Walk with me, don’t be afraid…

She Who Is a Woman In Black.Tel Aviv – 31 Dec. 2010 – Photo: Sherry Ann

Standing up and being counted among those who object to what is happening in Gaza and Israel, and here in Canada is a way into peace…despite what political-economic players might do to foster fear… Resisting questionable activities (like the provocation of people living amid military occupation) in support of a just peace is what this is about… I realize that so much around us, though, suggests otherwise. How can I stand up, a woman in Western society, against all of this? For example:

“Resistance is called a provocation, terrorism or a crime against humanity. The rule of law, as well as respect for the most basic civil liberties and the right of self-determination, is a public relations fiction used to placate the consciences of those who live in the zones of privilege.” See the full article, “Elites Will Make Gazans of Us All”, by Chris Hedges (here).

It’s happening globally, including here at home, in Canada. See The Huffington Post article, “Harper Calls Mulcair An Extremist Over Threats to Rip Up China Investment Treaty” (here).

See this reference (here) to Canada and to Will Potter’s tour and new book, Green is the New Red (here).

Further to what is happening in Israel, see this article, “In Gaza Airstrikes, an Appeal to Netanyahu’s Hardliners” (here).

Also, see: “My Visit to Gaza, the World’s Largest Open-Air Prison” by Noam Chomsky (here).

What about women’s voices in this mix?? We can stand up and keep showing up, just like women citizen activists in Israel and Palestine. I invite you to visit this website for an introduction to the project, “Sixty Years, Sixty Voices: Israeli and Palestinian Women” (here).

Visioning Peace.Wall Art on Bethlehem side of Israeli Separation Wall – 13 Jan. 2011 – Photo: Sherry Ann

As the violence continues in Gaza and Israel, let’s not become immune to the horrific news… here are some on-line articles for sticking with this active vigil…

“Israelis Against the Bombing” by Symon Hill (here)

“My Visit to Gaza, the World’s Largest Open-Air Prison” by Noam Chomsky (here)

Edmontonian Paula Kirman speaks as a member of Independent Jewish Voices (17 Nov. 2012) – See the video here.

See this list from the Canadian Friends of Sabeel – “Stay informed on developments by following media sites which provide an honest picture and thoughtful analysis, such as:

• Electronic Intifada:  http://www.electronicintifada.net 
• Gush Shalom:  http://www.gush-shalom.org
• Maan News www.maannews.net/eng/
• Palestinian Center for Human Rights—Gaza: http://www.pchrgaza.org
• Mondoweiss:  http://mondoweiss.net
• The Institute for Middle East Understanding:  http://imeu.net
• Haaretz:  http://www.haaretz.com

** Please note that this is only a small compilation and not an exhaustive list.”

Action: Consider choosing not to purchase products made in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. This information has been prepared by the Interfaith Peace Initiative using information from WhoProfits.org (click here and here).

Action: If writing to the media, see this helpful webpage from the Canadian Friends of Sabeel (here).

Today the United Network for a Just Peace in Palestine and Israel, based in Canada, issued this statement in response to the violence in Gaza and Israel (click here for the UNJPPI website):

“[The UNJPPI] stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are facing an overwhelming military attack by Israel. The Israeli rockets and bombing in Gaza, while claiming to be strategically directed to military targets in Gaza, are killing many civilians as well as destroying essential non-military infrastructure. The tragic loss of lives of children is particularly heart-wrenching. The support of the US and other western powers, including Canada, for Israel’s action puts the onus unfairly on Hamas and the Palestinians for ending the violence. The Palestinian people have been living under the oppressive Israeli occupation of their lands since 1967. We believe that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Land is the major contributor to the injustice that underlies the violence that has erupted in this conflict and that an end to the occupation is necessary for peace.

The devastating loss of lives on all sides is tragic. As friends of the Palestinians in Gaza as well as the West Bank, and in solidarity with our friends in the vibrant Israeli peace movement, we recognize the
frustration and desperation that they experience from living in what has been called “an open-air prison” created by the illegal Israeli occupation and blockade. We hear the pleas of Israelis who live in
fear in villages near the Gaza border for an end to the oppression that provokes the rocket attacks from Gaza. Our tears flow as we hear the cries of parents for the loss of their children. We call for an end to
the violence that is resulting in the tragic loss of civilian lives, including children and women.

We are concerned about the imbalance in the media reports. The international condemnation of the rocket attacks from Gaza and support for Israel’s right to defend its citizens is the predominant tone of many media reports. While we condemn the rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, we are aware that the humanitarian situation of the population in the Gaza Strip is unbearable. Balance in media reporting and political analysis must recognize that life is precious, and loss from bombs or starvation, is equally tragic. In the words of an Ecumenical Accompanier currently in Palestine, “Are not the lives on the receiving end of the bombs in Gaza as precious as those on the receiving end of the rockets in Israel?” Peace requires restraint. We urge that both sides cease the attacks, but as Rabbi Arik Ascherman
(Rabbis for Human Rights) an Israeli Rabbi, notes, “With our greater power comes greater responsibility.”

With the people of Gaza, we have many questions. Our fear is magnified by the threat of Israel’s warning of increased retaliation and support from Western leaders. When will it end? When will the
international community stop justifying Israel’s right to protect itself at the expense of innocent civilians in illegally occupied territories? When will Canadians say, “Enough is enough?”

What can we do? Ecumenical Accompanier Dawn Waring quotes Palestinian author Sami Al Jundi who puts it poignantly: “My children will be safe only when your children know safety, and your children will be safe only when my children know safety … but actually there’s no such thing as my children and your
children. There’s only our children.” ~ And Dawn concludes: “Will you lend your voice to the cause of justice and peace ~ for all our children?”

In support for the action of the United Church’s General Council, we ask members to urge the Canadian government to provide leadership among nations advocating for the end of the Israeli blockade of Gaza
in order to facilitate a solution for peace with justice for all people in Israel and Palestine. May our prayers for peace join with the prayers of our friends in Palestine and Israel who are committed to
working in non-violent ways for a just peace even in this critical moment. May God’s Spirit of peace be over all.
November 16, 2012”

The Canadian Friends of Sabeel also offer this list of resources:

“Compilation of articles, resources and analysis

Almost two years ago, I was placed for three months as an Ecumenical Accompanier (EA) with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (click here) in occupied East Jerusalem. Currently, my friend, Dawn, is nearing the end of a three-month placement in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank (click here for her blog). Today, this news headline appears on Ma’an News‘ website:  “Rocket lands in settlement bloc near Jerusalem”. (For the article, click here.) Dove in Bethlehem.Artist: Banksy – 16 Dec. 2010 – Photo: Sherry Ann

Accompanying Palestinians and Israelis who seek a just peace means experiencing life under the Israeli government’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories: Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. When I think about the current aggression in Gaza and southern Israel, it seems a bit removed; however, based on my and Dawn’s lived experiences, when I think about rocket fire near East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, the aggression feels much, much closer. We need to call, cry out for, an end to this occupation and the direct and indirect violence (click here). My friend, Sara, also an EA who was placed in Tulkarm in Fall 2010, has written:  “All violence against civilians, including rocket attacks from armed groups in Gaza, is strictly forbidden under international law.  However, virtually all international human rights organizations consider Israel’s blockade of Gaza to be a form of collective punishment—also forbidden under international law.  Without this being addressed there is really no hope [for] lasting peace.” Click here for her posting from 16 Nov. 2010.

One way to call for constructive action is to be present with local efforts across Canada. Click here for a list of gatherings near you; this list is provided by the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME).

Following my last posting, I have received two encouraging messages from Canadian leaders. From the office of Elizabeth May, O.C., M.P., Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, I have learned that:  “Elizabeth May has issued a statement urging both sides to de-escalate the violence immediately, and work urgently toward a cease-fire agreement to prevent any more innocent lives from being lost. …it is equally important that we work to help ensure a meaningful and comprehensive peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.  In accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 181 and UN Security Council Resolution 242, the Green Party supports statehood for Palestine, and recognizes that only once the systemic issues underpinning the present crisis are dealt with, will there be lasting and genuine peace  and security between Israel and Palestine.”

The office of Thomas Mulcair, M.P. (Outremont), Leader of the Official Opposition, New Democratic Party of Canada, pointed me to this press release (or click here) from 14 Nov. 2012: “Reaction to the Situation in the Middle East

New Democrats are very concerned by the recent escalation of tensions in Gaza and Israel. We call on all sides to exercise restraint and respect international humanitarian law obligations to protect civilians at all times.  Escalation would be dangerous and detrimental to prospects for long-term peace and stability in the region.  We are monitoring the situation closely and continue to call on the Canadian government to pursue a balanced and constructive approach in the Middle East.”

For news from the Physicians for Human Rights, click here.

For a reflection from Rabbi Arik Ascherman (I met him in 2011 in East Jerusalem) with Rabbis for Human Rights, click here.

For information from CJME, click here. Also, CJME offers this: “CJPME invites Canadians to click here to email their political leaders to ask them to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The link will take you through two steps – taking no more than 30 seconds – to ensure that your email is sent to your own MP [Member of Parliament], as well as the leaders and foreign affairs critics of each major political party in Canada.”

The following message has just arrived in my Inbox from the Canadian Friends of Sabeel. As a reminder:  Sabeel is the Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. The centre was founded by Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek in 1990 and works for justice, peace, and reconciliation in Palestine-Israel. The word, sabeel, is Arabic for ‘the way’ and also ‘a channel’ or ‘spring’.

I invite you to join me in efforts for peace. I’ve just written to our Prime Minister and the leaders of the Official Opposition (New Democratic Party), the Liberal Party, and the Green Party. I have copied my message to the Foreign Affairs Minister and to the Foreign Affairs critic for the Official Opposition. For your reference, here is the information from the Canadian Friends of Sabeel.

“Attack on Gaza

Peace… salaam… shalom… We have marked Remembrance Day this week in Canada… I spent the morning of 11 Nov. 2012 with my spiritual community at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church (click here) and was moved by the reflection shared by Rev. Dr. Nancy Steeves (click here). The title for this posting is an attempt at re-stating her reflection. On that afternoon, I practised yoga with others and we sent our shared collective energy into the world in support of…peace…

This morning, on CKUA (independent and original radio broadcasting from Alberta and available on-line – click here), I heard this news report:  3 Israelis had been killed in southern Israel; 15 Palestinians had been ‘reported’ to have been killed in Israeli-occupied Gaza. The definite nature of the first part of the statement compared with the tentative nature of the second statement irked me. I perceive that this hesitation characterizes Canadian society’s positioning on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On the one hand, I’m disappointed by this qualification (i.e., that 15 Palestinians may have been killed versus 3 Israelis definitely being killed). However, I’m also encouraged that not only were Israeli deaths reported (and I am deeply saddened by this news) but also Palestinian deaths were reported (and I’m deeply saddened by this news)… in our Canadian media. This is a hopeful shift in Canadian news discourse, because in the past and still in mainstream media, news that is supportive of the Israeli government tends to dominate. Here is an article by Simon Tisdall with The Guardian in the United Kingdom (click here).

My heart is wrenched as I think of my Israeli and Palestinian friends and acquaintances including members of Other Voice (click here) – Israelis and Palestinians supporting hope and non-violent actions. See my posting from 30 June 2011 here.

Eric Yellin & Ronni Keidar.Other Voice. Gaza in background – 26 Jan. 2011 – Photo: A. Farr

Life in Sderot means living with red-code warnings of rocket attacks from some parts of Gazan society. Click here for a youtube video recorded on… 11 Nov. 2012. Life in Gaza also means living in fear. Click here for a video from an Australian news agency.

Below I have pasted a news release from the Israeli Peace Blog – Gush Shalom (click here). I received the release in my Inbox yesterday. The author is Uri Avnery, a past member of the Israeli government’s Knesset (or parliament – the legislative part of the government) and peace activist. See his blog – click here.

For assistance: info@gush-shalom.org

What to do?? If we sit back without questioning the hesitations in Canadian and global political discussions, we let the provocations continue. Click here for a video posted today. Or, we can start naming peace in this moment, in each action we take here at home… I invite you to forward this posting to a friend, to an acquaintance… Engage someone in conversation… and make peace… shalom… salaam…

Cello Player in a round-about. Sderot, Israel – 26 Jan. 2011 – Photo: Sherry Ann

Did you know that, in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, water is one of the “permanent status issues – borders, Jerusalem, settlements, refugees and water” (UN General Assembly media release, 12 Feb. 2010)? Important also to know is that access to clean water and sanitation were recognized as human rights in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly vote (Click here). (See this posting here.)

This past week, I received an email with the following news from the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF), an international, inter-church advocacy initiative for peace in Israel and Palestine. The PIEF Newsletter is distributed by the World Council of Churches. In particular, the email contained the following “dossier” compiled for PIEF by Ranjan Solomon.

View of the Dead Sea from occupied West Bank – May 2009 – Photo: Sherry Ann

I invite you to read the dossier (below) and follow the various links regarding access to water in the occupied Palestinian territories.

“A  December 2011 report by a French parliamentary committee calls Israel’s allocation of water in the West Bank “apartheid”. This report closely preceded the United Nations release of data showing that almost half of the West Bank is geographically off limits to Palestinians.

As a result, Israel keeps much of the West Bank’s water off limits to Palestinians, too.

The French report edited by Jean Glavany, a member of parliament for the Socialist Party, states  that “Some 450,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank use more water than the 2.3 million Palestinians that live there” and that “in times of drought, in contravention of international law, the settlers get priority for water.”

The Oslo Accords of 1995 stipulated that, for the time being, both sides would maintain their resource utilization at the existing quantities. The Palestinian water consumption from the aquifer at the time was 118 million cubic metres per year, compared to 483 million for Israel, according to a report by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA). Even though it was “originally intended to be applicable for a period of no more than 5 years,” the PWA says that the same quota of 20 percent is “is still used by Israel as a ceiling to determine the amount of water it allocates to Palestinians”. This amount of water is simply insufficient for the growing Palestinian population.

In this issue of Perspectives, PIEF points out that water is a highly politicized issue in the Middle East. You cannot separate water from politics anymore.

The dossier we have compiled contains a range of resources. We hope that this dossier will help readers to understand better the complexities and intricacies of final status solutions in the Palestine-Israel conflict and the role of water in this context.

Please click here to download your copy (pdf, 245 KB).“

Recently, Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, called for early elections. To learn about some of the context of this election call, I invite you to read a posting by Adam Keller, an Israeli, on 13 Oct. 2012. Click here.

How are my experiences as an ecumenical accompanier shaping me, my facilitation of lifelong learning, and my study of critical engagement?

Here’s how… (click here).

Accompanying the people of Silwan on a double home-eviction day – occupied East Jerusalem – 27 Dec. 2010 – Photo: G. Hess

Two Canadians have arrived in the occupied Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank…two sojourners within 33 global citizens in EAPPI Group 45…one, a dear friend of a number of years, Dawn, who has been placed in Bethlehem (9.6 km from where I lived in 2010-2011 – click here)…one, a new friend within the past month, Natalie, who has been placed in Jayyous (close to Qalqiliya on this map – click here; more info here)…

I invite you to visit both of their blogs and subscribe (look on the right-hand side of the blogs and click “Follow”) for the postings that they will be writing between now and early December 2012. Click here for Dawn’s blog and here for Natalie’s blog. Click here for EAPPI’s August newsletter.

Bethlehem through the bars of an Israeli checkpoint – 16 Dec. 2010 – Photo: Sherry Ann

Yesterday, Commissioners at the 41st General Council of the United Church of Canada voted in endorsement of the report of the Working Group on Israel/Palestine Policy: “…the United Church has put its stamp of approval on a proposal that includes a call for a boycott of products from the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank” (click here).

Click here to read the text of the 13 motions that were approved by the United Church of Canada’s 41st General Council regarding Israel and Palestine.

Click here for an interview with Rev. Bruce Gregerson, Senior Programs Officer of the United Church of Canada, from 15 August 2012, on CBC’s Power & Politics hosted by Evan Solomon.

As a next step, the General Council Executive will develop ways to identify products (e.g., cosmetics and electronics) from illegal Israeli settlements for  church members’ reference.

Some may suggest that the United Church of Canada took one party’s side over another. I see this decision as standing with all those, Israeli, Palestinian, and engaged citizens in Canada (e.g., Independent Jewish Voices Canada – see news releases here; Canadian Friends of Sabeel – click here) and around the world, who seek a just peace in Palestine and Israel.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace.