Christmas in the real Bethlehem

Commentary by Art Gish
Christian Peacemaker Teams

AT-TUWANI, West Bank — Although I am in Palestine, I did not go to Bethlehem for Christmas this year. 

       Instead I spent the day in At-Tuwani, an ancient village in the South Hebron Hills where I have been living and working with Christian Peacemaker Teams.

      Bethlehem is a modern, bustling city with noise, pollution, and traffic jams.  At-Tuwani is a small village south of Hebron where people live in much the same way as people lived in ancient Bethlehem.  Whole families live in one small room and life is simple.

      At-Tuwani, however, has more in common with the past than ancient stone houses, women drawing water from the one well and carrying it home on their heads, or shepherds watching their flocks on the surrounding hills.

      Like the Bethlehem of old, At-Tuwani is an occupied town.  Instead of Roman soldiers, now Israeli soldiers are ever present to control and oppress the inhabitants of Palestine.

      In At-Tuwani I spend time out in the hills with the shepherds tending the sheep, hoping to offer some protection from the nearby Israeli settlers who are killing the Palestinian flocks, stealing the land, harassing the school children, and beating up anyone who stands in the way.

      For me the Christmas season is a time to look forward to the advent of a new social order of peace and justice.  On Christmas day I experienced a foretaste of that kingdom.  Israeli peace activists (Wise Men?) from Ta’ayush came to At- Tuwani to show their respect to people who are supposed to be their enemies.

      They brought gifts, a truck load of olive trees for Palestinian villages in the area.  The truck was stopped by Israeli police and soldiers who apparently considered the olive trees a security threat.  I remembered King Herod had also considered the baby Jesus a threat. The trees were allowed into the village after some “dialogue” with the occupiers as Israeli military jets thundered overhead.  I thought of the Roman soldiers who used to be here.

      My faith was renewed as Jews, Muslims and Christians planted olive trees and broke bread together in anticipation of the day when all oppression will cease and those nasty guns and clubs will be turned into plowshares.

      Christmas came to At-Tuwani this year.  Even the Muslim schools were closed to honor the nativity.  For me, At-Tuwani was the real Bethlehem.

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. Supporting violence-reduction efforts around the world is its mandate. Contact CPT, POB 6508 Chicago, IL 60680; Telephone: 773-277-0253 Fax: 773-277-0291; e-mail: peacemakers@cpt.org.