wfn.org | Settlements Obscure Peace

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3410 notes).

Note 3407 by UMNS on Feb. 3, 1997 at 15:59 Eastern (2575 characters).

SEARCH: Israel, Palestine, Hebron, United Methodist, Awad, peace,
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CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                          53(10-21-71B){3407}
          New York (212) 870-3803                     Feb. 3, 1997

Israeli settlements hinder
 peace, missionary says

               by United Methodist News Service

     Real peace between Israelis and Palestinians cannot be
achieved as long as the Israeli government continues to confiscate
more land for settlements, according to a United Methodist
missionary based in Bethlehem.
     The Rev. Alex Awad, a Palestinian-American assigned to the
West Bank by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, said
in a Jan. 29 interview that the confiscations show a lack of
genuine desire for peace.
     Although Bethlehem, for example, is peaceful and calm, "we
still feel threatened, not from shotguns and bullets ... but
because Israelis have intentions to confiscate a lot of land in
the Bethlehem area to build new Jewish settlements."
     The effect of such settlements is evident in the recent
agreement reached on returning the town of Hebron to Palestinian
control, which Awad called "a compromise on behalf of the
Palestinians."
     Because of a Jewish settlement in the town center, about 20
percent of Hebron remains under Israeli control. Approximately
30,000 Palestinians reside in that section, according to Awad, and
only 400 to 450 settlers, some of whom are Torah students and not
permanent residents.
     Peggy Hutchison, a United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries executive who visited Hebron last April, noted that the
division also affects Palestinians who live in Palestinian
territory but work in the Israeli section. "If there's a curfew of
the Israeli-controlled area, it means that person can't get to
work."
     She said a piece of swiss cheese illustrates how the control
of land is being parceled out in the West Bank. Because of the
lack of infrastructure, jobs and various restrictions, she
claimed, the Palestinians are being left with the holes while
Israelis take the cheese.
     According to Awad, the expansion of settlements in the West
Bank shatters Palestinian aspirations for the future. "Every
settlement needs soldiers to guard it," he added. "The more
soldiers we have in the West Bank means the Palestinians will
never have real freedom."
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