One of the important arguments that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
General Assembly deals with is the issue of divestment versus
investment in the Holy Land. Last GA investment in Gaza and the West
Bank was seen as a way to better help the Palestinians and promote
peace and dialog. But with extreme reasoning, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement promotes divestment rather than investment. And it is a reason that was not articulated in the last GA. The BDS movement isn't interested in dialog nor do they want any real cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis. No cooperation, that is, unless it is in the form of “resistance” and “exposure of the Israel occupation.”
To do the opposite is supposedly to normalize an “abnormal” Israel. Reading an article on Al Shabaka: the Palestinian Policy Network, “The Palestinian Capitalist That Have Gone Too Far,” by Tariq Dana, I followed his link to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement web page to find out the meaning of the normalization of Israel. Dana linked to their page after complaining:
Economic normalization is institutionalized in a wide range of joint activities such as joint industrial zones, Israeli-Palestinian business forums, Palestinian investments in Israel and its settlements, and joint management of water resources. This is the highest level of normalization activity in the history of the Palestinian struggle for national liberation.
The BDS Palestinian movement, on its campaign to boycott Israel's cultural and academic institutions page, gives this definition of the normalization of Israel:
The Palestinian Campaign for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel (PACBI) has defined normalization specifically in a Palestinian and Arab context 'as the participation in any project, initiative or activity, in Palestine or internationally, that aims (implicitly or explicitly) to bring together Palestinians (and/or Arabs) and Israelis (people or institutions) without placing its goal as resistance to or exposure of the Israeli occupation and all forms of discrimination and oppression against the Palestinian people. [2} This is the definition endorsed by the BDS national committee (BNC).
This is an all encompassing definition and aim. It is meant to prevent any joint ventures of good will, any dialogue between factions, any compromise that could bring peace to the area. And since the BDS movement completely demonizes Israel and acknowledges nothing but good toward the Palestinians, whether they are moderate or extremist, it leaves no place at all for peace. Such attitudes will lead to utter and endless war.
Jesus has given us a road map toward, at least, an inner peace, but with that we are able to work for peace waiting for that great day of peace, the return of Messiah. In his beatitudes he states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book The Cost of Discipleship gives commentary on all of the beatitudes. Among other thoughts on being peacemakers, Bonhoeffer reminds the Christian reader that it is Jesus who is their peace, and he also reminds them that peacemakers “maintain fellowship where others would break it off.”
When all of the activist enter whatever committee addresses these issues in the 221st GA may those who name themselves as Christians not follow along with the Boycott, Divestment, Movement, whose only goal is too often to shame rather then bring reconciliation to the troubled Holy Land. Here is a wonderful video of Palestinian and Israeli young people talking honestly about their fears and issues. It is very well done by Presbyterians for Middle East Peace.
Voices / Peace from PFMEP on Vimeo.
Picture by Penny Juncker
11 comments:
Viola,
It's an inconvenient truth that the Arab Palestinians have ALWAYS lived in "occupied territory." It was occupied by the Byzantines, later the Crusaders, then the Ottoman Turks, then the British Empire, then Egypt and Jordan. There has never been in all of human history a "Palestinian" country. Ironically, Palestinian Arabs enjoy more self-government now than they ever have, because of Israel!
John Erthein
DeFuniak Springs, FL
John - I continue to be amazed at how little you know about Israel /Palestine. To say that the Palestinians enjoy self-government because of of Israel is a demonstration of your contempt for their plight and lack of knowledge of the sorry history of the Palestinian Authority. It makes rational discussion impossible. The Presbyterian Middle East Peace are going to have to better than the two propaganda videos on their website to prevent the the GA from providing its full support for the BDS movement. The actions of the Israel continually demonstrate the need for the BDS.
Sorry
John McNeese
ponca City, Ok
What part of my statement is false? There has never been a Palestinian self-governing entity until recently. BTW, I said Palestinians enjoy *more* self-government than ever before (which is true), not total self-government. I think you confirm your own comment that "rational discussion is impossible."
John Erthein
DeFuniak Springs, FL
John M.,
A question. When you refer to the sorry history of the Palestinian Authority, I take it you mean the authority in the West Bank which I agree with, but I would say it seems to be improving, but isn't it better than Hamas in Gaza, or are you a part of that controversy that is going on between them? How do you feel about Hamas?
What do I think of Hamas? They have more support than Fatah among Palestinians. They have been largely sidelined by Israel with the exception of an occasional barrage of rockets. They serve as a convenient target for Israel when it needs to raise the specter of the hordes of Arabs that threaten their existence.
The primary threat to Israel is from within, the rise of the settlor extremist in it's government with a continuing expansion and apartheid on the West Bank and the continuing passage of Jim Crow laws in Israel proper. I would not be surprised to see Israel annex the Jordan Valley and begin the transfer of Arabs out of Israel. They are already talking about it.
I support the BDS movement. Whether the PCUSA supports it is irrelevant in the long run. I'm not optimistic.
John
John M,
You have told me what you think Israel & the Palestinians think of Hamas, but you haven't really told me what You think of Hamas except they are no bother to Israel.
I think Hamas uses terror was a weapon against Israel, primarily rockets from Gaza. Israelis use terror against the Arabs. Their night-time raids on the West Bank and East Jerusalem are frequent and brutal. They use violent methods to disperse non-violent protests. In occupied East Jerusalem, children as young as six are currently being snatched from their beds or on their way to or from school in order to give testimony or be questioned by Israeli authorities. I some how think you would prefer I say I approve of Hamas which would fit more comfortably in your opinion of me. But I don't. I don't see a difference between the two.
John
John M, it seems to me that equating Israel & Hamas is wrong headed. Israel, like the United States and other Western democracies have some severe problems they need to solve. Over time we have had the Civil Rights movement and movements that have given women the right to vote along side other rights, etc.
Israel has such problems and will need to overcome them.
But Hamas, if they had better weaponry and more militants would immediately wipe out Israel and they would enforce sharia law on all of their people and anyone else they were over.
No chance of Israel being defeated, Viola:
Defense Budget: $15,209,000,000
Active Military: 187,000
Reserves: 445,000
Total Aircraft: 656
Naval Power: 65
Nuclear warheads: 80
John
John, I said if Hamas had the weaponry.
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