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Israel & the Occupied Palestian Territories
Monday 7th September 2015 @ 4:27 pm
It has been a very real privilege to facilitate a group of ‘grown–ups’ around Palestine and Israel over the last week.
My brother–in–law, President Brian, said to me across a room several days ago, “this place has really got to you, hasn’t it?” I wasn’t sure I was that obvious, but I was, obviously, wrong.
It has.
This land is beautiful – and warm. It has golden beaches and smiling faces. With mountains and wilderness, it has welcome and embrace edged with danger and division.
I struggle to find words when I am here, because words can never be enough to convey a feeling only felt, a sense only sensed, a hope only dreamed. I think it has something to do with growing up in Northern Ireland – where sectarian bigotry and violence has too often spoiled the dignity of a land and a people so beautiful.
The tragedy in this land pulls me back toward the bitterness and division in my own land. When I meet friends here, I meet Israelis who have served in the military, and I meet Palestinians who have suffered at the might of that military. I do not like one more than the other, I see the image of God in us all. My Palestinian friends do not fully understand how I could be friends with Israelis, my Israeli friends seem to know that things in the West Bank are bad, but they can do little about it.
Geo–political and socio–religious economics play their part in keeping the occupied Palestinian Territories marginalized from the world stage, as the Israeli government controls the media output.
So, just a few things I heard and saw over the last week. No comments – just experiences.
I passed through army checkpoints where 19–22 year females held Kalashnikovs toward me.
I drove through a check point exiting the West Bank, where our Palestinian guide had his ID taken to check he was one of the 44 Palestinian tour guides able to pass through that particular checkpoint … over 650 Israeli tour guides have no such restrictions. If our guide’s wife had been with us that day, as originally planned, we would have needed to take another route, as no Palestinians are allowed to use that checkpoint. (Save the 44 mentioned.)
I walked through Hebron and witnessed the market I saw close to death five years ago, now dead.
I ate with a Palestinian family who shared their stories of struggle, military harassment, water & electricity shortage … and all the while shared their home & table with incredible generosity.
I listened to an Israeli settler tell me not one inch of the land his settlement is built on was taken from Palestinians. This was after he had told me Israeli had won wars because God was on their side.
I listened to Israeli teenagers talk about crossing cultural barriers and making friends with Arabs.
I had Israeli friends ask me quietly and sincerely, how things are in Palestine. (Which is lovely of them, because many Israelis only talk of the occupied territories as Judea and Samaria).
I heard how a fabulous Israeli school in Haifa is setting out its stall for peace – using its learning and social concern to bring together Jews and Arabs.
So, there you have it. Another glimpse at a land that needs grace, mercy, justice and compassion as much as my little island on the other side of Europe.
And yes – I know this blog has been ‘I’ ‘I’ ‘I’ … quite deliberately. I care not to speak for anyone else who has been on this trip. I do care that they should speak for themselves. And I do care that you might listen …
… and maybe join us when we do the adventure again?
If you do, Grace Tours will provide you with an experience you won’t forget. And you might well leave with the words of our Palestinian Christian tour guide ringing in your ears,
“We are for peace, what other way is there?”
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