ISSUE 50 • SUMMER 2008 ORNERSTONE · Issue 50 - Summer 2008 1 Continued >> “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because

Issue 50 - Summer 2008 1

Continued >>

“Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, makingthe most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish,but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5: 15-17)

When reviewing the history of the Israel-Palestineconflict from the 19th century to the establishment

of the state of Israel in the mid 20th century, it is possible topoint out at least seven major historical developments thatdirectly or indirectly contributed eventually to the PalestinianNakba.

To help the reader understand this background, it is necessaryto outline these developments briefly:

First: Since the beginnings of the 19th century, one can

The Ongoing Nakba

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION BY SABEEL ECUMENICAL LIBERATION THEOLOGY CENTER

CORNERSTONEISSUE 50 • SUMMER 2008

IN THIS ISSUE

The Ongoing Nakba

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The Ongoing Nakba, by: Naim Ateek 1

Why Did You Come Back? by: Habib and Gosayna Karam 4

Thoughts To Ponder, by: Munir Fasheh 8

Breaking the Silence, by: George B. Sahhar 11

Reflections on Sabeel’s Young Adult Conference,

by: Margaret Evans, Hannah Öhlén, and Lina Saleh 12

My Residency, No More, by: Mona Nasir 14

A Biblical Reflection: A Song of Justice 16

The Makings of History, by: Jewish Peace News (JPN) 18

2 Issue 50 - Summer 2008

point to the development of whatbecame known as pre-millennialdispensationalism among certainEvangelical and Protestant groups inWestern Europe, especially in Britainand later in the United States. Thisteaching emphasized the centrality ofthe Jewish people in God’s plan ofhistory, their essential return toPalestine in fulfillment of biblicalprophecy, and the re-establishment oftheir ancient kingdom as a prelude tothe Second Coming of Christ, thegreat battle of Armageddon, the finaldefeat of evil, the end of the world,and the creation of a new heaven anda new earth.

Second, the emergence of the ZionistMovement in Europe at the end of the19th century seeking a safe haven forJews who have suffered long asminorities living among eastern andwestern European Christians. TheZionist Movement visualized theestablishment of a Jewish state inPalestine and its vicinity in the spirit of

colonialism and imperialism of the time.

Third, the next significant developmentwas the acceptance of the Britishgovernment to adopt and sponsor theZionist project in what we know as theBalfour Declaration of 1917 just beforethe end of WWI. After the war, Britainassumed the mandate over Palestine andbegan to help the Zionists realize theirdream in Palestine.

Fourth, the Balfour Declaration gave agreat boost to the Zionist Movement.The latter intensified its activitiesamong Jewish communities everywhereand cultivated important links amonginfluential people including high levelstate officials and top governmentleaders in various countries especially inEurope and the United States.

Fifth, the tragedy of the Holocaustduring WWII and the suffering ofmillions of Jews under the Nazissharpened the Jewish problem andcalled attention to the plight of

European Jewry. It won themtremendous sympathy, and theurgency of finding a viable solution.

Sixth, the success of the ZionistMovement through its influentialfriends around the world and especiallythose in the United States in passingthe Partition Plan of Palestine inNovember 1947 through the UnitedNations General Assembly that gaveover 55% of the land of Palestine tothe Jewish state when Jews, legally,owned less than 7% of it.

Seventh, the Zionists executed theirplan of establishing the state of Israel,and through military force were ableto ethnically cleanse 78% of the landof Palestine of its Palestinian people andto demolish over 500 of their villagesand towns.These seven factors are crucial tounderstanding the background to thePalestinian Nakba. One cannot,however, gloss over the weakness ofArab and Palestinian leaders at thetime, their ineffective diplomacy (evencollusion with Zionist leaders), theirlack of sound planning, and theirdeficient organization. By and large,they underestimated the militarytraining and power of the Zionists aswell as their influential contacts abroadthat protected and supported theactions of the nascent state.

When we look at the last 60 years, it isclear to many people that neither thePalestinians nor the Arab countries, northe international community throughthe UN have been able to bring an endto the tragedy of Palestine. No justresolution of the conflict has beenimplemented. In fact, the politicalsituation has deteriorated since the

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occupation of the West Bank and theGaza Strip in June 1967. Since then,the state of Israel has growneconomically and militarily in leapsand bounds and its military grip overthe remaining Palestinian land andpopulation has become firmer andharsher. In other words, the PalestinianNakba has not only continued, it hasworsened.

While the government of Israel hassuccessfully linked itself with theUnited States, the strongest militaryand economic power in the worldtoday, the Palestinians have not enjoyedsuch powerful allies to protect themand plead their just case. Instead ofrealizing that no real justice will evercome from the US because of its

unwavering commitment to Israel, thePalestinian Authority in its desperationand frustration, has continued to clingsolely to the US administration.

In a unipolar world, justice is notalways defined in accordance with theprinciples of international law butaccording to the interests of the majorpower and its allies. In such a context,Israel has enjoyed a free rein. To a largeextent, it has been free to do what itwants against the Palestinians and todictate what it wills to them all incontravention of the decisions of theinternational community and with nopower to restrain it.

It is important to remember that whenthe United Nations partitioned

Palestine and legitimized the creationof Israel in 1947, the Zionist forcesimmediately began to ethnicallycleanse their designated area ofPalestine. In fact, in their cleansingsweep, they were de-populating thearea of the Palestinian state as well. TheUN ordered the Zionists to re-trackand allow the repatriation of therefugees. Israel, even when still in itsinfancy, flouted UN resolutions. Itnever allowed the return of the refugeesnor did it pull back to its owndesignated area of Palestine.

The failure of the internationalcommunity to be firm in the face ofIsrael’s intransigence has become arepeated scenario. The United States andits allies have glossed over Israeli unjustpractices and expansionist policies. Tothis, one can add the weakness ofPalestinian and Arab leaders, their lackof vision and unity, and their inabilityto use their powerful resources topressure the United States to put a stopto Israeli violations of the human andpolitical rights of the Palestinians.

In such a situation, the PalestinianNakba is doomed to continue andworsen. Chris Hedges has aptlywritten, “Extremists never begin asextremists. They become extremistsgradually. They move gingerly forwardin an open society. They advance onlyso far as they fail to meet resistance.And no society is immune from thismoral catastrophe” (Hedges: 2006,152). Since 1948, Israel has been ableto get by with its injustice because ofthe weakness of the internationalcommunity (UN) that was unable orunwilling to contain its (Israel)ravenous appetite for Palestinian landand the domination of its people.

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There are other factors that havecontributed to the on-going Nakba. Asimple outline would include thefollowing:

1. In addition to the above mentionedfactors that include the misuse of theBible in support of Israeli claims, andthe misuse of the Holocaust to instillguilt and sympathy in people, fear isa strong factor that prevents manygoodhearted and knowledgeablepeople within the country as well asoutside it, from taking a braveprophetic stand against Israeliinjustice. Fear leads to silence andthis allows Israel to persist in andintensify its oppression.

2. Israel has developed into a strongeconomic and military power andenjoys a wide business network withmany countries that are unwilling torelinquish their interests for the sakeof a Palestinian solution that theyare not sure about.

3. The insistence on the Jewishness ofthe state of Israel, the demographicobsession to maintain a Jewishmajority and a Palestinian minority,and the expansionist policiesthrough settlement building arethree interconnected factors thathave contributed to the perpetuationof the Nakba.

4. The futility of the frustrating,tedious, and protracted negotiationsbetween the PA and the governmentof Israel has led some Palestiniansto opt for the use of violence as away to achieve liberation. Thisvicious cycle of violence has alsocontributed to the ongoing Nakba.

5. The internecine strife within theby the Rev. Naim Ateek - director of Sabeel, Jerusalem

“Why did you come back?” It’s aquestion people ask my wife and Iwhen they find out that we usedto live in the U.S. until we cameback to live in our hometown,Nazareth. If I put a dollar into mysavings account every timesomeone asked us this question,we would not be millionaires, butat least a $1,000 richer. I alwaystry to tell them in one way oranother that living abroad is not

WHY DID YOU

Palestinian community andespecially between Fatah and Hamasand the continued internal violencehas not only added to the continuingNakba, it has created a new Nakba.

The continuing Nakba can be describedby some of the words from the book ofLamentations: “Remember, O Lord,what has befallen us; Look, and see ourdisgrace! Our inheritance has been turnedover to strangers, our homes to aliens. Wehave become orphans, fatherless; ourmothers are like widows. We must payfor the water we drink; the wood we getmust be bought. With a yoke on our neckswe are hard driven; we are weary, we aregiven no rest ... The joy of our hearts hasceased; our dancing has been turned tomourning.” (Chapter 5, selected verses).

Yet in the midst of such calamity anddespair, the writer of Lamentationsconcludes with an affirmation aboutthe sovereignty of God, “But you, OLord, reign forever; your throne enduresto all generations...Restore us to yourself,O Lord, that we may be restored; renewour days as of old....”(5:19-21).

There are dark times in the history of anation when people of faith must re-affirm their trust and hope in the livingGod. Such a trust and hope in Godhas a way of rejuvenating and energizingthe community as it continues itsstruggle for liberation.

Many Palestinians today, Christians andMuslims, are affirming their trust andhope in the sovereignty of God whowould lead them to justice and freedom.

The Karam family


all that simple and fun. My wifeGosayna tells them that the fact wecame back says something! But whydid we come back?

In 1980, after I completed highschool in Nazareth, I went to visitmy uncles, aunt, and grandmaresiding in Los Angeles. I attendeduniversity there, and graduated in1986 with a Bachelor of Science inElectrical Engineering. Soon after,

I was offered a job at SunMicrosystems in the Silicon Valley,and moved there. Living in L.A.away from home was okay; I hadmade some friends at the CatholicNewman Club, and I had myextended family around. However,moving to Northern California totake the job was a totally newground for me. The family supportwas not there any more, and myfriends were a six hour-drive away.New life, new start!

In 1979, Gosayna migrated with herfamily from a town just outside ofNazareth to Melbourne, Australia.That was a completely new start forthem. She was just 11 years old atthat time.

In 1988, I went to Nazareth for mysister’s wedding. Gosayna was thereat the same time visiting her relatives.We met, clicked, and had two yearsof a long distance relationship beforewe got married in 1990 in Nazareth,after which we went back to the U.S.to live there.

Gosayna began to work for HP thenlater worked with me at SunMicrosystems. On May 7, 1993, ourfirst boy was born, and we namedhim Akram Fabian Karam. Akramwas my dad’s name, and usually inour culture, the oldest son’s child (ifit is a boy) is named after hisgrandfather. My parents as well asGosayna’s mom came to visit us. Webaptized Akram, and they attended

U COME BACK?by: Habib Karam and Gosayna Karam

my MBA graduation ceremony.Then everybody left and we felt allalone. There were no grandparentsaround to help and guide us to raiseAkram, but we managed.

Then our lives changed on themorning of October 15, 1993when we woke up to find that ourbaby left us to be with God. It wasSIDS (Sudden Infant DeathSyndrome). He was only 5 monthsold; he was full of smiles, and hewas the light of our lives. We wereall alone. Friends and relatives cameto comfort us, but they came andwent. Our parents and siblingswere not with us. We felt alone andfar away from home.

On August 29, 1994, ChristopherJohn was born, and happinessreturned to our lives once again.However, it was very nerve-wracking when Christopheroverslept in the morning and wewould have to check on him. OnJune 20, 1997, we were blessedagain with the birth of MatthewJohn. We were very happy with thetwo boys, and Gosayna decided toquit her job and stay home withthe kids. It was a huge decision forus, but we both thought that itwould be better for the kids, andtrusted that God is alwayswatching over us.

I changed jobs; we traveled, movedto a larger suburban house andbought newer cars. In a material


sense, life was good, but closer toheart, we always felt that we werenot very happy. Sure I had a greatjob, and we had a “good” life butwe always felt a certain emptinessbecause the U.S. wasn’t “Home”to us. I would come home fromwork at five every evening andclose the door. That was theroutine in our daily life.

We never felt secure about ourchildren’s safety even though welived in a new neighborhood. Wecould never let them play outsidein the front yard on their own.Even at the park, we could neverlet them play by themselves (Ifyou have lived in California youwill know what I mean). Wewould buy milk from thesupermarket, and on it, therewould be a picture of a childsaying: “Have you seen me?”These certainly did not help usto feel safe. We were living the“American Dream,” but at whatcost? What is important to us?What has a higher priority?

God blessed us with a daughter,Serene Therese, on ThanksgivingDay, November 25, 1999. Wewere thrilled. A new baby girl wasa great blessing to all of us.However, when everyone wascelebrating the New Year’s, thefive of us became sick and bedridden for five days. Gosayna andI could not fully take care of thekids but we had to manage

somehow. We thought of how ourparents could have come over to takecare of us if we were living close tothem. We would never feel sohelpless to our kids. We had alreadybeen evaluating our lives, ourpriorities and where we wanted tolive, and this experience made usconsider more seriously about going“Home” to Nazareth. Despite themany good close friends we had fromdifferent nationalities and religions,we made the decision to movepermanently back home in thesummer of 2001. We startedplanning!

In the summer of 2000 we took afamily trip home and looked intobuying a house, signing up the kidsfor school and making othernecessary arrangements for themove.

At Christmas of the same year, wehad my parents visit and spend ourlast Christmas and New Year’s in theU.S. with us. As a surprise theybrought my eleven year-old niecewith them. When we arrived homefrom the airport, Christopher went

straight to his room and closed thedoor. When Gosayna went to checkon him and asked him why he wasn’tsitting with the whole family, heexplained that he hated to getattached to family because one daythey will leave. So by staying away,he was protecting himselfemotionally from the difficultiesthat accompany the “farewell.”That’s when we both realized howmuch our kids feel the sameemptiness that we feel. Theemptiness, that comes from thedistance between grandparents,aunts and uncles and theirgrandkids, nephews and nieces. Soas long as we remained in the U.S.,our kids would continue to feel thisemptiness rather than the love thatcomes from extended family.

We made the move on July 4, 2001.I was away for 21 years, and Gosaynafor 22. We came home. We’rePalestinians and this is our land, wewanted to be home where we and allour ancestors grew and lived. In theU.S., we felt alone; we felt that wewould lose our identity with everygeneration. In the U.S. we met and

“Why did you come back?” people ask.For love, peace and happiness! We cameback to be “Home.” This is where webelong, our language, our culture andmost of all our people.

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interacted with second and thirdgeneration Arab Americans. Theirkids would marry individuals fromother nationalities and start losingtheir identities. They would easilyforget the language and lose allconnections to their ancestors’homes!

As soon as we arrived, we rented ahouse until we found one of ourown. Matthew and Christopherstarted school in September of thatyear. They started making friends atschool as well as in theneighborhood. I started my new jobin August. We truly felt at “Home”-we enjoyed being close to relativesand having our kids safe. This washome in the true sense of the word.Other lands, while a greatexperience, were not “Home” to us.

We had made our decision and wereconfident in it. We sold everythingand didn’t look back. There werehurdles to cross and many newthings to adjust to and learn, but wedidn’t give up. We looked at everyhurdle as a learning experience andwe continued. We never doubted ourdecision.

We made a family trip to the U.S.two years after we had been back.We had a good time, but after threeweeks the kids wanted to comehome! At that point we wereconfident that we had made theright move.

We’ve been back for seven years andcan’t imagine ever moving out ofNazareth. Gosayna and I startedvolunteering at different places andoccasions. In addition to our workand raising our kids, we volunteerat our children’s school, Sabeel,church, and other places. We alwaysencourage people, especially schoolkids, to give back to the communityby volunteering at local hospitals ornon-profit organizations.

Our family was blessed with anotherdaughter on May 7, 2006. Katrinawas born exactly 13 years after ourHeavenly Angel Akram was born.It was a true blessing from God.

Our lives are full of love. Eventhough we live in a land of no peace(politically), we are at Peace in ourdaily lives. The emptiness has goneaway and our lives are full of family,neighbors and friends. We live in abig community where we share thehappiness and excitement whencouples get married and the sorrowwhen others pass away. The supportavailable to us from our families hasbeen tremendous. We even havetime alone as a couple even withfour kids.

We never interview babysitters butrather trust them. Our kids havemore freedom of movement such aswalking to grandma’s house, goingto shops, coming home from schoolby bus, playing in the neighborhood

with kids their age and so on. Ourchildren have an active and safesocial life; they are rarely bored!Everyone knows everyone, so it isa safe environment for our kids.Everyone looks out and supportsyou throughout your good andbad times.

Every country has its good andbad. For us, life can’t be taken forgranted. It’s too short and ourpriority is not materialisticallydriven but love and family driven.We want our kids to grow up inthe arms of grandparents andextended family who loves them.Special occasions such asbirthdays, First Communions,Easter, and Christmas amongothers have taken on a newmeaning. They are full of fun,happiness and love.

“Why did you come back?” peopleask. For love, peace and happiness!We came back to be “Home.” Thisis where we belong, our language,our culture and most of all ourpeople.

Habib Karam works at a high-tech companyand he is a board member of Sabeel, Nazareth.Gosayna Karam works at a non-profitorganization.


greedy for power and control. Hiscompassion for people wasmanifested in differentiatingbetween the woman and her actions:he was on the side of the woman,not prostitution.

Standing in front of Pilate, Jesusrefused to defend himself againstaccusations that Pilate was accusinghim of; he just kept saying ‘you sayso’. He refused to give legitimacy tothe occupier; to military and politicalpower - a form of resistance that israre in history.

In the temple, he carried a whip andthrew out the money lenders who

What was the central message ofJesus in life? For me, it is

protecting life and people fromwhatever and whoever harms them,tears them apart, and robs them oftheir worth - especially injustice andunjust rulers. His maincommandment in facing such threatsand in protecting and strengtheningpeople is to love one another. Hislove and respect for people were atthe center of his life, as exemplifiedin his words and actions. I will buildon and get inspiration from all this,in trying to imagine what Jesuswould say to us concerning theNakba. In his words and actions, healways challenged dominant

perceptions, meanings, measures,and relationships that were tearinglife apart. I will give examples of suchchallenges before I go on with whatJesus would say to us about theNakba.

In Jesus’ words and actions, there wasa clear distinction between peopleand those who want to crush people.He, for example, confronted the self-righteous men by asking he who waswithout sin let him cast the firststone. He did not rebuke the woman;rather he confronted the men. Hesaw the woman and the men withinthe social context of their actions. Hesaw her as a victim, and saw them as

THOUGHTS TO PONDERFaith based reflections on the Nakba

by: Munir Fasheh

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were enslaving people usingeconomic means. He did not fightpoverty and misery, but rather theircauses: greed and domination. Intoday’s world, this is equivalent tosomeone carrying a whip andthrowing out the World Bank andits subordinates, most of which carry“national” names! Jesuswould probably expectus to do the same: at leastto be extremely cautiousof the banks that aremushrooming inRamallah like rabbits. Itis very revealing to noticethat Jesus was harsher indealing with economicdomination than withpolitical and militaryones - maybe because itis more subtle, and thusthe harm is deeper andmore lasting. It is also revealing tonotice that he did not mentioncultural domination - probablybecause domination was not yetperfected then as it is now. However,if Jesus were to say something to ustoday, in light of the cultural rootsof the Nakba, he, no doubt, wouldsay “Beware cultural domination; itis most dangerous”.

When his disciples refused to beindifferent or blind to injustices thatwere prevalent all around them, thePharisees from among the multitudesaid unto him, “Master, rebuke thydisciples.” And he answered and saidunto them, “I tell you that if theseshould hold their peace, the stoneswould immediately cry out”-

something that was manifested overand over again in the case of thePalestinians: the stones cried out.

As a last example, Jesus said that ifyou say you love God but hate yourneighbor, you are a liar. For Jesus,one’s relationship to people was the

main way to measure one’s love forhim.

The above can help us imagine whatJesus would say to us in relation tothe Nakba. He would start byreminding us of his own story whichwas amazingly similar to our story(with different names): he wasdisinherited and a threatened subjectof Roman power. The similaritybetween the social position of Jesusin Palestine and that of thePalestinians today in the same placeis very striking. People that Jesusloved and defended were standingwith their backs against the wall. Justlike today, some of the walls at Jesus’time were visible; others wereinvisible. At the same time, he would

remind us of the similarity betweenthen and now in terms of how peopledevelop courage, fearlessness, andstrength to live with love, dignity,creativity, and faith. I have seen thishappen again and again inPalestine...

Just like what he did in thestories I mentioned above,he would start bychallenging our use of theword Nakba and ourperceptions and meaningsof it. Jesus would not call itthe Nakba. He was verycareful in choosing hiswords. Nakba in Arabicrefers - more often than not- to disasters that happennaturally without anyoneplanning and executingthem. It is usually used in

the case of natural disasters (such asan earthquake). This was not so inthe case of Palestine. In 1948, thingsdid not just happen; they did notresult from a natural cause. He wouldsee it within its historical-political-military-economic context. Hewould call it a foreign occupation ofpeople’s lands, destroying theirhomes and villages, uprooting theirtrees. He would call it a crime againstPalestinians, planned, imposed, andexecuted through collaborationbetween the British and the Zionistorganization. Its roots go back to theSykes-Picot agreement and theBalfour Declaration and all thosewho gave legitimacy to theoccupation of Palestine. He alwaysaddressed people in power as

For Jesus, one’s relationship topeople was the main way tomeasure one’s love for him.“ “


hypocrites. Trusting that banks willget us out of the Nakba (as manyclaim today) would be considered byJesus as a cruel joke. He wouldremind us that it is easier for a camelto go through a needle’s eye than fora rich organization to do good (enterheaven).

Similarly, he would remind us to tellUNRWA’s funders that man does notlive by bread alone. He would pointto the new Romes - London andWashington - that were responsiblefor what happened in 1948 and isstill happening. He would remind usof what he said 2,000 years ago: giveto Caesar what belongs to Caesar andto God what belongs to God - whichtranslates in the case of Palestine in1948, to: “Give to the British whatbelongs to the British and toPalestinians what belongs toPalestinians;” that is, send the Britishto Britain and give back Palestine tothe Palestinians. This was clear evenin the mandate given to Britain bythe League of Nations over Palestineto help Palestinians rule themselves!Palestine was like a safe that wasentrusted to Britain; a safe that wasnever given back to its legal owners.In practice, this means thatPalestinians should ask the UN andBritain for the safe called Palestinethat they never returned.

My guess is that Jesus would even gofurther; he would go far back to thecultural roots of what happened in1948: Western schools which wereplanted in Palestine and served astools of tearing apart Palestiniansociety at several levels. Culturaldomination started before militaryand political occupation. He wouldremind us that the tragedy of 1948did not start with the military

political conquest but by theconquest at the level of perceptionsand conceptions. It started bytearing apart the “inner world” ineach person and the social fabric inthe community. That was done inthe name of civilizing, educating,and converting. They even workedhard to convert the only indigenousChristian communities in the world!I feel pity for those who translateChristianity into winning converts.The first immigrations fromPalestine were not done by force butthrough religious and educationalmissions: people were groomed tolive in London, Detroit, and SanFrancisco, more than in their ownvillages and communities. Inaddition, missions transformed theworth of a person from one’s innerharmony, and harmony with peopleand nature around him/her, tohaving the source of one’s worth,measures and committees in Londonor Philadelphia. It is the sin ofarrogance that misdirected thosewho came with good intentions andmade them an instrument both ofself-righteousness and racialsuperiority.

It is hard to overemphasize the roleof domination of the culturaldimension in tearing apart the socialfabric in society and robbing peopleof what they have, of their ways ofliving, relating, and learning, and ofwhat they can do by themselves.Wasif Jouhariyyeh, a PalestinianChristian from Jerusalem, mentionsin his memoirs (which included theperiods before and after the Britishoccupation of Palestine) that one ofthe very first military regulationsimposed by the British was relatedto the public space - the commons -around al-Aqsa Mosque. That space

was open to inhabitants ofJerusalem, of all religious and ethnicbackgrounds where they interactedfreely. The new regulation assignedcertain days for Muslims, others forChristians, and others for Jews -claiming that they want to ensurethat the rights of all were observed!It is a revealing example of how theBritish tore apart societies. Theytransformed a pluralistic society intoa sectarian one with a simple law thatclaimed to care for rights! It is anamazingly ingenious and subtle actof evil. Over the years, theneighboring among differentreligions was substituted by wordssuch as “religious dialogue,”“comparative religions,” and the like- which, more often than not, tearapart the social fabric among people.The words in Arabic for thistransformation are beautiful tomention here: transformingtajaawur into tahaawur - fromneighboring to dialogue!

Jesus always stressed what peoplecould do rather than the evil doneto them. He would flip the currentstress from remembering the evildone, to remembering what peopledid to keep life going; from thedestruction caused by power to thespirit of regeneration. He wouldremind us of how what sustained usthroughout the years were the loveand mutual help and support amongpeople.

Munir Fasheh was born in Jerusalem in 1941. Hehas a doctorate in education from Harvard Universityand has been working in education for four decades(in Palestine and the US) in harmony with “learningwithout teaching.”


BREAKING THE SILENCE ABOUTAL-NAKBA

M ore than 60 years ago ageneration of Palestinians was

transformed; whether they lived inlavish homes or they were simplefarmers, they lost their property andbecame refugees. They were supposedto vanish into oblivion, their storiesnever to be told and their experienceforgotten. The old were supposed todie and the young were supposed toforget, and their suffering would neverbe recognized or redeemed.

It seems that for many years, those wholived through Al-Nakba succumbed totheir fate; they prayed and mournedquietly, as they continued to bleedemotionally. They were frightened, andfrom behind barbed wires they dreamtquietly.

Why do people who go throughtumultuous experiences remain quiet?There were some who could notimagine or believe what happened tothem, others saw it as an episode thatwill go away quickly because in the endjustice will prevail, while there wereothers who kept their door keys-imagining to the minutest detail thatthe door will remain in its place.

But what happened when reality sankin, and they realized there were othersin their kitchens and in their beds?They remained frightened and theywept silently. Yet, somethinginteresting was taking place too- theybelieved that they knew the truth, and

in a perfectly prophetic way, they wereliberated because of their narrative, andbecause their memory was as concreteas the belongings they left behind. TheBible tells us that the truth shall set youfree; it sets you free to remember, freeto tell the story so it does not fade away,and most importantly, the truth setsyou free to work for peace.

It is that yearning for peace that keptthem going. My father was 25 years oldwhen they lost their home in Baqqa’,in what became West Jerusalem, theyfled at gunpoint, so they locked thedoor and left, and in an expression ofhope they left the lights on. In 1967,my father went back as a stranger, andwhen he stood outside the gate, awoman walked out of the house andasked him what he was doing there. Hetold her he came there because hewanted to remember his mother whohad died, and that this was their home.“Listen,” she told him, “I bought thishouse from the government, and if Iever see you again I will call the policefor you.” He went back quietly, butthe narrative never died in his heart,and he continued to talk about thehome, his father’s Regency Hotel andCinema, and the Sports Club theyowned, but most importantly he neverbecame bitter or hateful, and heremained a kind and gentle person.

Also my mother was a little girl, 12years old, when they fled Jaffa. Theywere living there because her father was

by: George B. Sahhar

a customs officer and he worked in theseaport. They had rented the home ofFranjiyyeh family. Sure, the home wasnever theirs, but it became part of theirnarrative- they fled in fear, they did notknow where they were heading, andthey took the memories with them- sothe Franjiyyeh home became part oftheir story. The facts never died andwere never forgotten, they are beingtransferred to a new generation whoworks for peace, reconciliation, anddignity of the human being.

It was only in May 2008 that thechildren, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, along with humanrights activists and friends from aroundthe world, gathered in West Jerusalem,in front of the old homes and walkedfrom one street to the other, in a showreminiscent of the way Jesussurprisingly came back from the deadto the disbelief of many.

Sure, someone might lose a home; thebed and the furniture, but they cannotforget the family album, the memoriesand stories. When they stood in frontof each home, they meant to say thatmost of the old have died, but theyoung must work for peace andreconciliation.

George B. Sahhar is a Jerusalem native and boardmember of Sabeel. His writings are dedicated topeacemaking and to raising awareness about theneed for justice and reconciliation.



by: Margaret Evans

“I have always had the privilegeof freedom”

My name is Margaret and I am a 21-year-old Canadian.I have never been told where I can or cannot go or live.I have always had the privilege of freedom.

My reality compared to a Palestinian is as different ascomparing East and West. I wake up every morning, andthe only thing on my mind is, “What am I going to eatwhen I get upstairs?” I eat, hop into a car and travelabout 30 kilometers to work. I only leave 30 minutesbefore my shift begins. I do not need to worry thatanything could prevent me from getting to work on time.

At a checkpoint in Bethlehem, the Sabeel conferencegroup waited 45 minutes to pass thirty feet from theWest Bank to just another portion of the West Bank,sectioned off from itself. We passed through threesegregated gates with multiple ID and visa checks beforewe were admitted. This was just a blink of an eyecompared to a typical rush hour wait. We were told thatPalestinians get up and wait in line beginning at 3:30 to4 o’clock in the morning until the gate opens at 7 AM,just to get to work on time. From this the question “why?”arises. Is it a protection for the Israelis from the“terrorists?” The so-called Palestinian terrorists did nothave any arms until the second Intifada at the end of2001.

When the group was returning from a visit in Hebron,we encountered a true act of terrorism. While walkingpast a roadblock, it was brought to my attention that

Reflections on Sabeel’s 3rd InternationalYoung Adult Conference 2008

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two Israeli soldiers were harassing three little Palestiniangirls who lived just around the corner. The children werebacked up against a wall and the soldiers waved theirguns casually at the children’s feet. Some of the Palestinianparticipants began to yell at the soldiers in Arabic. Thesoldier suddenly switched his attention to the Palestiniansin our group. He began to demand, “Are you Muslim orChristian?” pointing around the circle. The response fromone of the Palestinians was profound and will remainingrained on my heart forever. She said, “We areChristian, but why does it matter? Are we not all human?”Finally, the children were released, but one of thePalestinians was detained and his ID confiscated. This isreality. To speak up for injustice is to risk your ownfreedom.

My heart was heavy with questions. How long wouldthe children have been harassed had we not intervened?How far would the soldiers have gone? The whole ordealleft a bitter and lasting taste in my mouth. Yet, I had toremind myself of my own injustices. Israelis walk aroundeveryday knowing that this is happening, yet they ignoreit. I cannot judge them, for how many times have Iwalked by a homeless person, a drug addict or anotherin need, and done nothing? How many more times willI do it? I cannot give an absolute answer that I will notignore it again since my heart and my mind conflict withone another. Logically, I know that justice must be served,yet the reality of my environment makes me worry aboutlittle but materialistic problems.

So, where does this leave me? It leaves me with a promisethat I will give my best, in whatever that form may be,and share this tragedy to help the world listen. I cannotpromise perfection, since it does not exist, but my best isall I have to offer.

by: Hannah Öhlén

The second day into the conference, and it feels like aweek. In a good way, that is. We have already experiencedand learned so much, seen so many places, met so manypeople and heard so many stories. Being guided throughthe depopulated village of Lifta by a man who grew upthere was intense. He showed us where their house used

to be, where they used tobuy sweets and where themosque stood. Afterbeing imprisoned for 17years he still has no hatredin his voice whilespeaking about theIsraelis. He still has hope.

Even though this is onlythe second day of theconference, it feels as if wehave already met a lot ofthis kind of people.People who refuse to giveup hope, even after 60 years of Nakba. They are desperateto share their stories to the rest of the world and us,being a link to the outside. These people are a hope in aplace of hopelessness, and it is so very inspiring to meetthem.

by: Lina Saleh

As a 23-year-old Palestinian, living in Jerusalem, thisconference was so useful for me in many aspects.Primarily, I got to see all kinds of injustice, humiliationsand sufferings in the West Bank and various kinds ofindirect discrimination towards Arab Palestinians livingin Israel.

Arresting a homeowner because he doesn’t want toevacuate his home is the situation that affected me themost. Home demolishing that we saw in East Jerusalemand Ramle (which is considered to be in Israel) is a verycommon policy of the Israeli government in order tooccupy more and more territories and to frightenPalestinians living here. This policy makes sure that thePalestinian communities in Jerusalem will not expandto a number that will threaten the status of Israel’s Jewishmajority.

When we were at the Bethlehem checkpoint, thediscrimination that I felt towards me as a local (especiallyin comparison to the way the internationals were treated)left me feeling totally humiliated. The soldiers didn’t

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permit us to leave the checkpoint by claiming that our blue identity cardsmeant we weren’t allowed to enter there at all. They seemed to be playingwith the rules as they wanted and I was totally dependent upon the soldiers’whims at that moment. Such uncertainty makes every trip a question of“If ” and further limits the freedom of movement of Palestinians.

When visiting the refugee camps in Bethlehem and Hebron, I was soimpressed by all the young adults who live in these camps under hardcircumstances but still achieve high levels of education. Their will to studyand succeed is their only weapon for freedom. It touched my heart to see somuch hope in the eyes of these young people who still struggle to have theirbasic needs met.

The personal interaction I had with the international participants of theconference was one of the best things I experienced at the conference. Firstof all, getting the chance to let non-Arabs see our situation and letting themknow that the media does not accurately reflect what happens here was amajor achievement. Secondly, the personal and friendly relationships thatdeveloped between the locals and the internationals will not be forgotten.They are evidence of the human value that don’t know the difference betweenpeople, regardless of their language, nationality or way of life. In the end,we are all humans.

Margaret Evans is from Canada. She is currently in her fourth year of International ComparativeStudies majoring in Globalization at the University of Ontario.

Hannah Öhlén is from Stockholm, Sweden. Last year worked as a volunteer for the Swedish MissionaryCovenant church, teaching English at SIRA School in Bethlehem.

Lina Saleh lives in Jerusalem and is currently studying at Hebrew University. She received her Bachelor’sin Education and French and is now pursuing her Master’s in Conflict Resolution.

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I left the U.S., took a work leavewithout pay from my job, and

traveled with my five-month old babyto my homeland, in order to renewmy re-entry visa which would allowme to keep my residency status in“Israel.” I met with a lawyer to helpme renew my entry visa, but theIsraelis refused to renew it. Instead,they told me that since I made thedecision to marry an “American,” whocan’t reside in Jerusalem (my husbandwas born and raised in Jerusalem buthad his residency revoked in 2004; henow holds an American passport), andsince I have acquired an American“Green Card”, I have made a decisionto seek residency in a foreign country.Therefore, I am “choosing” toabandon my residency rights inJerusalem.

To make a long story short, I lost myresidency rights in my own country. Ican only go back to visit as a tourist,and I have to acquire a tourist visafrom the Israeli embassy. The ironicthing is that all my family still livesthere! But I can never join them, andI don’t have a choice in the matter. We,the people of the land are beingthrown out! I have lost my right toreturn to my country...to the onlycountry I ever belonged to, the onlyplace I ever called home.

MY RESIDENC


visa, rather than the traditional threemonth visa. I showed her my residencycard (at the time I was still considereda resident) and showed her our returnplane tickets. She said no. I laterapplied to the Ministry of Interior andto my surprise Ramzi was denied. Mylaywer also tried and Ramzi was stilldenied. The Israeli governmentrefused to grant a seven-month old

baby an extension on his visa! I had toface the choice of leaving with Ramziearly and change our vacation plans,or stay with him as I had planned andhave my son be illegally overstayingin the land of his ancestors. The ironicthing is that this poor little babycouldn’t even say “mama” or “baba”,yet he was causing a security threat toIsrael that they denied him a one-

month extension on his visa! Idecided to try again with theministry because I was told that ifthe baby illegally overstays he couldbe blacklisted. So I tried again andagain. Finally, the fifth time, Ramziwas given an extra month ofextension on his tourist visa.

So now, my little family of three areadded to themillions of Pale-stinians who losttheir right to residein their country andhave been kickedout of their homes,but I will alwaysrefer to Palestine asmy home. Since the1948 Diaspora ofour people, thePalestinians in theworld have beenwaiting for a justsolution, whichwould give them

the right to return to theirhomeland. And now, 60 years laterthe list gets longer everyday withpeople just like the three of us whowere driven out of our country. Iwill never give up the hope that oneday I would have the choice to livein Palestine, and I will make surethat Ramzi also knows that he hasa right to return!

On my way back from that meeting,I was stopped by Israeli soldiers whoasked to see my papers-they spokeRussian to me. I thought to myself,these immigrants know nothing of thisland they are serving and protecting-they don’t even know the language.They come from Russia, Europe,Africa, the U.S., and other places, andthey choose to reside in my country,and they can! Not only that but theycan limit my movement in mycountry, and even kick me out of it!There is no human law that canprotect me, or defend my rights.

As an adult who has been living underoccupation for the past 33 years, I wasupset, but I can’t say that I wassurprised by what happened to me.However, what really surprised mewas what happened to my seven-month old son, Ramzi. Ramzi wasborn in the U.S. and therefore got anAmerican passport. Although he isthe son of two full-bloodedPalestinians who call Jerusalem andPalestine home, he was deniedresidency rights in Jerusalem and wasgiven a tourist visa.

I asked the lady at the airport whenwe first arrived if she could give Ramzi(then five-months old) a four month

CY, NO MOREby: Mona Nasir

Mona Nasir is the daughter of Kameel and Abla Nasir. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’sdegrees in Special Education at Hope College and Ohio State University. She is currently living in LasVegas with her husband and son.

Ramzi, Mona’s son

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From July 24-August 4, 2008, Sabeelheld its third International Young

Adult Conference. The conferencebrought together more than 40 youngadults from Canada, Norway, Sweden,Denmark, the United Kingdom, theUnited States, Jerusalem, Nazareth, andBethlehem. The themeof the conference wasThe Nakba: 1948,Justice, and Beyond.Participants learnedabout the history of1948 from aPalestinian perspective,the current reality forPalestinians in the stateof Israel and theoccupied Palestinianterritories, and thework of advocates forjustice and peace-Palestinians andIsraelis, Christian, Jew,Muslim, and secular. In order to providea spiritual framework, the groupworshipped together and participated indevotions and Bible studies. Thefollowing is a summary of the group’sfirst experience of the collaborativecontextualization that characterizesSabeel’s bible studies.

Participants at Sabeel’s Third Young AdultConference gathered for a Bible study atthe Sisters of Sion convent in Ein Karem,the town of John the Baptist and of Mary’s

visitation to Elizabeth. The group wasasked to reflect on Mary’s song (Luke1:46-55) in the context of the currentsituation in Palestine and Israel. The Biblestudy participants were first introducedto the context of first century Palestinein which Mary lived-a period

characterized by Roman occupation andharsh divisions between the powerful andthe powerless, the rich and the poor, theoccupier and the occupied. How wouldthis context inform Mary’s proclamationthat “God has brought down the powerfulfrom their thrones, and lifted up thelowly”? What was Mary referring to whenshe praised a God who “has scattered theproud in the thoughts of their hearts?”How would participants read this passagein light of the opening message given tothem by Rev. Naim Ateek, in which he

instructed them to keep their eyes, ears,and hearts open for hope in the face ofpain, nonviolence in the face of violence,justice in the face of injustice, andliberation in the face of oppression?

As the participants reflected on thesequestions, a more complexand liberating picture ofthe Magnificat began toemerge. One localparticipant commentedon Mary’s courage to cryout in the face of injustice,an action in stark contrastto the enforced silence ofthe church the group hadjust visited! Anotherstruggled with how to behopeful when sixty yearsof struggling for freedomstill had not yielded areality that could matchthe hope of Mary’s song.

In response, an international participantstressed the importance of mourning lossand being honest with feelings ofhopelessness before being able to arriveat Mary’s hope in a God of justice andliberation. One group member critiqued the textfrom a feminist perspective, questioningthe limitation of women’s voices in theBible to a celebration of child birth.Could the message of the God of justiceoffer hope in the face of the hopelessnessof overt and structural sexism? Yet another

A Biblical Reflection: A Song of JusticeA Collaborative Bible Study by Sabeel’s Third Young Adult Conference


THE NAKBAMEMORY, REALITY

AND BEYOND

SABEEL’S SEVENTHINTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

November 12-19, 2008

To register contact:Shepherds Tours, P.O. Box 19560, JerusalemTel: 972-2-6284121 Fax: 972-2-6280251

Email: [email protected] copy: [email protected]

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

reflected on the importance of keeping openlines of communication in order to bring aboutconstructive change. Does Mary’s cry againstoppression offer any clues as to a nonviolentstrategy for bringing about the changes that sheassociates with the activity of a God of justice?By examining Mary’s song in the context ofmemory and reality after 60 years of Nakba, theyoung adults were able to begin developing theirown theological framework for encountering thestruggle for justice, peace, and reconciliation inPalestine and Israel. Through the process ofsharing insights and readings of the text,participants were able to reclaim biblicalnarratives as stories of great hope and relevancein the face of oppression, violence, and injustice.

LAST CHANCE - REGISTER NOW

From: Poem of the Landby: Mahmoud Darwish

Translated by Lena Jayyusi and Christopher Middleton

As if I returnedto what has been

As if I walkedin front of myself

I restore my harmonybetween the trial and the verdict

I am the sonof simple words

I am the martyr of the mapthe family apricot blossom

O you who grip the edgeof the impossible

From the beginning until GalileeReturn to me my hands

Return to meMy identity

Save the DateSABEEL YOUNG ADULT CONFERENCE

July 22 - August 2, 2009


The Ein Hod artists villagedescribes itself on its Hebrew

Internet site as “an ancient Israelienvironment.” It belongs to “aMiddle Eastern culture from othertimes” and, according to theEnglish-language site, visitors can“discern in the old structures themany textures and architecturalforms of earlier occupants - fromthe Christian Crusades to theTurkish Empire.”

The houses of the Arabs who livedthere until 1948 are notmentioned. This is an unusual case:

of Israeli discourse. But when sheexamined internal newsletters andanniversary publications put out bykibbutzim and moshavim that hadbeen established on the remains ofthese villages, she discovered anattitude of possessiveness and fewmoral qualms: There is no shame inliving in Arabs’ houses, but it isn’tpleasant to mention the Arabsthemselves. It is as though theirhistory and their way of life hadnever existed. The takeover of theabandoned villages is often describedas part of the effort to make thewilderness bloom.

THE MAKINGS OF HISTORY

SECRETS OF THE OLIVE TREES

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A recently published study showsthat the kibbutzim and moshavimthat arose on the ruins of Arabvillages do not usually omit this fact,even if the Arab residents themselves,who were expelled and fled, arealmost never mentioned, as if theyhad never existed.

When writing her book “Beshuleihaderekh uveshulei hatoda’a” (Onthe Road Side, on the Mind Side),published by November Books,geographer Noga Kadman beganwith the assumption that the Arabvillages were pushed to the margins


“There was nothing there,” membersof Kibbutz Barkai write in onepamphlet that is quoted in the book.There was some mention here andthere of the Arabs “bequeathing”their lands, their homes and eventheir furniture and household goodsto the new settlers.

“Our central clothing warehouse wasadorned with a number ofmahogany closets from theabandoned property,” states aKibbutz Kabri publication. “Thus,we gradually equipped ourselveswith a minimum of comfort.”

The Arabs who came back to rescuesome of their property wereconsidered thieves, and huntingthem down was a source of income,as stated in a book that KibbutzCarmia published on the occasionof the 35th anniversary of itsestablishment: “They came at nightto steal fruit from the orchards andgo back to Gaza laden with loot ...We guarded the area of the kibbutzfrom them ... We would catchprisoners, bring them back to thekibbutz and the army picked themup every morning and paid us ...Inside the kibbutz there was a kindof ‘jail’ - a small tin shack - wherethey would keep the prisoners untilthe army took them.”

Kadman found evidence of pangs ofconscience in the publications ofonly two kibbutzim, Yiron and Sasa.A Yiron bulletin from 1949 states:“The facts show that men, women,old people and babies weremurdered, villages were destroyed

and burned down, with nojustification.”

One of the members of Sasa wrote:“I am thinking about the abandonedvillage Sa’sa that we entered thismorning with pride and energy, andabout the lives of the Arabs who livedhere. I wandered through some ofthe decrepit houses. I looked at jugsthat had been turned upside down,harvested grains, books, baby shoes,and I smelled the odor of destruction... The comrades debated what to doabout the mosque. The army haddestroyed it and most of thecomrades agreed that this was‘inevitable.’”

At Kibbutz Beit Ha’emek, someonewondered about the ancient olivetrees, asking himself what the treeswould have related about “differentpeople and many harvests,” if theyhad been able to speak.

Excerpt from Shimon Tzabar’sautobiography

...In the mid fifties, I received a letterfrom the Painters and SculptorsAssociation, of which I was amember, saying that the governmenthad allocated a village at the foothillsof Mount Carmel, to be a village forartists. It was called Ein Hod. All Ihad to do to get a house there wasto pay fifty Israeli pounds as aregistration fee and choose myselfwhere I wanted to live. I didn’t havethat amount of money, so I borrowedit from a friend, Chana Shofman, thedaughter of a Likud MP. I paid the

money and rushed to Ein Hod tochoose a house in the country. Ifound a very nice Arab house,because this village had been anArab village before. I kept thishouse as a weekend retreat.

A few weeks later when I came tomy house in Ein Hod, I walkedaround the village and strolleduphill along the main road. After awhile, I met a Palestinian shepherdboy with two mongrel dogs. Thedogs started barking at me whilethe boy tried to keep them away.By and by we started aconversation. The boy spokeHebrew quite well. I asked himwhere he was from. He said thathe was from Ein Hod. It was thesame Ein Hod where I have justacquired a house. The boy told methat a few years ago, the Israeli armyhad came to the village and askedits people to move for a week tothe next Arab village, that was a fewkilometers uphill, because theywere going to do some liveammunition maneuvers aroundthe area and did not want anyoneto get hurt. Since then they werenot been allowed back. That is howthe village was deserted and beengiven to us, the artists.

I relinquished the house and askedback my I£50 registration fee,which I promptly returned to MsShofman.

Jewish Peace News (JPN) is an informationservice that circulates news clippings, analyses,editorial commentary, and action alertsconcerning the Israel / Palestine conflict.


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Purpose Statement Sabeel ÉySabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among PalestinianChristians. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeksto deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead themto act for justice and love. Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace,non-violence, liberation, and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities.The word ‘Sabeel’ is Arabic for ‘the way’ and also a ‘channel’ or ‘spring’ of life-giving water.

Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity,presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns. Itencourages individuals and groups from around the world to work for a just, comprehensive,and enduring peace informed by truth and empowered by prayer and action.

For more information on Friends of Sabeel groups in your area please contact ourinternational representatives or the Sabeel Center in Jerusalem.

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ISSUE 50 • SUMMER 2008 ORNERSTONE · Issue 50 - Summer 2008 1 Continued >> “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because