Traveler's perspective of Palestine

           I just returned from a trip to Israel & Palestine. One cannot go to the area without being affected in some way. I met many Palestinians in Bethlehem; every one of them was friendly and welcoming. They are helpful and hopeful, which is quite commendable when one considers their lifestyle in occupied territory. The simple things we take for granted are withheld from the average Palestinian.

            Consider the freedom to travel from one city to another. Should I want to go to Chicago, I simply get in my car and go. For the Palestinian going from Bethlehem to Jerusalem (about a 30 minute drive on major roadways), they must have a permit to go, once they arrive at a checkpoint (via non-major roadways) they must leave their vehicle and take public transportation the remainder of the way. While I believe mass transit is a beneficial thing; I have the freedom to choose when and where I will utilize it. Not so for the Palestinian.

            There is also a wall surrounding the occupied territories, often separating neighbors and friends, and people from their own land. This wall is not your average 6 or even 10 foot high wall, it is massive, approximately 20 feet high. I saw one home that was surrounded by the wall on 3 sides, isolating the inhabitants severely. I stood next to the wall and felt the oppressiveness (see picture below) but I could walk away from it. I am just shy of 6 feet tall, to give you some perspective looking at the picture.

            One sees many tanks atop Palestinian buildings; these are water reservoirs to get them through times when the water (controlled by Israel) is in short supply. An interesting fact about the water supply; 80% of the water in Palestine goes to the Israeli settlements and the remaining 20% to Palestinians. 

            In the midst of this I found many people full of hope; the hope that comes from faith and trust in God in the face of adversity. People like Angie, whose enthusiasm for education that promotes “having life and having it abundantly.” Like Pastor Mitri Raheb, who has been offered many opportunities to leave the area and make better money but remains to keep the message of Christ and salvation alive and seeks to better the community through so many avenues it makes my head spin. Also, like my friend Raida, a fellow parish nurse who has done great things to promote health and active lifestyles in both the young and old, she inspires me!

            I cannot expound on the politics of Israel and Palestine because it is all so complex. But I know it affects both sides of that huge wall. As Christians, we must be praying for peace in the Middle East, for an equitable division that allows for basic freedoms for everyone. We might compare it to the Jim Crow laws of a few decades ago. Yes, there are terrorists in Palestine but there are terrorists in every country, even America, to punish the whole because of a few is cutting off one’s nose to spite your face.

            I don’t have the answers, I wish I did. But I know that God does. Please take time in your prayers to remember the homeland of Christ, it is so rich in history and so much in need, I cannot plead with you enough for your prayers!