[Oe List ...] [Dialogue] Palestine/Israel conflict

[James Wiegel]

Jim Wiegel here.  I am in the west bank, near Bethlehem working on a project to combine ica methods and community development with 2 approaches to conflict transformation to work on an approach to use.  One of the participants brought up the deep, mutually antagonistic stories that the great religions here have about each other and who owns this land.  not easily dealt with.

KarenBueno at aol.com wrote:  The Israel/Palestine Issue
by Karen Bueno
7-1-07

I picked up the April issue of "Response" magazine, a publication of United Methodist Women this morning.  Though it is June, I was behind in my reading.

This magazine issue dealt with Palestine and Israel, through stories of women and children who are living in the conflicted areas and through essays of what needs to happen to stop the violence.

One of the articles is entitled "Understanding Christian Zionism", a term that refers to the right wing United States churches which preach the second coming of Jesus.  According to the article, the right wing belief is that the second coming and the end of the world will happen when the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem and the mosques are removed.  Therefore, those theologians, and the politicians they support, believe that United States’ financial support of Israel is justified.

Since the United States is supporting Israel, the rest of the Middle East Muslim countries are angry with the US, and this has led, at least in part, to the unrest and the terrorist movement.  The authors from the United Methodist Women are calling for financial divestment in Israel to bring pressure on the Israelites to stop the violence.  That kind of financial pressure helped to end apartheid in South Africa, and could help here.

I have greatly simplified the argument, I’m sure, but please respond with your opinions and facts regarding this peace and justice issue.

*******
Karen Bueno, formerly Karen Wright, spouse of Terrence Wright, served in Fifth City and other locations of the Ecumenical Institute from 1969 to 1973, then were affiliated with the Denver House.


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