February 22, 2001

Following a morning Bible Study and a stunning map presentation given by Jad Isaac of the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem (illustrating the enormous disparity in water allocation between Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, and reminding us that only 18% of the West Bank is under Palestinian Authority control), we headed off on bus trips around the area.

Palestinians crowded around the Israeli Ministry of the Interior entrance.

A Palestinian town, left vacant after 1948.

Mount of Olives view over the Old City of Jerusalem.

Having been to many of the places up for grabs (including Hebron), we went on a Jerusalem “Via Dolorosa” tour. The stops included the Palestinian wait at Israel's Ministry of Interior (responsible for all legal documents for Palestinians and who have been on strike for most of the Intifada); Palestinian homes on French Hill surrounded by encroaching Hebrew University housing; Israeli bypass roads that lead from Jerusalem to Jewish settlements over Palestinian neighborhoods; ghost towns from the 1948 War; the Lutheran World Service hospital which was occupied by Israeli soldiers during the first Intifada; and the Mount of Olives, which provided a spectacular view of day one of the new Intifada, Sharon's visit to the Haram as-Sharif.

The Rev. Naim Ateek addresses the audience.

After doing some errands (those of us in the boonies were taking advantage of big city life), we attended the talk by Sabeel's director Canon Na'im Stifan Ateek. Among the moving things to emerge from this was his vision of non-violence, which endures despite the fact that his people continue to suffer greatly, and which remains critical not only of Israeli injustices but Palestinian ones as well. Our worship service included Taize singing again, as well as music sung by an Armenian priest.