Started off the day with Glen Stassen teaching about just peacemaking. You've probably heard of just war theory - well he advocates for just peacemaking, which can be summarized in the following 10 points:
- Nonviolent direct action
- Independent initiatives
- Cooperative conflict resolution
- Acknowledge responsibility for conflict and injustice
- Human rights, religious liberty, and democracy
- Economic development that is sustainable and just
- Networks in the international system
- United Nations and international organizations
- Reduce offensive weapons and weapons trade
- Grassrooots peacemaking groups and voluntary associations
We then started looking into settlements, and got a wonderful map that shows the extent of the settlements, which are basically Israeli Jews moving into a Palestinian area in a group and starting to take over land. They are protected by the Israeli military, and they figure that possession is three-fourths of the law, and think if they are there, it will be harder for the Israeli government to give the land away. The settler issue is one of the biggest threats to the peace process. For a map of the settlements, go to http://peacenow.org/map.php. Very interesting stuff.
Then we headed out to Bethlehem through the checkpoints which divide Israel and Palestinian territories. The checkpoints are flashpoints of conflict in that they are humiliating and difficult for the Palestinians who view them as unfair and intrusive. Later in the week, we'll probably try to walk through one so we can experience what its like.
The Palestinian territories are ostensibly self-ruled, but in point of fact are control by the Israeli's who can come in whenever they want and take away whoever they want on the flimsiest of suspicions. Then they are able to keep someone detained for up to 7 years without charging them. It is a very difficult situation. We visited the UNRWA-sponsored Dheisheh Refugee Camp and spoke with its director. This camp is not what you would picture for a refugee camp. It looks like a garden-variety lower to middle class neighborhood in a developing country. It has 3-4 story buildings. Why is this? Because this refugee camp has been in existence since 1948 (well, actually since 1952, when it was bombed by the Israelis), and these homes have just been built up and added onto as the families have grown. This was surprising to me, but it shows the permanence that has infused what was a temporary situation. Our Palestinian guides shared stories of how they are unable to cross over into Israeli-controlled territory, how one lost his father and at one point had 6 of his brothers in jail. He is opting for hope every day he wakes up and feels the awful grind of a lid placed on his life. He noted dryly that Palestinians are the most educated Arabs in the world, but have very little vocational opportunity. One of our guides suggested that the Palestinians do not have a humanitarian crisis, but rather a political one.
We then went to the Church of the Nativity, built in the 4th century by Constantine after Christianity became the official religion of the empire. There we saw the traditional place for the birthplace of Jesus. The building is divided between the Roman Orthodox and the Catholics in a weird power-sharing thing. The church itself is not much to look at, but it has quite a history! We also happened upon a wedding, and got to sing songs and clap for the new couple!
I have to say that Bethlehem certainly feels a long way away from a stable and hay, with its high rises, tourist traffic, settlements, and refugee camps. I doubt I'll be able to sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see they lie" in the same way I did before this trip.
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