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Talking Points: Religion
After I sent out a few "talking points" on
issues here in Israel/Palestine, I was asked to comment on how religion is
affecting the conflict. I had omitted any reference to religion in my previous
remarks, so here are a few "talking points" on religion in
Israel/Palestine.
- For most Israelis and
Palestinians, the conflict here is not about religion. For Israelis,
it is about land (how much?) and security. For Palestinians, it is about
land (how little?) and ending the occupation, which is experienced by all
Palestinians as brutal and oppressive.
- Some Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox
Jews believe God has commanded Jews to occupy and control all of ancient
Israel. Many of these Jews are settlers on the West Bank and in Gaza,
and they oppose on religious grounds the disengagement from Gaza scheduled
for this summer and any restrictions on present or expanded settlements in
the West Bank. Religious settlers frequently attack Palestinians, destroy
olive trees, and confiscate Palestinian land. They want to drive the
Palestinians out of Gaza and Samaria, as they call the West Bank.
- Some Muslim Palestinians are
religious fundamentalists, who denigrate Judaism and want to destroy Israel.
These now control the Hamas and Islamic Jihad armed groups. Probably, more
pragmatic Palestinians control the political wings of these movements, and
Hamas has just indicated that it will participate in elections this summer.
Islamic teachings in the Qur’an about Jews and Christians vary, from
protecting people of the Book to condemning those who fail to submit to the
final revelation of the one God to his prophet, Muhammad.
- Most Christians in
Israel/Palestine are Palestinians, and they view the conflict with Israel
like Muslim Palestinians. Christians are a small minority in areas
controlled by the Palestinian Authority, but their religious rights are
generally protected in Muslim areas. Their religious complaint about the
Israeli government is that check points, the Separation Barrier, and other
restrictions interfere with travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. (Muslims
complain that these travel restrictions interfere with their right to
worship on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem.)
- Religious political parties in
the Israeli Knesset have power beyond their numbers, because at times their
votes are needed by the government to act. The Gaza disengagement
plan has split the Likud party, and the budget that must be passed by the
end of March will probably require the support of some members of the
religious parties. The religious parties usually demand more government
funding for their religious schools in exchange for their votes.
- Christians Zionists support
Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish claims that God has commanded Jews to
settle and control all of ancient Israel. The Israeli government
appeals to these Christians in American to pressure the U.S. government, and
welcomes them to Israel. An alliance of Orthodox Jews and Christian Zionist
has formed to resist the removal of Israeli settlers from Gaza and to
support expanded Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- Among Israelis there is a debate
about Jewish obligations towards non-Jews. Some rabbis claim that in
a time of war, the Talmud permits disregarding the rights of non-Jews, even
if they are civilians. Other Jews argue that the Torah clearly identifies
all people, non-Jews as well as Jews, as made in the image of God, and that
the teachings in the Talmud, which permit disregarding the rights of
non-Jews in some circumstances, do not apply now. (For examples of Jewish
arguments supporting universal human rights, go to http://rhr.israel.net.)
I am writing as a participant in the Ecumenical
Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel, which is sponsored by the World
Council of Churches. The views expressed above are my own and do not necessarily
represent the World Council of Churches. If you wish to publish or disseminate
this letter beyond personal friends, please contact the EAPPI Communications
Officer (eappi-co@jrol.com) for
permission to do so. Thank you.
For other Letters from Jerusalem, go to http://christian-bible.com/Ethics/lj.letters.2005.htm.
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