main cow pic

12.05.10

What I Saw in the Middle East (part 7)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 1:05 pm

Thanks so much for stopping by this week!  I hope it’s been helpful or interesting in some way.  This last blog is a story and then my dream for how we Americans might approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…

In front of the Dome of the Rock

Al Asqa Mosque

We had the rare opportunity to visit inside both The Dome of the Rock and Al Asqa Mosque.
After Mecca and Medina, these are the holiest sites in Islam…and we considered it a huge honor to enter the sacred space of our Muslim brothers and sisters, and very thankful to our gracious host.

After visiting The Dome of the Rock, and even getting to touch the rock (that Muslims believe Muhammad ascended from), he led us across the temple mount and into the stunning Al Asqa Mosque.

Shells collected after the fighting

But when we got to certain cabinet, our host gathered us around.  In 2000, Arial Sharon (Israeli political figure) marched into this area with 1000 Israeli police officers and declared it forever in Israeli control.  This was a very provocative act and many believe it began the Second Intifada.  In the next five days of violence, 47 Palestinians and 5 Israelis were killed.  (The 5 year “uprising” would claim 5500 Palestinian and over 1100 Israeli lives. Tragic.)

Our host pointed to a cabinet (pictured right) full of the Israeli shells, gas cartridges, and ammunition picked up inside the Mosque after all the fighting.  Getting a little quiet, leaning toward us, he pointed to the used weapons and said “made in America”.  We were speechless.

Now obviously, the situation is more complex than this, but when Israel acts – especially militarily – much of the world sees America as complicit.  (We give Israel $2-3 Billion per year…about $7 Million per day.  And we also veto any action that the UN security council tries to take to enforce international law in Israel.  We fund and protect the State of Israel in many ways.)

And so when you’re in Bethlehem – a city under heavy Israeli military occupation – it’s no surprise to stumble upon this graffiti on the wall…

graffiti from the wall in Bethlehem

One of the heaviest realizations of my journey has been that America has become largely one-sided.  We talk about peace while building the army of one side against the other.  And as Father Chacour says, this only adds to the conflict.  I am thrilled that the US is unshakably pro-Israel.  Me too!!  We need to be deeply committed to their security and right to be a nation, especially in such a hostile part of the world.  But I wish we could be equally pro-Palestine:  deeply committed to their equality, human dignity, and right to be a nation.

Can you imagine if the U.S. was not simply known as “friend of Israel”, but “friend of Peace”?  Can you imagine if we weren’t just known for helping the strong get stronger, but also for helping the powerless find their place?

It’s hard to say what our governments are going to do.  Honestly, things feel so broken that I’m not very optimistic.

But I want to be a person of peace.

I want to embrace the glorious humanity on both sides and be a voice for equality and dignity and justice.  I want to help both (every!) stories get told in a way that humanizes instead of demonizes.  I want to speak Truth whenever necessary and be a force for Grace whenever possible.  As someone who is trying to follow Christ’s example, I want to play some tiny role in “God’s will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven”.

Lady Liberty weeping over Palestine

Let me end with one more image from the wall in Bethlehem.  This is a picture of The Statue of Liberty weeping over Palestine.  (She is holding Handala – a symbol of Palestinian refugees).  After seeing so much anger and ugliness, finding this image of compassion stopped me in my tracks.  I thought: “What if the world saw us like this – brokenhearted over all the suffering – rather than paying for the bombs?”  And even better, “What if this was really true?”

I’m still at the beginning of this journey and have SO much to learn from SO many people.  But I can’t turn back.  Oh God, please help me to love who you love (everybody), serve who you serve (everybody), and be about what You came to earth to do (proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, sight for the blind, and set the oppressed free.)
Luke 4:18-19

Peace, friends
Aaron

12.04.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 6)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 9:04 am

In the same way that the American political dialogue is often two extreme voices shouting at each other, the middle east conflict often sounds the same.  At least in the media.  But one of the most encouraging discoveries during my trip was that there are WAY more moderate, peace-loving Israelis and WAY more moderate, peace-loving Palestinians than CNN or FOX News ever tells us.

Danny teaching us about modern day Jerusalem

One of these inspiring voices is Danny Seidemann.  Danny is an Israeli attorney, passionate “Zionist”, and a leading expert in legal and public issues in Jerusalem.  But in spite of his commitment to Israel – or precisely because of it – Danny is absolutely committed to speaking the truth to power and helping both sides find a sustainable peace.  As he gave us a tour of the greater Jerusalem area, he blew our minds and said “The destruction of the two-state solution is the existential threat to the State of Israel.  But the end of occupation is the liberation of Israel.”

Here’s my understanding of what he was saying.  The Zionist dream was built on three principles:  (1) A Jewish state, (2) All the historic land, and (3) A democracy.  But many clear-minded people are beginning to realize that all three are no longer possible.  For example, a) If Israel become a pure democracy on this historic land, it will eventually become a minority to the growing Arab population and cease to become a Jewish state.  Or b) If Israel decides to remain a pure Jewish state on this land, then it will become a non-democracy with the few ruling the many – and lose international support.  Basically, Israel must choose two out of three, and the only way is the Two State Solution.  So, in Danny’s mind (and many other Israelis and Palestinians), it is in the best interest of Israel to do what is in the best interest of Palestine…allow them to become their own sovereign state.  This is one of many examples where blessing Palestine is, in fact, blessing Israel.

Danny then turned to us and said “The problem is really not very complicated, but most people have a vested interest in the conflict continuing.”

However, some are choosing the other path.  (1) Salim Munayer, Palestinian Christian, decides to start Musalaha as a bridge of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.  He told us “If my theology isn’t a blessing to my enemies, then it isnt a proper theology.”  (2) Israeli human rights group B’Tselem believes that human dignity trumps even nationality, and has committed to help their government make the most humane choices.  They led us on a tour of Hebron – showing us the painful reality.  (3) Or George Sa’adeh, principal of the Greek Orthodox school in Beit Sahour and Deputy Mayor of Bethlehem.  In 2002, his 12 year old daughter was killed by Israeli soldiers in front of him.  But instead of revenge, he forgave the soldier on the spot (it was a case of mistaken identity) and went on to join the Bereaved Families Forum – which is a group of Israelis and Palestinians who have lost family members to the violence.

These brave women and men inspire me like crazy.  I want to be more like them – whether in international matters or just in my daily life.  Blessed are the peacemakers, indeed.

(The final post coming tomorrow!)

12.03.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 5)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 7:29 am

Although our primary mission was to learn about the Israeli / Palestinian conflict, we also saw some incredible sites.  As a Christian, to walk where Jesus actually walked was deeply moving and holy.  Now when I read the bible (especially the gospels), I can’t help but smell the sea of Galilee…hear the birds that were chirping on the hill of the Beatitudes…remember that holy quiet in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Here are a couple of my favorite pictures…

(Let the pointer “hover” over the picture to read the story.  Click to see the full size photo.)


12.02.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 4)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 8:33 am

Let me introduce you to my friend Greg.  Not only is one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met on the Middle East conflict, he’s also a really great guy who has given his life to working for peace.  While Greg’s an American citizen living in the States, most of his family still lives in the small Palestinian village of Beit Sahour (The Shepherd’s Fields), just outside of Jerusalem.  After his family made us an epic feast of biblical proportions, I asked him to help us understand a bit of what life is like in Palestine these days.  This is just one snapshot, but you’re not going to believe it…

Watch the full (4.5 minute) interview here.

You can see why the Settlements are such a big issue these days.  Israel believes that they are vital to their national interest and security…but the entire international community calls them “illegal.”  Even Israel’s closest ally (America) calls settlement building “not helpful to the peace process.”  Two different Palestinian leaders told us that building Israeli settlements on Palestinian (or even contested) land during peace talks is  like “two people arguing over how to split a pizza while one side continues to eat the pizza.”  I’m not an expert on the complexities of both sides of this issue, but here’s what I do know:

Loving, generous people like Greg’s family continue to lose their land and livelihood.

They and many others ration their water while looking across their fields at swimming pools and green lawns.

While governments rage and stall and grandstand, families just like yours and mine pay the price.

12.01.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 3)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 7:14 am

the Holocaust Museum

On Friday morning, we spent three hours being guided through Yad Vashem, The Holocaust History Museum.  I can’t even put into words how overwhelming and horrifying and affecting it was.

Evil is real.

It’s hard to imagine how a human being like Hitler could invent such evil.  And it’s even harder to imagine how so many people in Germany could go along with it.  And harder yet to believe that the rest of the world just sat on the sidelines and let it happen.  One of the first quotes we came across in the museum was:  “A country is not just what it does—it is also what it tolerates.”

The Hall of Names

This haunts me.

But the most important learning (at least for me in this journey), is that for many Jewish people, the Holocaust is not merely something that happened…it is something that could possibly happen again.  The Holocaust is not just about the past, it’s about the present and future.  And to understand and love my Jewish brothers and sisters, I have to be able to enter into this deep reality.  I can’t pretend to comprehend such a horrific experience, but I can walk alongside my Jewish friends and join in with their deep cry of “never again.”

11.30.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 2)

Filed under: God's movement,Palestine / Israel — 7:23 am

Our first day, we journeyed north to the Galilee to meet with The Archbishop Elias Chacour.  This legendary man of God has given his life to following Christ’s peaceful example in the difficulties of being a Palestinian in Palestine.  When he was 8 years old (in 1947), the Israeli army marched into his village and evicted every man, woman, and child.  In one day, Elias went from a Christian kid living a “normal” life to a homeless refugee running for his life.  Read his story here.  After all was said and done, Israel destroyed 460 Palestinian villages to make room for their own people to move into the land.  (As of 2005, there were an estimated 7.2 million Palestinian refugees on earth.)

It would have been easy for Chacour to become bitter, angry, and violent, as so many of his friends did.  From their perspective (and others we spoke with), the Palestinians had nothing to do with the horrors of European anti-semitism, but were made to pay for the crimes done against the Jewish people.  He could have chosen to hate the government that bulldozed his village, stole his land, and reduced his family to indentured servants.  But young Elias did the exact opposite.  Instead of rejecting his Christian faith, he dug in even deeper…choosing to pursue peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and above all LOVE…like the Jesus he was following.  Just listen to his prophetic words to us…

I really want to live this way.  Whether engaging the Israeli/Palestinian conflict…or the Republican/Democrat chasm…or connecting with someone I deeply disagree with…I want to be more about building bridges than choosing sides, more about pursuing reconciliation than being right.  But I have a long way to go.

Father Chacour ended this time by praying for us and saying:  “There is plenty of space in the land for both people to live together.  But there is no space in the minds of the people to live together.  And that’s where your role becomes very important and effective…if you use it with courage.”

May we all step up to whatever peace-making role God has given us, and use it with courage.

Part three coming tomorrow…

11.29.10

What I saw in the Middle East (part 1)

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 8:08 am

For the last two weeks, I’ve been wrestling and processing and trying to wrap my arms around what I experienced in the Middle East. Our pilgrimage was one of the most overwhelming, stimulating, disturbing, exciting, conflicting experiences of my life. But although I can’t stop thinking about it, I’m having a hard time talking about it well. So for the next seven days, trusting that you’ll give me the grace to process “out loud”, I’d like to share seven snapshots of my experience. Cool?

Let me begin with an overview…

Todd Deatherage and Greg Khalil of The Telos Group invited five of us to the Holy Land to see first hand what is going on. Rather than settling for the media’s caricatures of both sides, Todd (who served many years in Republican Washington) and Greg (who advised the Palestinian leadership in peace negotiations) wanted us to meet real people on both sides and hear their stories. It was a mind-blowing, heart-melting ten days…

We met with Father Chacour (the legendary Palestinian Archbishop), had dinner with Mossawa (Arab advocacy center), visited a heartbreaking refugee camp in Nablus (the city where many suicide bombers were recruited from), had dinner with Salim Munayer of Musalaha, spent time in the Jewish, Muslim and Christian Quarters of the Old City, toured greater Jerusalem with Danny Seidemann (brilliant Israeli lawyer), had coffee with Oded Raviv (mayor of the Efrat settlement), visited Yad Vashem (Israeli Holocaust Memorial), toured a Palestinian brewery (and sampled their beer!), had Shabbat dinner with an Orthodox Jewish family, met with Ghassan Khatib, (Palestinian Authority, Director of Government Media Centre), toured Bethlehem Bible College with Alex and Salweh Awad, had a lunch feast with Greg’s extended family in Beit Sahour, cried with George (who lost his 12 year old daughter in the crossfire of violence), had coffee with a Muslim family and Israeli human rights activists in Hebron, ate lunch with Dr. Mitri Raheb (Palestinian pastor in Bethlehem), had dinner with a fascinating young jewish friend, met with Danny Ben-Simon (Labor Party Member of the Knesset), visited Sderot (town on the Gaza border that has taken the most rocket fire), and met with retired Israeli Military General Ilan Paz. And all along the way, Todd and Greg were genius guides who helped us navigate this overwhelmingly complicated situation. Oh yeah…we also had a ton of fun…

at the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Todd, Greg, Jason, Steve, Jon, Jon, and I had quite an adventure. Tyson referred to it as a “before/after experience”…and we all nodded our heads in solidarity. I’m excited to try to tell you about it. Part 2 coming tomorrow…

11.18.10

back from the middle east

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 8:27 pm

Yesterday morning, after four security lines in the Tel Aviv airport, the 12.5 hour flight to Philly, a glorious airport breakfast, and another flight to Chicago, my trip came to an end.  But even though I’m home and already back into the busyness of work, I can’t shake what we experienced.  Certain conversations and faces and moments keep bouncing around in my head, and I’m not sure I’ll ever fully recover from this pilgrimage.  At least I hope not.

Over the next few weeks, can I share a handful of stories from the trip?  I’m having a hard time wrapping my arms (and heart) around such a complicated conflict where pain and fear and terror and injustice run wild…so I won’t pretend to be an expert or offer easy answers.  But I’d love to share what I’ve seen…

More coming soon.

The view of Jerusalem (from the Mount of Olives)

11.10.10

Journey to Israel and Palestine

Filed under: God's movement,life,Palestine / Israel — 4:02 pm

For the last three days, four friends and I have been in the Middle East with two guides…trying to learn about the reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We’re meeting with people from all backgrounds and perspectives, hearing their stories, and being blown away. Honestly, the last couple days have been a few of the most stimulating, overwhelming, and inspiring experiences of my life…and we’re not even half done!

I can’t wait to get back and share what we’re learning with you all, but let me just say this: We Americans are not being told the whole truth. Not even close. Things are so much more complicated and messy than I would have ever guessed before seeing it up close. I’m extraordinarily thankful to get to be here and have this experience, but I have no idea what to do with all of it…

If you’re at all interested, feel free to follow me at http://www.twitter.com/aaronieq. I’m posting updates and pics every day.

And please pray for peace between Israel and Palestine today. And as we’ve been learning, don’t just pray for peace, but for justice. And not just justice, but God’s dream for every one of his kids: forgiveness and full reconciliation.

From the little hallway in my Jerusalem hotel room (the only place to find enough wireless signal!), blessings…

Just for fun, here’s a pic of Jon and Jon and I at the Sea of Galilee…



08.12.10

If you want to really see what’s going on in the holy land…

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 9:32 am

Church of the Nativity

…may I humbly but very highly recommend Jeff and Janet Wright’s “In the Footsteps of Jesus” alternative tour to Israel and Palestine.  From January 26 to February 5, 2011, these fantastic workers for peace will be guiding another group with the mission to help “transform curious tourists into informed pilgrims”.  I went on this tour last year, and it changed my life.

To read more about this tour, click HERE.

To read my first blog after the pilgrimage, click HERE.

To follow a bit of my journey of wrestling with this complicated, heartbreaking situation over the last six months, just click the “Palestine / Israel” category on the right.

07.25.10

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 7:42 pm

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” is the most moving film I’ve ever seen about the non-violent peace movement in the middle east.  Award-winning filmmakers follow three men with radically different backgrounds (a Palestinian, an Israeli fighter pilot, and a kid growing up in a refugee camp) to share their stories as they wrestle with choosing peace in a land of so much violence.  The film helped me grasp an overview of this messy conflict…but more importantly, it gave me names and faces of people who are actually living through it.  I hope everyone I know watches it.

But here’s the really exciting part.  This September, they are doing a 21 college tour to screen this film, and the three featured men will be at many of the sites.  If you are in the Chicago area, please join us at DePaul University on September 27th.  (If you live somewhere else, click here.)  You don’t have to be an expert on the middle east…in fact, this is a great first step in learning!

Until then, check out littletownofbethlehem.org.   They have plenty of info about the film, screenings, director’s commentary videos, info about the conflict, and much more.   I really hope to see you on the 27th.   And let me know what you think!

06.10.10

two people I’d like you to meet

Filed under: music,Palestine / Israel — 3:03 pm

Yesterday I happened to meet two people that have inspired me for a long time.  I’d love for you to meet…

Athlete live

(1) Joel Pott from the band “Athlete”.  Shauna surprised me with tickets to go see Athlete last night in the city, and as we were walking around Bucktown, we bumped into him.  Great guy!  If you love British indie rock that makes you feel like everything is going to somehow turn out alright, Athlete is your band.  I’d recommend starting with their first album:  “Vehicles and Animals”.  And check out a really fun song and a really moving song (about his newborn’s son premature birth).  SOOO inspiring!

Hythem, Lynne, and Mitri

(2) Rev Dr Mitri Raheb.  Dr Raheb is one of the most well respected Palestinian Christian pastors in the West Bank.  His book “I am a Palestinian Christian” is a foundational must-read, and his work for peace in Palestine is legendary.  So I was deeply humbled yesterday to join a conversation with him and a few friends from Willow.  This passionate, funny, brilliant, brave follower of Jesus is the real deal.  Check out a great video interview with him below…

06.03.10

Trying to understand the Gaza Flotilla mess

Filed under: Palestine / Israel — 12:39 pm

I spent much of this weekend trying to learn as much as possible about the Gaza flotilla debacle.  This feels like a huge deal, and I’m both horrified by what happened and slightly hopeful about what could come from it.  Could this be a tipping point?  If so, we all need to pray that it tips toward peace instead of more violence…toward justice instead of more oppression…toward hope instead of more terror.  To learn more, here are a few articles that have helped me the most:

(1) J Street – Flotilla resources.  This is a fantastic collection of articles and perspectives from a peace-oriented Jewish group.  (By the way, in my opinion, J-Street is one of the best places to learn about this conflict from a non-extreme position.  They are not 100% objective – no one is! – but they love Israel AND are not afraid to love it by challenging it.  Consider following them on twitter.)

(2) NYT op-ed piece.  Amos Oz laments how his country of Israel has become fixated on military force, and he appeals for a more sustainable approach.  “To a man with a big hammer, says the proverb, every problem looks like a nail.” He goes on to suggest “No idea has ever been defeated by force — not by siege, not by bombardment, not by being flattened with tank treads and not by marine commandos. To defeat an idea, you have to offer a better idea, a more attractive and acceptable one.” Such deep wisdom…and not just for the middle east.

(3) Washington Post op-ed piece. David Ignatius takes a strait-forward, practical approach.

(4) Daniel Gordis’ thoughts.  Finally, I want to include a different view-point.  Gordis is an outspoken defender of Israel who represents a position that many people hold.  (I’m currently reading his book “Saving Israeli”).  In such a complex situation, it seems helpful to hear a wide range of perspectives.

04.24.10

A great place to begin

Filed under: books,Palestine / Israel — 10:53 am

Blood Brothers

The first book I ever read about the Palestinian/Israeli struggle is “Blood Brothers” by Elias Chacour.  This incredible memoir remains my favorite – and a GREAT way for anyone to begin learning – for two reasons. 

First, Fr. Chacour is simply telling his story.  He shared many dates and details about the conflict, which was SO helpful for me, but it’s all based in his actual experience of being a Palestinian Christian in these last 60 years.  He reminds us that this whole conflict is, above all, about real people, not just beliefs or policies.  Second, it is abundantly clear that Fr. Chacour wants peace and reconciliation more than justice and revenge.  In spite of the terrible things done to his family, he is not an angry man.  In fact, when a few of my friends went to visit him in February, he told them: 

“If you’ve come to side with us, the Palestinians, go home in peace, don’t leave us in pieces. But if you will listen to and care for all people in this land—Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze and unbelievers alike—you are welcome.”

Click HERE to learn more about this incredible man of peace.  And if you read (or have read) his book, I’d love to hear what you think!

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »