The following excerpt is from an article by James Solheim, director of the Office of News and Information for the Episcopal Church (www.loga.org). He served as press officer to the delegation of American church leaders "who spent an intense week in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza in mid-December, discovering that the area is in the grip of fear and anger. The hastily planned visit was an attempt to explore the underlying causes of the conflict, express solidarity with the dwindling Christian community, and try to shape a response the 26 members of the delegation could take home to their churches—and to the U.S. government."

During a visit to the Bethlehem area, members of the delegation talked with Christian families whose homes had been destroyed by Israelis, in response to sniper fire aimed at the neighboring settlement of Gilo. Tiptoeing through the shattered glass of the homes and a nearby sports center in Beit Jala terrified residents described the intense shelling that drove them from their homes. Some members of the delegation picked up shell fragments clearly identified as "made in USA."

Confronting the fears

In a very frank and emotional conversation, a group of rabbis and peace activists who are working for human rights expressed their own fears. "We are passionate Zionists but see the claims of justice," realizing that it is necessary to "redeem Israel as well as protect Palestinians," said Rabbi Levi Kellman.

With the new outbreaks of violence, "tribal fears have been unleashed and many Israelis feel threatened." He described his own fears for the safety of a daughter serving in the army in Gaza. Yet he is convinced that "our existence is predicated on building a just society and a relationship with our neighbors." Being a peace advocate during times like these can be lonely, the rabbis agreed.

Yehezkel Landau (founder of the Open House Center for Jewish-Arab Coexistence in Ramallah) deplored the pervasive "mythology of military solutions," adding that Israelis are "stuck" in a readiness to "do unto others before they can do it to you." He thinks that the mythology that you can solve problems by military force is everywhere. "My nightmare scenario is that we will make peace but only after many more graves."

Yet Palestinians don’t help the situation because "they push our fear buttons." And Landau said that "there is no gain if we get a freedom without reconciliation."

Political leaders clinging to power "miss the moral point and we swing down into a vortex of violence…. We know Palestinians are leaving but now we begin to see some Jews ready to leave, too, and that is unprecedented in all the years I have been in Israel," he added.

"Fear for us is existential—anxiety about terror bombs," said Rabbi Ron Kronish. Morning radio forecasts how dangerous specific areas of the city are. "Of course Israel has the military power but that does not stem the fears," he said.

Breaking the pattern

Landau said, "We must have both Palestinian freedom and independence—and Israeli security. It is both or neither." It will also be necessary, he added, to "address the grievous wound of 1948 for Palestinians," the formation of the State of Israel, because "it won’t be safe for Israelis until we heal this." He is convinced that it is "time to break the pattern, learning from mass tragedy and genocide in the 20^th century, time to re-humanize each other, find space in our hearts for the other, stretching our hearts to be more inclusive."

"We are near an abyss of further catastrophe," warned Kronish. "Israeli gains are not necessarily Palestinian losses. We need a good settlement for all," he said. "We must end occupation, not necessarily through force, but we must get out of this together."

Religious leaders wait at Ramallah checkpoint
for Israeli clearance to attend inter-faith service

"As Palestinians we deserve to live in peace
—just as other nations," said Sheikh Muhammed 
Husseini (preacher of El Aqsa Mosque) in his 
opening comments to the delegation, jammed 
into his office near the Dome of the Rock.
"We have hopes that your churches will carry
the message to government officials."