Every week at All Saints Church we put our faith into action. This week we have TWO ACTIONS:

1. Don’t Let Big Oil Exploit the Ukraine War
2. Support Muhammed Halabi, Unjustly Incarcerated By Israel

One is a letter to President Biden opposing efforts by the oil and gas industry to exploit the war in Ukraine to gain expanded drilling rights, fossil fuel infrastructure and reduced regulation.

The other action is sending a message of support to Mr. Muhammed Halabi, the Gaza Area Director for World Vision International, who was arrested nearly six years ago by the Israeli Army on bogus charges of diverting humanitarian aid to Hamas.

Although the figures were impossibly large and internal audits conducted by World Vision and an outside organization found no evidence of such a diversion, the Israelis refused to release him. Mr. Halabi reported beatings and other forceful measures during his interrogation but refused to sign the “confessions” he was offered. Eventually, he was brought to trial, though the transcripts have never been made public and the trial judge has not issued his verdict. Mr. Halabi refuses to take any plea deals, maintaining his innocence  and appealing to the Israeli Supreme Court for intervention. He continues to wait in prison for justice. The testimony of prisoners followed by  Amnesty International and other groups tell us that the isolation and despair can be alleviated when prisoners know they are not forgotten. Mr. Halabi’s lawyers have agreed to bring any postcards or notecards of encouragement to him in prison.

With respect to big oil’s exploitation of the war in Ukraine, like most Americans, we have been watching the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine with growing horror. However, we are outraged to learn that the oil and gas industry is attempting to use this crisis to lobby for expanded drilling, fossil fuel infrastructure and reduced regulation, all decency and climate change consequences be damned.

We cannot let the oil and gas industry get away with profiting from this crisis and undermining efforts to transition away from fossil fuels. In fact, given the financial reports that we have seen and prices we are paying at the pump, we should be considering excess profits taxes. Also, we have heard that they already have ten years’ worth of drilling leases and that nearly all of the infrastructure they are proposing would take three to four years to come on line. How is that supposed to help Ukraine with their war effort or us and the world cope with the consequences of the sanctions that we and our allies are imposing on Russia? The answer is that it doesn’t.

What would help would be to use the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of renewable energy technologies and the transition to electrified transportation systems and HVAC systems for buildings. Instead of replacing Russian gas with U.S. gas we must accelerate our transition away from fossil fuels altogether. In fact, Germany has just announced that they plan to do exactly that.

For decades we have gone through crises and wars in which oil and gas were either at the center or a big factor. For far too long, we have looked aside as countries and leaders propped up by fossil fuels have gotten away with terrible things. We must stop using fossil fuels. For the sake of our climate, for the freedom and self-determination of the world’s peoples and to free the world of petro-dictators like Putin. We cannot let the oil and gas industry keep us trapped in this corrupt and exploitive energy system. No to additional leases. No to new oil and gas infrastructure. No to reduced regulation. Yes to an excess profits tax.

Options to Take Action:

1. 1. Sign a letter to the Presidentk or send a message to Mr. Halabi at the Action Table.
   2. Download a PDF copy of the Action Letter, sign it and mail it.
      
   3. Send a message to President Biden at the STAND.earth website.
   4. You can mail a card to Mohammed Halabi in care of his lawyer, Mr. Maher Hanna at the Kuttab, Khoury & Hanna Law Office, Salah el Din St. #14, Dar Mall 3rd Floor, Jerusalem 91194, Israel. US International rate postage is required.

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