wfn.org | Mideast visitors offer steps to achieve justice

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Dec. 13, 2000 News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.     10-71B{565}

NOTE: This is the fourth story from an ecumenical delegation of U.S.
Christians visiting Israel.  Accompanying the group is UMNS photojournalist
Mike DuBose. His photos may be found at the UMNS photo gallery
http://umns.umc.org/jerusalem/ online. For related coverage, see UMNS
stories #559, #560, #561, #562 and #563.
 
By James Solheim*

JERUSALEM (UMNS) -- On their final day in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza,
U.S. church leaders met with the mayor of Jerusalem, officials at the
Israeli Foreign Ministry and the city's top Palestinian leader.

At a press conference afterward, members of the ecumenical delegation said
they had "heard the voices of people ... seen the impact of Israeli
settlements that strangulate and isolate the Palestinian people from one
another ... heard the terror in the voices of Israeli Jews and Palestinian
Christians and Muslims alike..."

"We believe that our faith calls us to tell the truth of what we have seen
and that, unless we share with the world what we have seen, the stones will
cry out. We are persuaded that the peace which must come for all - Israeli
and Palestinian alike - can only be achieved on a firm foundation of
justice."

In their statement, the church leaders made "an urgent plea that all parties
heed the moral imperative to do justice," and urged "the community of
nations and all people who love mercy to recognize and condemn this new
apartheid that oppresses the Palestinian people."

To achieve peace, the statement said, it is necessary that Israel withdraw
from Palestinian areas to the 1967 borders, in fulfillment of the U.N.
resolutions. It also offered steps to achieve justice:
·	cessation of violence by both sides;
·	cessation of the use of disproportionate force by Israeli forces;
·	suspension of current sales of U.S. attack helicopters to Israel;
·	cessation of  Israeli confiscation of land, house demolitions,
closures, destruction of agriculture and expansion of settlements;
·	provision for immediate international protection for Palestinians;
·	accountability for U.S. aid to Israel;
·	provision of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians; and 
·	development of a plan to share the city of Jerusalem.

'Human face on suffering'

At a press conference, members of the delegation described their encounters
during the visit and expanded on their statement.

Bishop Vincent Warner of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia (Wash.) said his
encounter with a 9-year-old girl in the area south of Gaza City, where the
Israelis had bulldozed an orchard, put a "human face on the suffering." That
is why, he said, "the statement is passionate and urgent."

Bishop Herbert Chilstrom of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) said the impression that American churches tend to give greater
support to the Israelis is "sometimes based on a reading of Scripture that
says that this land should belong to the Jews." 

On the other hand, he said he has concluded that "this is a justice issue."
Palestinians whose families go back centuries are being uprooted. "We are
here to protect their rights while advocating the rights of the Israelis,"
he said.

Bishop Edmond Browning, former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church,
responded to a question about the delegation's strategy by stating that the
church leaders plan to contact members of Congress and "tell the story of
what we have witnessed." And the delegation's members are determined to
raise the issue of Palestinian suffering in the churches they represent,
both nationally and internationally, and to suggest ways that churches can
help in peace efforts.

Bishop Margaret Payne of the ELCA's New England Synod, said she had seen
"the damage that violence does to all parties," which has convinced her that
"all parties must cease violent acts" if there is any chance for peace.

A tolerant city

"No matter what, you can believe that the Israeli people will do everything
in their power to maintain religious freedom," Mayor Ehud Olmert said in
welcoming the delegation to the council room at City Hall. "It's our source
of pride."

Olmert said that "not a single city in the world hosts more churches,"
adding that it was his responsibility "to make sure that every Christian
believer can come to the city at any time to practice their religion without
restriction." He pointed out that the Old City's one square kilometer has
"more holy sites than other city in the world." And since the war in 1967,
when Israel took the eastern part of the city, "we have protected religious
freedom in a glorious manner-the best in history," he said.

Olmert argued that Ariel Sharon was exercising his religious freedom when he
made his controversial visit to the Temple Mount area last September, an
area dominated by two of Islam's holiest sites. "If Jews can't visit Temple
Mount, then what's the meaning of religious freedom?"

He said that "nothing was desecrated, not one stone was moved." While the
visit might have been a mistake, "the answer to this mistake is shooting?"

"In the middle of war, there will be some problems...some provocations," but
everything must be seen in context, he said.

The mayor told his visitors that "you are our best partners," especially
since "some societies in the region don't share our sense of democracy."

"We make mistakes," he admitted. "We are under pressure. We are encircled by
many whose tolerance is in doubt. It leads us to wrong reactions."

No reason for emigration

The state of Israel is serious about freedom of religion, access to holy
sites, security, and helping and assisting all religions, according to
officials at the Israeli Foreign Ministry who are in charge of religious
affairs.

The emigration of Christians is a phenomenon that goes back to the seventh
century, when Muslims captured the Holy Land and triggered an exodus of
Christians, said Ariel Kenneth.

The Christian population increased after the creation of the state of Israel
because Christians were offered a safe environment with good educational
opportunities and a good standard of living. In areas under Palestinian
control, however, violence has caused significant emigration.

"There is no reason for emigration from Israel," said Avi Granot. In fact,
Israel has been absorbing a large number of Christians from places like
Russia and Ethiopia. He is convinced that "a whole heritage is being lost
when cities like Bethlehem become Muslim."

When asked about complaints by Christians about access to religious sites
and a perception that they are second-class citizens, Kenneth said, "Israel
doesn't want to cause any harm to the Christian population," but it must
apply some constrictions because of the war mentality.

"There is no freedom in the land when there is war," he said. "We hold
(Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat responsible for turning back to violence.
 
"You are talking about difficulty of movement during a time of war," he
said. "Of course there are limitations - but without exception it is because
of the need for security." That is why, for example, only Muslims over the
age of 45 are allowed to pray at the Dome of the Rock and al Aqsa in the Old
City.

The violence in Beit Jala, a town near Bethlehem that has been the scene of
shelling, is not the work of Christians or local residents, he said. Those
who are shooting at the nearby settlement at Gilo are actually hoping Israel
will respond, to gain some sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Israel has
the ability to pinpoint the source of shooting and to respond quickly, he
said.

Kenneth said there are lists of Christians and Muslims and their
contributions to the Intifada, and "we may be doing the Christians a favor."
    
Logic, not violence

"Our problem will not be solved by violence but by the power of logic," said
Faisal Husseini in welcoming the delegation to Orient House in eastern
Jerusalem. But the Palestine National Authority's top representative in
Jerusalem said that "not only throwing stones and shooting are violence but
also the destruction of homes by soldiers is violence and the use of
identity cards that consider people as foreigners in their own city."

"There will be no solution, no stability, without solving the Palestinian
problem," Husseini warned. "And that means a Palestinian state."

Because small states seem less viable at this time in history, Husseini
envisions a regional cooperation. But that raises other obstacles in the
search for peace, including Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem,
return of Palestinian refugees, settling the property claims of both 
Palestinians and Israelis.

Palestinians accept two states, even though it means that "Palestinians are
willing to settle for only 22 percent of what was our original land -
because we want a better life for our children."

The Israeli settlements, he said, are illegal and are "a time bomb that
could explode at any moment." Unless the issue is solved, "We could find
ourselves fighting each other like the Serbs and Bosnians." There is no way
that Palestinians could accept settlements in their state because "It would
cut the Palestinian state into islands."

On refugees, Husseini said about 4 million Palestinians are living abroad,
and Israel must accept the principle that those Palestinians have a right to
return. But that should be implemented in a way that would not threaten the
Israelis, he said.

He emphasized that making peace is difficult, but concluded: "There is still
a possibility for peace."
#  #  #
*Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of News and
Information and is serving as press officer for the peace delegation. 

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org