Bethlehem - and Terrorists

Things were bleak in the little town of Bethlehem.  An oppressive ruler, worried about losing his power, was killing children.  There was inadequate housing for the people crowding into the village and visitors who traveled long distances had difficulty finding their destinations.

2015 AD or 2000 BC?  Well, not much has changed, has it?  The “Little Town” that we sing of at this time of year has gone from the Roman Occupation of Jesus’ day to the Israeli Occupation of today.  Modern-day pilgrims don’t have to settle for lodging in a stable – the quality hotels that line Bethlehem’s streets are far from full as the threat of “terrorism” makes Bethlehem and the rest of the Holy Land a less-than-desirable place to spend Christmas this year. 

Stories flood the media about “terrorism” in the Middle East.  From ISIS to Palestine – all seem to be lumped together to be tarred with the same ugly brush.  And, at least here in the US, those who read those stories are convinced that the Middle East is a dangerous place, filled with terrorists who want to kill them!

Banksy's image of a contemporary Nativity

I’m not here to say that ISIS isn’t a very real threat – or that its members do not, indeed, wish to wreak havoc with Western lives – and Western lifestyles.  But to include Palestinian children who may (or may not!) throw stones at an oppressive Israeli army with men and women who spend weeks or months training for their missions of evil, is to minimize the real danger, while creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust of every woman who wears a hijab, and every young man who speaks Arabic.

It is not surprising that a right-wing “nutcase” wants to ban all Muslims from the US, while not understanding that such action only throws fuel on an already crackling fire.  But it is surprising – and sad – that so many people support policies like this, ignorant that they are creating the best recruiting tool that ISIS could hope for!

And back in Bethlehem, when children are arrested or detained for no reason; when houses are demolished because a relative of the residents is suspected of “terrorism;” when walls and checkpoints restrict movement and businesses are confiscated by the Israeli government – when the flame of hope flickers – and then is extinguished – what is left?  Perhaps a few will become desperate enough to join ISIS.  Most will continue to endure – and to pray that we in the West will finally – FINALLY – see their plight and cease to support their oppressors.

The manger is still there; the stable awaits a holy birth.  But what kind of world is that baby coming into – and what can we do to make that world a better place?

Continued Struggle in Sabastiya

View from the highest point of Sabastiya

Long-term readers of this blog will know that I have a long-standing love affair with the Palestinian town of Sabastiya and its connected archeological site.  I first visited Sabastiya as an EA in the spring of 2013, when the residents were holding protests over settlers dumping raw sewage on their farmland (“Sabastiya, Settlers and Sewage,” March 26, 2013).  When the protests resulted in the cessation of the sewage dumping, I rejoiced with the townspeople (“Sabastiya, A Happy Ending,” April 7, 2013).

Sadly, our joy was short-lived when, shortly after my return to the US, the “new” EAPPI team was called to Sabastiya because of a fire that had destroyed many of the village’s olive trees (“A(nother) Sad Story from Sabastiya,” June 30, 2013.)

Ahmed Kayed shows visitors the ruins

On subsequent visits to Palestine, I have always make a point of introducing Sabastiya to the people with whom I am traveling.    Because of this connection, I was made an “honorary” member of the Hanwell (UK) Friends of Sabastiya, and had the pleasure of meeting some of their members on a recent trip to London.  It was on the Hanwell Facebook page that I first learned that Sabastiya is now facing further challenges – these related to the archeological site that has played such an important part in the village’s history – and could plan an important part in their future if it weren’t for the over-reaching greed of the settlers in the area and, ultimately, the Israeli government.

Ahmed Kayed, a village leader who has become a friend over the course of my frequent visits is always willing to give “walking tours” of the archeological site to the travelers I bring with me.  On my last visit, this past February, he briefly alluded to “activity” on the part of Israeli archeologists and soldiers, who have fenced off a part of the site and appeared to be moving dirt in another area.  He also told our group that the Israelis had forbidden the locals to pick up trash on the site – a warning I found incomprehensible.

Recently, Kayed posted an article from an Israeli archeological publication titled “The Political struggle over the future of Tel Sabastia” (http://alt-arch.org/en/the-political-struggle-over-the-future-of-tel-Sebastia/).  In the first paragraph of this article, the author opined, “The struggle for Sebastia is central to strengthening the Israeli presence in the West Bank and to the realization of the aim to return to the Homesh settlement, evacuated by Israel in 2005.” 

Never mind that this is a site of great archeological importance (Kayed told our February group that, in 1965, Sabastiya was the most-visited tourist destination in the Middle East!) that deserves care and attention.  And never mind that the Israeli government has done its best to keep this treasure off the world’s “radar screen” ever since it seized control of the West Bank in 1967.  Now that the settlers have begun to visit, let’s take it over and “Judaize” it!

Of course, the site deserves attention.  But that attention should come from international archeologists, who will give equal weight to all of their findings, rather than to Israeli archeologists with the set agenda of finding ways to tie it to early Judaism and the “Kingdom of Israel.”  And let's not forget - the land is in Palestine – the Occupied West Bank – NOT Israel!   

ALL Lives Matter!

Terrorists struck in Paris...

I get most of my news from the Internet these days and, as I was busy most of yesterday getting ready for a dinner party that I was giving last night, I did not hear about the “Paris attacks” until one of my dinner guests mentioned it.  Others chimed in and a lively conversation about “terrorists” ensued.

It wasn’t until this morning, when I had a chance to look at the news myself, that I learned that not only had “terrorists” attacked Paris, there had also been attacks in Beirut and Baghdad. Of course, the stories of these attacks were not given the same prominence as those in Paris, which one news source described as “Europe’s  worst attack in a decade.” 

...and in Baghdad

Later, I was perplexed to note that many of my Facebook “friends” had included a French flag (tricolor) ‘veil” over their profile photos - presumably to “show solidarity with the French people.” 

“What about the Arab people?” I wondered.  They too have suffered – first from similar attacks, believed generated from the same terrorist organization (ISIS) – and then from being ignored.  The fact that terrorists killed “brown people” in two Arab” cities goes virtually unnoticed, while terrorists killing “white people” in a major European city dominates world headlines.

While the numbers may be smaller (the sources I saw said that 41 were killed in Beirut, 19 in Baghdad, and 119 in Paris), a life is a life – and all lives matter (or should!).  Why are so many otherwise well-intentioned people perpetrating “white supremacy” by loudly proclaiming concern for terrorist activity in one part of the world, while utterly disregarding terrorist activity in another part of the world?

...and Beirut!

And how many of those who are painting French flags on their faces and decrying “terrorism” have the slightest inkling that the sad history of white, European privilege, is largely responsible for the birth of organizations like ISIS and Al Qaeda?  My friend Jonathan Cook, a British journalist currently based in Nazareth (Israel) expresses this far better than I ever could, so I would invite you to read his thoughts on this subject (http://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2015-11-14/outrage-at-paris-attacks-masks-our-racism/#sthash.fktvBu0Q&st_refDomain=www.facebook.com&st_refQuery=) – and then maybe take that French flag off your face and take a good look at the rest of the world!