I've been here seeing lots of Palestinian people in Israel. They look like the people in the countries surrounding Israel. I see lots of European-looking people in Israel who don't look so much like the people from this area. Lots of people were brought back or came back to Israel after the Holocaust, and I believe it's a good thing that the world community was able to get together to offer some sanctuary after such a horrific event.
But what about the people who already lived here? What about their homes, their lands? Why are they now living as if they have no right to be here? I don't understand the logic behind that.
By what authority was this land given to the Jewish people? If it is by the authority of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, then should not that authority logically be extended through the rest of the world? If the authority of those Scriptures is ultimately not binding on the world community, then how/why was this nation created, and more importantly -- what about the people who were already here?
Are they now to become wandering refugees, exchanging status with the former refugees who now inhabit their land? That doesn't seem quite right. How do we approach an equitable, peaceful solution? Is every person of the Jewish faith entitled to immigrate to a Jewish nation? Why? Under what circumstances? What does it mean to be a Jewish person? To be an Israeli? Are the definitions by ethnicity, by religion, by someone's definition of race?
Somehow, the whole situation seems to be built on good principles, but I'm not sure the implementation has been well thought through. My concern is with the civil rights of non-Jewish people inside Israel. From what I've seen, there exists an apartheid-like environment here, and I can't help but think that if modern day Israel is based on a social system set up and implemented accoring to the norms and mores of 1940s and 1950s Western and European society, then a) it's possible that it's seriously flawed, and b) at the very least, the thinking should be examined in light of civil rights concerns of the present day.
Off to explore Nazareth now -- the place where Jesus embarked upon a world-changing ministry for the rights of all humankind.
2 comments:
People are people aren't they. The age old fight about who is right and who is wrong. Funny thing about here is everyone is right and everyone is wrong. Biblical Inheritness (not sure if that is a word) really screws people over. On top of that...no one wants this burden but the money is good so they will keep doing it. If politics can pit others against religion or others religions better...politics can win. Isn't that what the game is all about anyway...
Thank you for sharing your post. I found the situation there to be quite disturbingly compelling. What I had been "taught" especially through American media was not my experience upon arrival. Thanks again for sharing your post
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