Israel and Palestine A Problem of Two Cultures

Understanding Israel and Palestine
Part 1
“A denial of life is a rejection of the God of life” (Keum 4). This gets to the heart of what I felt as I experienced Palestine for myself. Seeing the West Bank in person allowed me to witness a whole new level of marginalization and oppression that I had never seen before—even though I had been to South Africa and India. Here the marginalization was so deliberate, so offensive, so hypocritical and unchristian that I was shocked to find Christians here in Bethlehem who still found joy in life and calmly expressed their faith in God. To see the Israelis treating the people on the West Bank with such contempt, illegally building settlements, bulldozing their acreage and fruit trees and homes, erecting barriers of humiliation, treating these people like animals and criminals—it was to understand exactly the affirmation of the WCC publication that “a denial of life is a rejection of the God of life.” The Israelis are denying the people here their life and in doing so they are denying the God of life. They may boldly declare that they are the original chosen people of God—but their actions indicate that they are rejecting God at every step of the way.
God does not want His children fighting with one another. St. Paul clearly states in the Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13:8) that “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal…if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…. Love is patient and kind; love gdoes not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” This is the kind of love that I would expect to find from the true people of God, the true children of God. Yet the West Bank is a nightmare—a place where one group is seriously and horribly oppressing another group. I find no love or peace or beauty coming from the Israeli side: it is devastatingly sad. And yet the people of the West Bank, whose homes I visited radiated the warmth and genuine friendliness of God’s love, indicating to me that these were the real chose ones, the real children of God.
But God’s love is something that must be demonstrated through our actions and so it makes sense to find it even here. The idea of the Mission is here: “Mission has been understood as a movement taking place from the centre to the periphery, and from the privileged to the marginalized of society” (Keum 5). We in the West have a great deal of privilege. We should see it as an honor to be so privileged because it is an opportunity for us to do a great deal for others who are suffering. Just as Christ left home to heal others, we can serve in a similar Mission—like what the Mission in Palestine is doing, even though it is treated poorly by the Israeli state. The marginalized are there and the Mission to bring them comfort, peace, joy, and God’s grace is a great one.
The problems encountered appear to be one of “he said, she said,” with Israel accusing the Mission of lying and of being anti-Semitic. Any criticism of Israel’s conduct is always excoriated as being anti-Semitic. One is not permitted to condemn Israel’s illegal actions, illegal settlements on the West Bank, inhumane and barbaric treatment of the oppressed Palestinians. One is not permitted to sympathize or empathize with the Palestinians because then one is “anti-Semitic” and is deemed a prejudiced liar by the Israeli state. It is completely antithetical to the truth. But this should not be surprising because the Israeli state is anti-God, so it seems. The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth” (WCC 9)—and wherever the truth is one will find the Holy Spirit. Whenever those who are opposed to truth take action that action will be some sort of persecution of the Holy Spirit. This is what one can see on the West Bank.
As Keum states in the WCC publication: “The churches are called to discern the work of the life-giving Spirit sent into the world and to join with the Holy Spirit in bringing about God’s reign of justice (Acts 1:6-8)” (11). This is why there is purpose there on the West Bank, why there is a mission there. It is this communion with the Spirit that gives meaning to life, that makes one realize what life is really all about. It is not about consumption, about getting the next big slice of the pie, about acquiring goods and land and treasure. It is about finding joy and fellowship in the Spirit, becoming children of God—part of God’s family.
The mission is there to implement God’s Spirit and God’s justice in this world so as to reflect the brilliance and grace of God’s love: “Mission from the margins seeks to counteract injustices in life, church, and mission” (Keum 15). Christ Himself acted calmly and logically with most of those He encountered—but the injustice of the money changers in the Temple caused Him to lose His patience with these people who were violating the Spirit and bringing their tricks and trade into the Holy Place—the House of the Lord. He whipped them and chased them out of the Temple, lashing them and bringing pain to them. He physically stood up to them and opposed their actions and their presence there. He became physically violent towards them in justice and for the sake of God’s church and for the sake of His mission as Lord and Redeemer. It is a stark reminder, perhaps, of what we need to do in this life when faced with similar situations, when the oppressors have desecrated the Holy House of the Lord. For “the church’s hope is rooted in the promised fulfillment of the reign of God” (Keum 17). The relationship between God and humanity and all of creation needs to be repaired, starting now, starting here in Palestine.
Part 2
Questions
1. What did the empowerment of the Spirit mean for the ministry of Jesus? What will it mean for us, in our world, to be empowered by the same Spirit?
The empowerment of the Spirit meant for the ministry of Jesus that His church would be made strong and would defend the Spirit of Truth, live for the principles of God, and teach all the nations of the earth in the way of the Lord. For us, it means defending the Faith, living the Faith, and spreading the Faith through our own actions, through our own service to the poor, the needy, the downtrodden, oppressed and marginalized.
2. What situations of poverty, oppression and blindness in your context call for the transformation which God’s Spirit brings?
The situation in Israel-Palestine, particularly in the West Bank, is a call for the transformation which God’s Spirit brings. The people of Israel are being blocked from seeing the other side of their government’s actions. They are told that any criticism of Israel is bad—and in this sense they too are being oppressed because they are being oppressed by lies while the people of Palestine are being oppressed by force—tanks, walls, guns, bulldozers and an oppressive Israeli regime.
3. What would a “year of the Lord’s favour” mean for the renewal and flourishing of the earth today?
A year of the Lord’s favour would mean wiping away debts, forgiving people, helping the poor out of the misery of debt that they are in. It would be a reflection of the mercy and forgiveness that God extends to all people who seek His grace. It would mean ending poverty the world over and getting everyone back up to even. Grace and humility and appreciation for one’s brother would flourish. The earth itself would be revitalized as the giant corporations would stop polluting the earth and people would live more sustainable lives.
4. In a world of many spirits how may we discern the presence and action of the Spirit of God? What clues can we take from Luke 4?
When Jesus goes into the wilderness, He is tempted thrice by Satan. He fasted and prayed and in this manner was able to resist the temptations of the devil, who tempted God with worldly riches, honor and by appealing to pride. Jesus was in the Spirit of God, however, and was able to see the spirit of the devil for what it was—vain deception and lies. Jesus did not have to prove He was the Son of God to anyone. It was up to people themselves to realize it of their own free will. It is also up to us to take lessons from Luke 4 by fasting and praying—i.e., like what is done during Lent for 40 days—so that we can better prepare ourselves to be spiritually ready to combat the many evil spirits that prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
5. Jesus risked his life with his challenge to exclusiveness and vested interests. What risks might we have to take to challenge destructive forces and be part of the transformation which God’s Spirit brings to our world?
Jesus gave His life to humanity. He allowed Himself to be sacrificed on the ignominious cross that we might have life. He attacked the Pharisees with His words—and He could have easily torn down their temple with the blink of His eye. But He chose to give us an example of sacrifice so that we could see what it means to lay down one’s life for one’s fellow man. It is through this level of sacrifice that one finds the way to God in Heaven. It is this ultimate expression of love that God desires us to show. We should expect no less risk that what Jesus experienced when facing off against the opponents of God. By testifying to God and to the Spirit of transformation that God brings, we put ourselves directly in opposition to the enemies of God. They will come for us and attack us physically because they know that we are in the Spirit and they cannot beat us spiritually. So since they cannot kill the soul, they will kill the body and think they have been victorious. But the Spirit is greater than the body and God is pleased by steadfast commitment to His Son, and we can best serve God by accepting the persecution of the enemies of God just as the people of Palestine accept the persecution from the Israelis.
Act (p. 50): As you read this material, what do you feel the Spirit is expecting of you? What might you attempt for the flourishing of creation? Where do you see the Spirit at work in your community and how could you join in?
I feel the Spirit is challenging me to stand up for justice, to be more vocal about the oppression that I saw in Israel-Palestine. What I might attempt to do for the flourishing of creation is to join a movement or organization that is dedicated to serving the interests of the oppressed people and drawing attention to the inhumane way in which they are being treated. The BDS Movement—the Boycott, Divest and Sanction Movement—has gained a lot of traction in recent years and this could be something to consider. There are other organizations, however, that I could join to help be part of the community that aims to stop the oppression and that aims to serve the marginalized people on the West Bank. I see the Spirit at work in the WCC community and in my own community in terms of how it is dedicated to bringing awareness to others about what is going on in Palestine. I was able to see this by being part of a school that is open to sharing the reality of this situation with others. Now that I have witnessed it, I want to work with the Spirit and bring more people in—because that is how true transformation happens. The Spirit is not hidden: it is shone forth to others so that everyone can participate in the light of truth.
Act (p. 52): What urgent steps must leaders in your local faith community take to empty themselves of privilege for the sake of the disempowered? How can they demonstrate the church’s commitment to exposing deceptive powers that deny people fullness of life?
Urgent steps that leaders must take in my local faith community include divesting themselves of their luxurious possessions, their fine clothes, cars, and even homes if they have them. Leaders should show that they care about the common people by living among the common people and like the common people rather than in gated communities. How else are you going to understand what the needs of the common people are? Christ went out to the common people; he lived with them, ate with them, became friends with them. He did not hide away in an ivory tower and talk to them as though from on high. He did not live a life of privilege at all. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger—a food trough for animals. He was the antithesis of today’s privileged leaders and classes. Our leaders should be more like Christ, living humbly and embracing a spirit of poverty. In this manner they will be better able to demonstrate the church’s commitment to exposing deceptive powers that deny people the fullness of life. If they themselves are taking part in the deception by living a life of luxury and ignoring the plight of the common man they are not going to able to give the common man the support and example that he needs. Thus, leaders should shun the luxurious life and live more simply and in harmony with the virtue of poverty.
Works Cited
Keum, Jooseop, ed. Together towards life: Mission and evangelism in changing landscapes: With a practical guide. World Council of Churches Publications, 2013.