Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, November 2006, page 56

Christianity and the Middle East

On the International Day of Peace, Israel’s Wall Looms Over Bethlehem

By Timothy Seidel

IN 2001, THE United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring Sept. 21 of each year as the International Day of Peace. For the third year in a row, the World Council of Churches invited member churches around the globe to pray for peace on Sept. 21.

Here in Bethlehem, many Palestinians marked this event as well. Last year, meeting at a monastery that continues to be threatened by the construction of Israel’s separation barrier, friends from local organizations such as the Wi’am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center, the East Jerusalem YMCA—Beit Sahour branch, the Bethlehem Bible College, as well as a number of other organizations joined together to recognize this day. Thoughts and prayers were shared, speeches and encouraging words given, and songs sung that bore witness to a living hope in the midst of death and despair.

Following the meeting, participants gathered for a prayer vigil. Leaving the monastery grounds, we proceeded toward the wall, which at around 26 feet high towered above us. To make way for this monstrosity of concrete, the state of Israel has expropriated some of the most valuable land in this “little town” of Bethlehem. The monastery itself was in danger, but through the efforts of both local and international advocacy, the path of the wall was rerouted so as to not infringe on the church’s property “too much”—for now.

As we began walking along the path of the wall I looked up to see what was happening on the faces of those around me. It would have been a beautiful sight if not for the ugliness of this visually and physically imposing structure. I saw a mixture of Palestinians and internationals, joined in solidarity. But what was more beautiful was the mixture of Palestinian Christians around me—Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. And even more beautiful was the sight of Palestinian Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters together, defying all of the dehumanizing stereotypes of “Muslim vs. Christian” used to create internal conflict among Palestinians and distract the world from the role Israel’s illegal occupation plays in the suffering of these people.

At one point we stopped in front of a gate in the Wall which will serve as one of only three entrances to and exits from Bethlehem when the wall is finished, and somebody offered a prayer. When we began to walk again, we all started to pray, singing the words of the Christian liturgy in Arabic:

Oh Lord of peace, shower us with peace,
Oh Lord of peace, fill our hearts with peace.
Oh Lord of peace, shower us with peace,
Oh Lord of peace, grant our land peace.

I had heard this liturgy so many times before, sung beautifully in the Palestinian Christian churches I have attended, but it carried with it so much power here, against this wall. For here, it was a tangible, voiced protest against a tangible, concrete injustice. This simple prayer presented a loud “yes” to life and a resolute “no” to the death-dealing status quo of occupation.

Indeed, in this place, something so mundane as offering a prayer becomes a powerful form of resistance. It becomes a means by which the very essence of our faith takes on human form and “dwells among us” (John 1:14).

Advocacy—our active engagement with the “burning issues of our time”—continues to be essential, and not simply an option, for the life of the Christian. For as the writer of Micah reminds us still, “What does the Lord require? But to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (6:8)

Raising our voices against injustice is inseparable to our faith witness. And just like with the monastery in Bethlehem, our actions can make a difference. May our prayers lead us in action to heed the call of Micah to pursue justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Bethlehem is the place where we claim the incarnational presence of “God with us” was first made known to humanity. Still today, this divine contextualization continues. How will we respond?

Timothy Seidel is a peace development worker with Mennonite Central Committee in the occupied Palestinian territories, where he has lived for the past two years.

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