West Bank Today

Good Afternoon from the Beit Jala, West Bank, near Bethlehem.
As I write, young 30 boys from the orphan home are playing in the courtyard adjoining our accommodations. Here they are safe, educated, loved. They are mostly Muslim and Christian.

In the West Bank love fosters resilience. The reality of life here is strikingly horrible. Figures vary from 50-80% unemployment. The West Bank is comprised of persons who are Christian and Muslim. Most Jews live in Israel. Israel has steadily, since 1945, been taking land and homes away from the Palestinians. In fact, we hear little in the US about the 30 foot wall Israel has been constructing for years to keep Palestinians within "their territory".
(Ironically, the Israeli's have a huge "peace" sign on the wall.)

Palestinians are rarely, if ever, allowed on Israeli roads. In fact, many roads are destroyed to prevent access. Palestinians cannot get to land that is rightfully theirs on the other side of the wall. The Israeli's made a rule that if a Palestinian did not access their land in 3 years, it is claimed by the Israeli government.

Palestinians may spend up to 2 hours trying to get through the check point to work in another town. At the discretion of the Israeli check points, people are forbidden to cross into Jerusalem, despite having paperwork supporting approval for their travel. They have been living this way for quite awhile. After all, the conflicts of 1945, 1967 furthered this apartheid process.

Muhammad, a new friend we met here where we are staying says that his grandfather, now aged 92, still has the keys to his home, which was taken in 1945 by the Israeli's. He hopes to use his keys again one day to walk into his home.

The Palestinians are not give the same benefits as Israeli's despite paying the same taxes. For example, no free health, no social security, no compensation for the land.

The places we are visiting in the West Bank assist persons to find hope, health and community. The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation Hospital is one example of how people come together to build community in the midst of non-peace. The hospital assists people to build lives after serious illness and surgery. People are trained for jobs, integrated into communities where they can be happy and welcomed in, no matter what their physical, social, economic, or religious identities.

This past year the hospital helped 3000 children with post traumatic stress. Yesterday in the Gaza strip 20 people were killed. This hospital will help those who survived put their lives back together meaningfully and in community. 36,000 people were served at the hospital ! The Hospital director, Edmund, spoke to us saying, "I am a servant of God. I don't ask people if they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish. I'm a servant of God and with God's help, I will help whoever comes through the doors." Israeli's, on the other hand, will not allow for the admittance of Palestinians through their doors, not matter what the medical emergency. Discrimination that we cannot know about in the US unless we get first hand knowledge of what is taking place.

This is not the hospital where our church donations are going. I will blog about that hospital at another time.

The Palestinian people are generous with their time and love. We have been welcomed in with open arms.

Since my pictures did not download on the first version of this blog, I will try again tomorrow. For future reference, the picture with a circular formation, is the Wall being extended toward the hospital... eventually coming to the doorstep of the hospital. The land in the background was Palestinian. The Israeli government took it away, with no UN sanctions or oversight. Where is justice?

I leave you with a thought. What do you imagine life would be like for you, if the US government decided to erect a 30 foot concrete wall around Greater Wellesley and you were not permitted to travel to the airport, to doctors, events or to travel for family visits? What do you imagine your life would be like if, for years on end, you were kept out of Boston, Newton, Natick?

Now, I hear the local mosque calling for prayer time. It is a lovely call. I wish you could hear it.

Prayer: Gracious, all loving God, You who are named Creator, Allah, Y-hw-h, -- God of many names and yet, lover of us all, continue to inspire hope. Make me an instrument of your peace by drop kicking me out of complacency and ignorance of the Palestinian plight. Help me see in the eyes of the orphans your hospitality, remove from me hatred and distrust. I pray these things in and through all the names your people glorify you through and especially through the name of the man in sandals who was not distracted from the task of justice, unpopular and uncomfortable as it makes people feel, aye, even Jesus Christ. Amen.