As the 81st General Convention gathers in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23 – 28, 2024, we are at a unique moment in the recent history of the Holy Land. Being the place of Jesus’ life and ministry, it is ever present in our worship, but as we convene in Louisville, events there in what today comprises Palestine and Israel also fill the headlines, news reports, and social media messaging.
Since its founding EPF PIN has been a part of many General Convention resolutions addressing the contemporary circumstances: the modern state of Israel arose from violence in 1947 – ‘48 under the leadership of adherents of Zionism, the secular ethno-supremacist ideology that demands an exclusive homeland for Jewish people. Zionists believed that establishing a state of Israel required displacing as many as possible indigenous Palestinian people and then asserting control and authority over those who remained through discriminatory laws, military occupation, siege and blockade, and other violent means as necessary. Those events set the stage for circumstances that have determined the lives of Palestinians through the ensuing decades: dispossession into refugee status, military occupation in the West Bank, siege and blockade in Gaza, and loss of freedom and self-determination. Since October 2023, events have escalated in the most horrific ways imaginable.
Our mission for just peace in Palestine and Israel continues at this 81st General Convention. Here we provide a variety of resources to enhance understanding of events in this land that is precious to us all.
THE BASICS
Sometimes it seems that everyone has a stake in the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. Consequently, we hear many different versions of the story. We often hear that “it’s just too complicated”, but in fact, it’s really not very complicated at all. The “complications” arise when false narratives become widespread. We seek here to provide factual information supported by the evidence of history.
A good place to begin is this excellent short video produced by the organization Jewish Voice for Peace. The video is a little more than six minutes long but describes the basic facts of the situation and demonstrates how uncomplicated it really is; one people seeks to dominate another.
An outstanding source for basic information, historical and theological resources, and current news and events is the Palestine Portal. Another useful resource with a Washington focus is the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.
Books and other documentary videos also provide a wealth of information. EPF PIN has collected several that you may find here.
CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND
One particular aspect of the situation should be of particular interest to Episcopalians: the status and plight of Palestinian Christians, the spiritual descendants of Jesus. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, a part of the Anglican Communion, includes Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The Diocese headquarters in Jerusalem includes a pilgrim Guest House and St. George’s College which operates study pilgrimages year-round.
Palestinian Christians experience the same hardships, burdens, and travails of all other Palestinians. An essential source to learn more about them and their current concerns is Kairos Palestine, a Palestinian Christian movement born out of the original Kairos document, Cry for Hope: A Call to Decisive Action. This and other statements from Kairos spell out in clear and specific terms the threats that Israel’s policies pose to them and other Palestinians, and their prayerful response and hope for just peace.
ISRAEL’S POLICIES TOWARD PALESTINIANS
With so much history behind it, there are almost limitless resources available to better understand the reality of life today for Palestinians and Israelis. We focus here on recent events.
Several resolutions at this 81st General Convention focus on the apartheid nature of Israel’s control over Palestinians. Those resolutions are A010, A011, A012, and A013. Three seminal reports complement these resolutions and provide important legal background and analysis to understand why the apartheid legal designation in fact applies to Israel:
But there is more. An excellent resource that provides comprehensive information in graphic, easily understood forms is Visualizing Palestine, a Canadian non-profit that uses data and research to visually communicate the Palestinian experience. This recent set of graphics commemorates the 76th anniversary of The Nakba, the catastrophe of 1948 that robbed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians of their homes and initiated the events that continue to harm them today.
For those of us in EPF PIN and for many others, an essential question that must always be addressed in justice advocacy is the question of resistance, i.e., the resistance of those who are oppressed and the response of the oppressor. We present here two recent commentaries:
Throughout the General Convention and in the years following, EPF PIN will continue to advocate for just peace in Palestine and Israel. In all the work we do we will always be guided by the Palestinian people and inspired by their indomitable insistence on their right to freedom and self-determination. This video stirs us to action and reminds us of the vibrant, joyous life and culture of Palestine.
