| Palestine-Israel: praying for resurrection |
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| Tuesday, 11 March 2008 00:00 |
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Meera Atkinson
Unpack the issues...
Few conflicts have been as long standing as the battle that has raged around the land occupied by Palestinians and Israelis. The history is epic, the politics complex, the resolution elusive. And yet the healing of the region is essential to its well being and prosperous future and even more pressing for its long-suffering people. Late last year the President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Gregor Henderson, joined a delegation of Australian Church Leaders visiting Palestine and Israel; a response to calls from Palestinian Christians for the solidarity and fellowship of Christians around the globe. The aims of the journey were to extend the hand of friendship and to witness the situation first-hand in order to determine how best to advocate for peace in the region.
“We visited many areas including a refugee camp where we heard heart-wrenching stories of families who had lived there since 1948; of children shot; of the loss of hope.” Loss of hope has become associated with conflict in the Middle East. Indeed sometimes it seems like a crucifixion that will never end, but Gregor says it’s important to maintain hope that peace will one day prevail. Gregor says the group was encouraged by their meetings with both Palestinian and Israeli officials. “The Palestinian Authority and the Israeli governments’ representatives we spoke with indicated there is a genuine possibility of peace and a willingness on both sides to give ground,” says Gregor Hamas (the Islamist government of the Palestinian Authority) and other groups are challenging the peace process and many Christians and Muslims alike remain doubtful that Israel will compromise sufficiently to ensure a successful outcome. Just after the delegates returned to Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced an increase in Australian aid to Palestine. While Gregor welcomes Mr Rudd’s initiative, he says our aid to Palestine is still in the “minor leagues” and that the delegates will be lobbying for a further increase. Gregor also says that, although the visit was a response to the call from Palestinian Christians, the group was witness to both sides of the conflict. He says that the people of Israel have reason to be living in fear. “We are biased in favour of peace and of the people — both Palestinian and Israeli — who are the victims of this conflict.” It has always been a great irony that the Palestinian/Israeli conflict has taken place in the land in which Jesus Christ was born and died and where he carried his message of peace. Gregor says that Easter therefore reminds us that it is simply not an option to give up on the people of Israel and Palestine. “Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the love of God for the whole of humanity as one human family becomes very clear,” says Gregor. “God’s love and presence is for the whole earth and Christ came to bring peace for humanity. There in Jerusalem, 2000 years later, we do not have peace. The message of Easter surely has to be a message to renew our efforts towards harmony in the Holy land and in other parts of the world.” Unpack the issues...The content of the following websites does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of The Transit Lounge.
It's difficult to know how we can best advocate for peace in the region. At The Transit Lounge, we think one way to be peace makers is through discussion with others about the issues at hand, and through prayer. We encourage you to send your prayers to The Transit Lounge, which we will publish here (with your permission, of course).
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Palestine and Israel: the history is epic, the politics complex, the resolution elusive. The message of Easter, therefore, surely has to be to renew our efforts towards harmony in the Holy land and in other parts of the world.
“We dined with 15 church leaders and had meetings with heads of churches, Muslim leaders, Jewish leaders, Jewish Rabbis, members of the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli government, human rights groups and peacemaking volunteers,” says Gregor.
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