A Passion for Justice: My Trip to the Holy Land with CPT by Sister Grace Miriam Pleiman, SFP

Why would I want to be a missionary in Hebron and to what effect can my presence there in any way be fruitful? This can only be answered in the light of faith. Blessed Frances Schervier started every Franciscan Sister of the Poor Mission with faith in the Providence of God. The Christian Peacemaker Team, CPT, founded by the Mennonites and the Quakers 25 years ago has been in Hebron since 1995. It is more a spiritual mission than anything; primarily through prayer and being with the Palestinians rather than of doing. It is with our hands and feet that Christ's presence can be active there, bolstering the Palestinian people's courage; which is running thin.

A brief explanation of Holy Land history . . .

Certainly there is work to be done, such as accompanying children to school and the elderly and other powerless men and women through checkpoints where the soldiers guard all who move in and out of their own territory. The Team members do not actively confront or try to settle disputes between the soldiers and Palestinians who are detained, sometimes for hours, at check points over their I.D. What they do is observe the soldiers’ behavior toward them and inform the press what they have witnessed. The Temporary International presence in Hebron (TIPH) with representatives from six countries: Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden keep watch every day at the check points to record and report the action of the soldiers.

The Wall is a major cause of oppression for the Palestinians. This monstrosity is being built 19 to 30 feet high and will eventually surround the West Bank to impede the peoples moving freely from their homes whether to shop, go to the hospital, and go to appointments. An example of this in New York would be: If I wanted to go from the East side to the West side in Manhattan, I would need to go to Connecticut to get across. Underlying this whole scene is the large economic, capitol interests in Israel, with the U.S. as their anchor in the Middle East.

"The Wall Must Fall, The Wall Must Fall,”
were the cries of the Palestinians and Israeli resisters at a Central Street rally in which we participated the last Saturday of our trip on June 5th. It was also our cry as we nine delegates observed this stark cement wall piercing the sky line with demonstrators who were holding signs that read: “The BuSharon Wall,” “Backed and Paid by USA,” “Stop the Apartheid” and “The Evil Fence.” Israel must abide by The U.N. Resolution by returning the land it partitioned in 1948 to the Palestinians. They know that the Wall and the Occupation will not stop unless the U.S. Government takes a stand in favor of it. Their only hope is a two-state nation where Palestinians and Israelis will be able to live side by side in peace. This depends upon when Israel will finally interpret the biblical promise of this Land less literally. For now, the Palestinians are quite powerless except for the power of God that is stronger than any government power. They are a very edifying and faith filled people.

ICAHD

During our twelve days in Israel we visited many grass roots human rights groups working for peace and justice; for example, the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions (ICAHD). We also met with Jad Isaac of the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem who has shown his slides to our American Congress and other country leaders depicting the extent of the Wall, demonstrating its original green line and the violations of that line as well as the statistics of the Occupation. We visited Mr. Zoughbi, a Palestinian who created Wi'am Conflict Resolution Center to give counseling to children and adults traumatized by violence. This Center is supported with international monies. Next we were given a tour of a refugee camp where Atallah Salem gave us shelter for the night in his home in the camp which houses 11,000 people (60% of whom are children).

It seems that since his blood brother was killed during the Israeli seige in Bethlehem that Mr. Zoughbi was allowed to build a very decent home in this camp. He is still not allowed to go out of the camp; he could be captured by police because his ID has one violation. There are 800,000 people held as refugees in some twenty camps since 1948. Rabbi Arik Ascherman shared with us his Human Rights Work in Israel. He asked if anyone knew Rabbi Herschel and of course, living in New York I could say "yes." He joked that Israel was more democratic than the U.S. since they have 27 parties running for the next elections. He is still mourning Rabin's assassination in September of 1995; he was a most peace loving prime Minister.

His second comparison with the U.S. was not so pleasant to hear. He stated that they are second to us in the world with the largest gap between the rich and poor and that 1/3rd of Israelis live in poverty, a ratio of 1:6. His organization works in the field of education. They work with the soldiers, as he acknowledged that their army is not the respected army it once was. Some Israelis are against the barrier, while others claim that the Wall is Israel's right to self-protection.

Despite this, the issue is to keep it along the green line rather than expanding it to separate the Palestinians from their land and keep them from traveling out. Rabbi Arik said that even if a peace treaty were signed today and the two sides continued to hate each other, it's no victory. “We must find a better way to organize religion and nationalism. Some day we will get back to the negotiating table because violence doesn't work. We must have the courage to tip the scale in the right direction. Civil resistance should be the last resort."

B'Tselem

B'Tselem is an Israeli Organization directed by Rachel Goldspan for publication and advocacy for the media. In 2002 during Operation Defense Shield, Palestinians were under curfew for 100 days imposed by Israel. Physical roadblocks obstructed traffic. Everyone had problems getting anywhere. There are a total of 60 checkpoints in the West Bank. This is the taking away of civil liberties. The frightened and the suffering can't see the side that is oppressing. It is a classic case of a choice not to know.

Arafat is incapacitated and detained in his compound in Gaza. They cannot have elections under these circumstances. The Palestinians’ only leadership is from the PLO terrorist attacks directed from three small groups under Arafat. Police punishment is a war crime, but it does not go to international criminal courts. Soldiers have blind power and no one is watching over them. Israel just confiscates land and moves in with tents protected by soldiers. Why doesn't Sharon say we will not tolerate abuse? People will start shooting over it. Making collective punishment does not stop terrorism. Rachel said that Israel is "making its bed and will have to lie in it." She believes that there are several signs of optimism.

Before Camp David’s signed agreement they were coming close to the point where they were in a position of no return. We have come a long way in that the vast majority would support a two-state solution. Sharon is talking about getting out of Gaza. The question of the refugees is on the table.

The Hebron Rehabilitation and Palestinian Land Defense Committee was the most encouraging organization we visited.
They are restoring apartments for people to return to the city of Hebron where 3,000 homes have been destroyed thus far. Hebron has never been restored since it was seized by Israel in 1997. This building restoration organization is also supported by international grants including U.S. Aid. There are four large settlements surrounding the old city of Hebron's 10,000 people with a total population of 250,000 in the West Bank. Directly behind the CPT apartment building is one of the settlements housing 400 Israelis who are guarded by 1000 policemen. Israel sorely wants to grab this old city in which the valued Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah and Rachel are buried in the Abraham Mosque. In 1994 this Mosque was attacked by Israel, killing 29 Palestinians when Israelis were granted visiting rights.

While in Hebron we participated in an action organized by the Library on Wheels Organization and CPT Members in an attempt to bring shoppers back into the streets. Many merchants have closed their shops for fear of violence. Tickets were passed out to the merchants and shoppers received one for each purchase. A refrigerator was raffled off. This was an initial action that will be repeated every first Thursday of the month.

We stayed over night with a Palestinian family in the Beqa'a Valley. Otta and Radina have four children. Their home was demolished twice before rebuilding the present one. After the second destruction Otta said to the policeman: “Here, you take my child since you have made it impossible for me to provide for her.” He was arrested on the spot for assault with an infant and was imprisoned for 60 days. Across the main highway near their house his father-in-law's olive grove was destroyed and a settlement was built directly behind their property. Israel wants to confiscate this beautiful valley that connects the land lying between the North and the South.

Finally we spent several hours with the Director of Sabeel Ecumenical Palestinian Liberation Theology Center. Its main purpose is education done primarily through the quarterly publication of materials and workshops to educate the people about what is going on.

What Sr. Grace Miriam learned at the Sabeel Ecumenical Palestinian Liberation Theology Center . . .

On the last day we also toured the Holocaust Memorial where we followed the picture story of the Jewish massacre. This was horrendous as you can well imagine. I was disappointed at the end that they did not display anything of D Day and the American soldiers coming to bring comfort to the refugees.

For the closure of our trip we celebrated a communion service with Peter Neimeyer, our guide and Mennonite Minister following a celebratory dinner with the CPT Members in the old Jerusalem City.

After the Delegation, I was grateful that I had decided to stay on a few extra days to unwind in the beautiful Tiberian countryside by the Sea of Galilee. On this full day tour we visited Cana, the Jordan River, The Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes and the Church of The Beatitudes. Another day I traveled with Sister Kathie Uhler, OSF, by bus to Massada near the Dead Sea, All in all, this was an experience that will take much time and prayer to digest. I am grateful to God for inspiring me to take this journey and for my Congregation who extended its blessing upon it.

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