Anglican Communion News Service

May 14, 2001

[Anglican Media Melbourne] Philip Newman, Director of Anglican relief and development body AngliCORD, has spent the last week in the West Bank and Gaza as part of an ACFOA (Australian Council for Overseas Aid) monitoring team.

The trip was designed to see how money raised in a joint Australian Government/NGO appeal was being used and to asses what further responses may be required.

Mr Newman has spent time with the management of two Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem, which have cared for thousands of victims of the on-going conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. He has spoken with village leaders where houses have been destroyed, and met with the mother of the baby recently killed.

"I've witnessed the despair of those with nowhere to go, who live in daily fear," he said. "I've seen first hand the frustration of communities with up to 80 per cent unemployment.

"There is a feeling of hopelessness among the young, who have no prospects of jobs, and for whom martyrdom becomes a real option."