June 2003

From The Far Side

On a trip this month for a few days to the West Bank, I heard a story that made my heart drop. A young woman living in Jerusalem who was very frustrated by her life under occupation said to a friend of hers that she felt like blowing herself up. Whether she would actually do this or not remains to be seen. Unknown to her, her friend was working as an informant for the Israeli secret police. This friend, in turn, told her superiors about the words that came out of her friend’s mouth.

The young woman was put into prison without being charged and for an unknown period of time. This is bad enough, but this is also a very common occurrence. What makes the story so shockingly sad, is that when she went to prison, she left behind her husband of five months. With her, went the new baby in her womb. She gave birth to that baby in prison and that child has stayed there with her, she has now been in prison for about one year. Just two weeks ago, the Israeli court gave to her another two years to remain in the prison. Her new husband is distraught, to say the least, not only wanting his wife, but his first born, whom he has only been able to visit once per month since it arrived into this world.

When I think of this story, which was told to me by the young husband’s father, I grieve not only for the family and for the child, but for all of the Palestinians who are living under an incredibly cruel occupation. Many people who read this could say, “It was her own fault, she shouldn’t have said what she did.” However, in the United States, can a person be imprisoned for something they claim they “feel like” doing. I myself have felt just a bit of the frustration living in the West Bank for nearly ten years, what about people who never had another choice, were living in poverty, and saw no future for themselves?

These types of stories are happening all around the West Bank and Gaza. I visited friends in one of the many refugee camps and asked how people are surviving. I was told that it has never been harder. Malnutrition rates are sky-rocketing, unemployment is at about 70 percent. Depression is widespread, and heart attacks have become the number one killer of Palestinians.

On the other side of the Green Line, in Israel, the situation for the Israelis is also getting more and more difficult. Not only because of the fear of suicide bombers, but the economy has never been this bad. For the first time in Israel’s history, homelessness is becoming a reality that people are having to face. Jobs are few and low-paying. I was told by a friend in Tel Aviv that the government’s support among the Israelis is at about 40 percent. However, people just keep quiet for fear of being told that they are “Arab lovers” or “traitors to the state of Israel.” The government officials are not going hungry, they are still driving new cars and living the life of the elite. How much more of this situation can people take?

We must continue to pray for peace in the Holy Land, but I do believe that it is also our responsibility to do more. We must write to government officials that claim to represent us and tell them about the true reality of the Holy Land. This is the land where Jesus was born, lived, taught and died. This affects every Christian in the world. Please email the White House and let the current U.S. administration know that we are not happy about their current Middle East policy.

I would also like to tell you all about the new Web site for the Joining Hands against Hunger Program in Egypt. The address is www.pal-egypt-jhah.org. I encourage all to visit it. Our brothers and sisters in Des Moines Presbytery have also put up a Web site about their relationship with the Egypt JHAH network, that address is www.desmoineswithegypt.org. I encourage all to visit it also. The Joining Hands Against Hunger Program is bringing together local grassroots organizations to fight the root causes of hunger in their communities. To learn more about the program, contact the Presbyterian Hunger Program, Louisville.

In His Service,

Chris, Hala, Nadiim & Adeeb

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 156