Rifat Odeh Kassis
Encyclopedia
Rifat Odeh Kassis is a Palestinian Christian
was born in Beit Sahour
, in the West Bank
. An active human rights and political and community activist, he was arrested and imprisoned several times by Israel
.
In 1992 he founded the Palestinian section of the international child rights organization, Defence for Children International
(DCI) and in 2005 he was elected President of the international movement. In October 2008, during the International General Assembly meeting, held in Brussels, he was reelected President for another term.
In 1995 he helped to establish a rehabilitation programme in Chechnya
targeting Chechen
children who have been injured and traumatized in the war.
In 1996 he left Palestine to work in Central Asia for several years, helping to develop the NGO sector there.
In September 2000 he came back to Palestine to become the Executive Director of the East Jerusalem YMCA
. As a response to the second Intifada he founded the "Keep Hope Alive Campaign" and founded and run the YMCA/YWCA Joint Advocacy Desk.
In 2003, he co founded the Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative
(OPGAI), a network works on contributing to establishing a social movement and advocating on ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Syrian Golan heights.
In 2004 he co founded the Palestinian National Coalition for Christian Organizations in Palestine (PNCCO), a network from several Christian related organizations works on enhancing the unity between these organizations and giving a national voice to the Palestinian Christians in their struggle on ending the Israeli occupation to their land.
In 2005 he joined the World Council of Churches
(WCC) in Geneva to run the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
(EAPPI).
Currently he is the Special Adviser to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches on the Middle East, .
Since September 2007 he is a Consultant at Dar Annadwa, the International Center of Bethlehem (ICB).
In March 2008 together with others he established “Badayl/Alternatives” an international consulting agency.
He is a co founder of the Alternative Tourism Group
(ATG), a Palestinian NGO specializing in tours and pilgrimages. It was established by five people from Beit Sahour, late Jamal Salameh, Ghassan Andoni (executive director), Dr. Majed Nassar, Dr. Elias Rishmawi and Rifat Odeh Kassis (President).
He was a member of ICCO International Advisory Group, the Netherlands from 2002 till 2009. He was also member of the Advisory Group of Dan Church Aid- Denmark from 2000 till 2008.
In January 2008 he became Member of Board of Directors of The Alternative Information Center
, (AIC).
In April 2008 he was requested to become a member of the Peace for Life (PfL) subgroup on the Middle East, in Manila the Philippines
In June 2008 he was selected as a member of the World Economic Forum
’s Global Agenda Council on the Welfare of Children, Switzerland.
He is a co-author and the general coordinator of Kairos Palestine which is the Christian Palestinians’ word to the world about what is happening in Palestine.
He is the author of several articles, study papers and researches and in 2006 he published his first book, Palestine: A Bleeding Wound in the World’s Conscience.
In 2008, together with Mitri Raheb
he published his second book Christian Community, facts, figures and trends.
In 2011, he published his third book, "Kairos for Palestine".
Palestinian Christian
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic , Protestant, and others...
was born in Beit Sahour
Beit Sahour
Beit Sahour is a Palestinian town east of Bethlehem under the administration of the Palestinian National Authority...
, in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. An active human rights and political and community activist, he was arrested and imprisoned several times by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
In 1992 he founded the Palestinian section of the international child rights organization, Defence for Children International
Defence for Children International
Defence for Children International is an independent non-governmental organisation set up during the International Year of the Child to ensure on-going, practical, systematic and concerted international and national action specially directed towards promoting and protecting the rights of the...
(DCI) and in 2005 he was elected President of the international movement. In October 2008, during the International General Assembly meeting, held in Brussels, he was reelected President for another term.
In 1995 he helped to establish a rehabilitation programme in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
targeting Chechen
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
children who have been injured and traumatized in the war.
In 1996 he left Palestine to work in Central Asia for several years, helping to develop the NGO sector there.
In September 2000 he came back to Palestine to become the Executive Director of the East Jerusalem YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. As a response to the second Intifada he founded the "Keep Hope Alive Campaign" and founded and run the YMCA/YWCA Joint Advocacy Desk.
In 2003, he co founded the Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative
Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative
The Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative is a common platform for NGOs working in the West Bank and the Golan Heights to coordinate their activities for the World Social Forum and beyond....
(OPGAI), a network works on contributing to establishing a social movement and advocating on ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Syrian Golan heights.
In 2004 he co founded the Palestinian National Coalition for Christian Organizations in Palestine (PNCCO), a network from several Christian related organizations works on enhancing the unity between these organizations and giving a national voice to the Palestinian Christians in their struggle on ending the Israeli occupation to their land.
In 2005 he joined the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
(WCC) in Geneva to run the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel is an international, ecumenical programme that recruits and despatches observers to several Palestinian towns and villages to monitor the interaction between the Palestinian inhabitants and the Israeli military...
(EAPPI).
Currently he is the Special Adviser to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches on the Middle East, .
Since September 2007 he is a Consultant at Dar Annadwa, the International Center of Bethlehem (ICB).
In March 2008 together with others he established “Badayl/Alternatives” an international consulting agency.
He is a co founder of the Alternative Tourism Group
Alternative Tourism Group
Alternative Tourism Group and Study Center is a Palestinian NGO based in Beit Sahour . They specialize in tours and pilgrimages that include critical examinations of the history, culture, and politics of the Holy Land....
(ATG), a Palestinian NGO specializing in tours and pilgrimages. It was established by five people from Beit Sahour, late Jamal Salameh, Ghassan Andoni (executive director), Dr. Majed Nassar, Dr. Elias Rishmawi and Rifat Odeh Kassis (President).
He was a member of ICCO International Advisory Group, the Netherlands from 2002 till 2009. He was also member of the Advisory Group of Dan Church Aid- Denmark from 2000 till 2008.
In January 2008 he became Member of Board of Directors of The Alternative Information Center
Alternative Information Center
The Alternative Information Center is a joint Palestinian-Israeli non-governmental organization which "engages in dissemination of information, political advocacy, grassroots activism and critical analysis of the Palestinian and Israeli societies as well as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict"...
, (AIC).
In April 2008 he was requested to become a member of the Peace for Life (PfL) subgroup on the Middle East, in Manila the Philippines
In June 2008 he was selected as a member of the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
’s Global Agenda Council on the Welfare of Children, Switzerland.
He is a co-author and the general coordinator of Kairos Palestine which is the Christian Palestinians’ word to the world about what is happening in Palestine.
He is the author of several articles, study papers and researches and in 2006 he published his first book, Palestine: A Bleeding Wound in the World’s Conscience.
In 2008, together with Mitri Raheb
Mitri Raheb
Mitri Raheb is a Palestinian Christian, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem , and the founder and president of the Diyar Consortium, a group of Lutheran-based, ecumenically-oriented institutions serving the Bethlehem area.-Background:Mitri Raheb was born in...
he published his second book Christian Community, facts, figures and trends.
In 2011, he published his third book, "Kairos for Palestine".
External links
- Sa'adat kidnap boosts Olmert's election campaign, The Electronic IntifadaElectronic IntifadaThe Electronic Intifada is a not-for-profit, independent online publication which covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective, "aimed at combating the pro-Israeli, pro-American spin" its editors believe exists in mainstream media accounts.-History:EI was founded by Ali...
, 17 March 2006 - Fatah Chapter Closed: Creating a Palestinian National Congress The Electronic Intifada, 28 March 2006
- When will Israel learn?(1/2) Live from Palestine, 28 June 2006
- When will Israel learn? (2/2) Live from Palestine, 14 July 2006