Listening matters

Kenny Roger emphasises the importance of finding truth and praying for peace in the Middle East.

AS you read this, it will be over one year since the events of October 7 2023.

As I woke in Scotland that morning to the news, and spoke during the morning to many of my team in Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Tiberias, it became clear that the feeling was one of real concern that this was not ‘like before’ and that it may not be resolved as quickly as other conflicts over the past years. As I write, it appears still to be the case that no resolution is near, and the spectre of a war between Israel and Lebanon is growing.

Throughout this last year we have seen protests worldwide, we have seen hate crimes against Jews and Muslims increase, and we have seen the media, and particularly social media, filled with claims and counter-claims. As is often said, the first casualty of war is truth. For me, having spent 14 years deeply involved working in Israel and Palestine, I can still sometimes find it difficult to understand what is true and what is not. For those who maybe do not have that experience, understanding what to believe must be almost impossible.

Each of us will probably have our own understanding of why this is happening, but sadly, many of those who protest or write on social media have never been to Israel and/or Palestine, and have no real understanding of the day-to-day situation there. This has led to a deep fear for many people around the world, and in particular the Jewish Communities who feel deeply worried about the hate that is often directed at them.

What is undoubtedly true however, is that on October 7 2023, many members of Hamas launched an attack on southern Israeli communities, leading to the murder and deaths of over a thousand Israeli citizens and those from foreign countries. Over 250 hostages were taken back into Gaza, of which 101 remain either dead or alive in captivity, as of the middle of September, with the recent murder of six hostages a reminder that those still alive are in no way safe.

What is also undoubtedly true is that there have been tens of thousands killed in Gaza since October 7 2023, although the exact number will always be disputed. It is also true is that a huge proportion of these are women and children. It is true that Hamas have positioned themselves within civilian areas, but also true that there are not many places in Gaza where there are no civilians. It is true that the fabric of Gaza itself has been destroyed with few buildings left standing and hospitals overwhelmed. It is true that almost all of the population has been displaced, and that starvation for many is a reality.

In Israel it is true that 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on the Lebanese border (with a similar number on the Lebanese side) due to the constant attacks by Hezbollah on Israel and the responses by Israel. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem it is true that settler attacks on Palestinians have grown increasingly violent and more widespread. It is true that many people in Israel and Palestine are living in fear of a new intifada, which would lead to a devastating situation for everyone.

There is of course not enough space on the pages of Life and Work to highlight or answer every opinion on why this conflict started, or why so many people have suffered so much over the last year. But maybe we simply need to ask ourselves where our humanity is in all of this? Where are those standing up for justice and to bring this disastrous situation to an end? Where are those who see others as made in the image of God, and work to reduce tensions? Why is it that war is the answer, rather than peace, even when we see the images of so much death and destruction all across our news channels? Why does so much hatred exist whether it be that of Hamas or Hezbollah who want to destroy Israel, or that of Israeli ministers who speak openly about removing all the Palestinians from their lands? Why do world leaders take sides rather than speaking up for the oppressed, and why don’t they take steps to seek that peace, rather than seemingly encourage more war?

It is, of course, almost impossible to answer these questions, but there are some stories of hope amidst all the bad news.

The Church of Scotland has many partners who they work with in Israel and Palestine. One of these is the Department of Services for Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) who have long worked in Gaza. In September, we received this update from them:

‘We are glad to announce the successful opening of our new Health Clinic in Gaza, located in Nuseirat. This clinic is an important addition to our mission of providing life-saving healthcare services to communities in the middle and southern part of the Gaza strip. On our very first day of operation, we proudly served over 400 men, women, and children. Ages ranged from new born to those over 70. This is a testament to the urgent need for these services.’

It has been encouraging that the Church has been able to provide funding to DSPR from many sources – individuals and the Friends of St Andrews to name but two – and to know that these funds have been used to help those most in need at this time.

The Church’s Mission Partners in Tiberias and Jerusalem spend much of their time speaking to our partners and hearing directly from them. They stand alongside them, listening to them, and sharing their stories as best that they can. Stewart Gillan and Muriel Pearson regularly provide updates on life in Israel and Palestine, and these can be found in particular at Stepping out of the boat… (murielpearson.com), and also on Stewart Gillan’s Facebook page. These updates are a great way of understanding more of the facts, from people who are living every day in the midst of it.

In our hotel in Tiberias, we host a large number of people from the northern border of Israel who have been displaced from their homes. People who have been unable to live a normal life since October 2023, and many who have had their homes damaged.

There is, of course, no comparison to their situation and the situation of those in Gaza in particular, but it is encouraging that the hotel can support and help some of those who are in need at this time.

And in Tabeetha School in Jaffa, the education continues of children from all faiths and none, learning together and learning about how to deal with differences. Whilst the school caters for only around 330 children each year, it is encouraging that in a very polarised society, these children will go forward in their lives knowing that there can be a different way in the future to what they see around them at this time.

Each of us has a part to play in these times where truth can be hard to find. So often this starts with listening and finding out more from those who know much more than us. It is vital to stand with those who seek peace and to support them with words and actions where we can. It is crucial to be kind to those we meet, whether we agree with them or not. Above all, it is vital to pray, not only for an end to this conflict, but for an end to wars wherever they may be happening in the world.

Kenny Roger is Resource and Presence Manager of the Faith Action Programme.