A new group of 18 ecumenical accompaniers have joined the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). These new members added to the four existing bodies will increase the total number of accompaniers to 22.

The diverse group of eleven women and seven men with ages ranging from 25 to 68, have a truly international representation, with five people from Norway, five from South Africa, three from Britain, three from Sweden and one from France and Switzerland.

Four pastors from different Churches are among the new accompaniers. Two pastors are from the Anglican Church and one pastor from the Salvation Army from South Africa and also a Swedish pastor from the Baptist Church.

The minimum time spent in the programme is 3 months and accompaniers work in various capacities with local churches or Palestinian and Israeli NGOs in order to reduce the violence of the occupation. Accompaniers will be located in places like Bethlehem, Hebron, Jayyous, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tulkarem, and Yanoun and will seek to improve the daily lives of people from these regions.

The four people from the previous grouping will continue the work for the programme also. One of them with journalism skills will continue in cooperation with the Alternative Information Centre (AIC).

The other three are medical students, working in mobile clinics for the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) with a base in Ramallah. They are providing the health care for people unable to get to the hospital.

The EAPPI began as an initiative of the World Council of Churches under the "Ecumenical Campaign to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine: Support a Just Peace in the Middle East" in August 2002.

It is based on principles of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, including resolutions of the UN Security Council, General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights. It is a programme developed as a response to Israel's violation of internationally accepted norms and principles of human rights and the rule of law. In general, the programme's mission is to accompany Palestinians and Israelis in non-violent actions and concerted advocacy efforts to end the occupation.

Since the establishment of the programme 180 ecumenical accompaniers have participated from more than 30 churches in 12 countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.