The Methodist Council of Churches in the United States called on its representatives at the US Congress to pressure the Israeli Authorities to stop their decision to shut down the facilities of the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron.
The Israeli army carried repeated attacks against the society which fosters hundreds of orphans and runs several facilities in order to support thousands of families in need. It is located in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
The Methodist Council of Churches stated in a session which was held in New York that it slams and denounces the repeated army attacks against the society and the destruction and confiscation of its properties.
It added that it intends to exert pressure on its representatives at the US Congress in order pressure the Israeli authorities to stop the attacks and void the Israeli decision to shut down the society and its branches in Hebron.
The Council called for encouraging the relations between the Churches on orphanages as this is a humanitarian issue which should be supported.
On Friday June 6, Israeli soldiers stormed two charitable societies in the Hebron area, confiscated their properties and closed them by military orders for three years.
The two societies, in Al Shiokh village, and Beit Ola town, belong to the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron. The Charitable society fosters orphans and schools them but it was also shut down by the Israeli forces earlier this year.
The National Committee for Aiding the Orphans stated that more than fourteen military vehicles and jeeps invaded Al Shiokh village on Friday at dawn, and broke into the Charitable Society and its school and confiscated their belongings.
Soldiers confiscated chairs, computers, office equipment, and documents that belonged to the society and the school. Soldiers then placed a military order shutting down the society for three years.
In Beit Ola village, west of Hebron, soldiers broke into the offices of the Islamic Charitable Society and confiscated computers, files and other stationeries before leaving on its main door, a military order shutting it down for three years.
These attacks are part of the ongoing attacks against the Society as the Israeli authorities claim that the society is affiliated with Hamas movement.
The National Committee for Aiding the Orphans slammed the Israeli attacks and warned that the occupation is ongoing with its policy of closing all facilities which belong to the Charitable Society, including its schools and orphan homes.
The Committee demanded a comprehensive campaign to protect the schools and facilities as they are providing shelter and aid to a large number of orphans and thousands of poor families.