Picture
During April this year I joined a pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by Rev. Andrew Kingston. There were 28 in the group from various parts of Ireland, including Pat Russell, Melanie McCloskey & myself from Carnalea. Not having been to the Middle East previously I had a variety of pre conceived ideas about what I might find.


Over the course of two weeks we travelled extensively throughout Palestine, Israel, and Jordan, visiting numerous places of interest. Many of my views were challenged including thoughts around the Palestinian- Israeli conflict.
Our first three nights were spent at the Shepherd Hotel in Bethlehem, which lies within the Palestinian territory. Arriving by coach from Tel Aviv we had to pass through the wall which the Israelis have built around Bethlehem which is 20 feet high and punctuated with watch towers. The birth place of Jesus is now effectively cut off from nearby Jerusalem, and Bethlehem appears much neglected and run down compared with Israeli towns. There is a very clear disparity in wealth on each side of the wall. Israel is affluent, while the Palestinian territory gives the appearance of destitution. Despite this the Palestinians we met were without exception exceedingly friendly and welcoming.
Picture
While the Palestinian people are predominantly Muslim, a significant number are Christian. Our guide for most of our journey was Rada, a Christian Arab Israeli woman, from the Greek Malkite Catholic tradition. They trace their origins from the early Christians of Antioch.

Our first Sunday, we attended for worship at The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, where the service was in Arabic. Despite this we were able to join in familiar hymns including “What a friend we have in Jesus” and “When I survey the wondrous cross”.

We visited the Church of the Nativity, Shepherd’s fields, and Bethlehem Bible College. At this last stop we received an inspiring talk from Rev. Alex Awad, who is Dean of students, and a minister of the United Methodist Church. He outlined the origins of the problems in the region, and how the Bible College is training Palestinian Christians to lead the Church, and be the light of Christ to their Muslim and Christian neighbours’.

Looking from the College there was a large Palestinian refugee camp. When the state of Israel was established in 1948, 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes to become refugees. The Palestinians refer to this as Al Nakba, “The Catastrophe”. Approximately 1.2 million Palestinians live in refugee camps. In addition another 4 million U.N. registered Palestinian refugees are scattered throughout the world.

Picture
At the beginning of the 20th Century five percent of historic Palestine was owned by Jews, and the various religious groups lived in relative harmony. Today Israelis have “acquired” over 88% of the land, leaving only 12% with limited Palestinian rule. Issues relating to the dispossessed and marginalized Arabs are still awaiting resolution. Palestinian refugees are prohibited from returning to their homeland by the Israelis, yet all Jews throughout the world have the right to settle in Israel.

The picture of deprivation was much the same in the other Palestinian towns we visited including Hebron, Nablus, and Jericho. Roads, buildings, infrastructure all underdeveloped. Palestinian Arabs are restricted in their movement due to the separation barrier which stretches over 450 miles and in places reaches a height of 8 metres. Some of our party made the crossing on foot from Bethlehem through the barrier to experience what many ordinary Palestinians have to face on a daily basis.

Given the experience of the Jews during the Holocaust, it is difficult to comprehend why the native Arab people in Palestine/Israel are being treated as outcasts in their own land.

Despite the obvious difficulties we were very fortunate in being able to visit many significant religious sites in Palestine, some valued equally by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In Hebron the tombs of the Patriarchs; Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Leah, while in Nablus, under a Greek Orthodox Church, Jacob’s well.
Picture
Travelling out to the Judean desert we spent a night in tents with the Bedouin Arabs, and rode on the camels!

In Jerusalem I was able to experience the rich multi cultural, multi ethnic nature of the Holy city, with its Christian, Muslim, Arab, and Armenian quarters.

The Palestinian Arabs are widely misrepresented when there is debate regarding the future of the region. Stereotypes are too easily applied, and historical events ignored. I hope that in this short article I have presented some issues from a perspective which may challenge accepted ideas.

In Galatians 3 v 26-29 it is written…… “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus…..there is neither Jew nor Greek…for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Eric Morrison

3/9/11

 


Comments


Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply