Rector's Blog

QUICK LINKS

  News & Events

  Articles

  Baptism & Weddings

  About Us

  All Saints' North Wootton

  St Mary's South Wootton

  Groups

  Services

  How to Find Us

  Parish Newsletter

The Middle East Conflict

 

When we lived and worked for some years in the Old City of Jerusalem I became increasingly distressed about Christians polarising over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

There were the Christian Zionists who believe that the return of the Jewish people to the land is a fulfilment of ancient prophecies in the Old Testament. They are strongly pro-Israel. An extreme minority among them felt that the Israelis should take over the Palestinian areas in order to control the whole of the Holy Land. 

Then there were the other side who are so fiercely pro-Palestinian that they seem to think Israel can do nothing right. 

Both groups are profoundly mistaken in their political views (I won’t deal with the theology on this occasion, except to say that I firmly believe God loves both the Palestinians and the Israelis equally).  

Palestinians (and other Arabs) are not all potential terrorists. Many of them are delightful people with a fascinating culture who show very generous hospitality.  Although I was General Director of the Church of England’s ministry to Jewish people, I made some life-long friendships amongst Arab colleagues. Most Palestinians simply want to get on with their lives, free from oppression and poverty. 

Jewish Israelis (I specify “Jewish” because a million Israelis are Arab) are not all war-mongering capitalists who want to oppress the Palestinians. Many of them are charming people with an incredibly rich mixture of cultures from around the world. Most Israelis simply want to get on with their lives free from the fear of terrorism and other attack. 

Sadly, there is support for terrorism amongst some Palestinians.  Sadly, there is also real oppression of Palestinians by Israel on some occasions, though don’t believe everything you hear.  It is true that the Palestinians feel that in 1948 the United Nations foisted another people group onto their land. It is also true that, after 2000 years of terrible anti-Semitism (anti-Jewishness), culminating in the Holocaust, the Jewish people are absolutely determined to keep their land, and because Israel is a democracy, that includes preventing the development of an Arab majority. 

Living with Israelis and Palestinians makes it impossible to demonise either people group. I believe we should passionately desire peace with justice for them both. We need to try to enter in to the needs, pain and fears of both sides.  If we polarise and become either anti-Palestinian or anti-Israeli then we simply make things worse. 

Some time ago I began to circulate an occasional free email newsletter about the conflict. The title is “Paradox” which, of course, refers to apparently contradictory truths. It seeks to take seriously the needs, pain and fears of both Israelis and Palestinians, and to ask people to pray on an informed basis. 

If you would like to receive this letter please write to me at tony@higton.info  

Tony Higton - Rector

 

Website Development by The Church Website Design Project

Copyright ©2007 churchinthewoottons.net