created 34 minimalist pictographs that distilled essential information into simple, elegant forms. The generic male and female figures. The cigarette with a red strike-through. The airplane and locomotive. These were not just symbols—they were acts of translation, transforming complex information into immediate understanding. You Might Also Like: How an artist gave computers an aesthetic soul without writing a single line of code? Cook's philosophy was clear: clarity over decoration, meaning over embellishment. 'Design communicates to its maximum efficacy without frills,' he wrote. These symbols weren't just beautiful; they worked. The Helvetica of Pictograms These signs, often dubbed 'the Helvetica of pictograms' for their clean, efficient lines and widespread adoption, are still in use today. In 2003, the 'Symbol Signs' project was inducted into the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and The Smithsonian Institution, sealing its place in design history. It's no exaggeration to say that Cook's work changed the way we interact with our environment. His symbols removed linguistic barriers, democratizing access to information in public spaces across the globe. In an age before smartphones and Google Translate, these little icons were quietly revolutionary. Beyond the Signs: Art, Activism, and Identity Yet Cook was not just a designer of signs. As his firm wound down in the early 2000s, he began creating three-dimensional sculptural boxes—assemblages made of found objects that reflected his political consciousness and deep concern for the Middle East. Many of these works were inspired by his trips to Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, where he served on a Presbyterian Church task force for human rights. These boxes were intimate and provocative, a sharp contrast to the silent neutrality of his signage. You Might Also Like: Why are resilient people so funny? Wellness expert explains the science behind laughter and healing from pain Cook used these works to grapple with the conditions faced by Palestinians, infusing his art with narratives of displacement, occupation, and resilience. They stood as personal testimonies—small yet profound acts of remembrance and resistance. — ireallyhateyou (@ireallyhateyou) The Man with More Connoisseurs than van Gogh Despite his profound contributions, Rajie Cook remained largely unknown outside design circles. He once joked that more people had seen his work than a Matisse or van Gogh—not in galleries, but in elevators and restrooms. And he was right. His artistry was not hung on museum walls (though it eventually was) but lived in transit hubs, hospitals, and city streets, working quietly and efficiently in the background. Cook passed away on February 6, 2021, in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He left behind more than a design legacy; he left a universal language. A system that does not discriminate, that speaks instantly to everyone, and that continues to shape how we interact with the built environment. In a world often divided by words, Rajie Cook gave us symbols—monochrome, minimalist, and profoundly human—that speak louder than any language ever could. You Might Also Like: How a Nobel-nominated scientist was cancelled for exposing the invisible danger we face every day
