The Holy Land: Recent History and the Quest for Peace

1
The Holy Land Recent History and the Quest for
Peace
2
What did the region look like in biblical
times and in recent history?
3
(No Transcript)
4
The Ottoman Empire 1914
5
Post World War I

• British and French on winning side against
  Germany and Ottoman Turks
• League of Nations gives Britain mandate control
  of Arab lands in former empire
• French demand their own mandate section and
  receive Syria and Lebanon

6
2007
1914
7
Problematic Results

• Artificial boundaries
• Secular governments based on western, not Arab or
  Islamic models (e.g., limited monarchy from
  Britain, parliamentary from France)
• Arab-Israeli conflict

8
Israel in History

• 3000 BCE Canaanites, Amorites, Jebusites
• Jews ruled until 587 BCE Babylonian exile
• Restoration under Persians, Greeks, Seleucids
• 164 BCE Jewish Hasmonean dynasty
• 63 BCE Romans, then Byzantines, Arab Muslims,
  Ottoman Turks, British to 1948

9
The Jewish Presence in Palestine

• Jewish Diaspora begins before time of Christ
• Roman destruction 70 CE and beyond
• Crusaders expelled Jews Muslims lifted ban
• 1850 Jews 4 of population of Palestine

10
The Jewish Presence in Europe

• Long history of persecution
• Blamed for 1347 Black Death
• 1492 Edict of Expulsion
• Gradually forced to Eastern Europe
• 1880s Zionist movement
• Immigration allowed by Arabs

11
Arab Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land

• Christians since the First Century
• Muslims since the Seventh Century
• Christians mainly Orthodox and Roman Catholic
• Arab Christian Protestants since the 1800s

12
Developments after WW I

• 1918 Palestine 500,000 Arabs 66,000 Jews
• Jewish immigration increased during British rule
• 1948 UN partitioning/ 55-45 split
• Arabs resist
• 1949 armistice/ Israel 78 of territory
• 1967 Six Day war and occupation of Gaza, West Bank

13
What are some key recent developments?
14
Developments 2000-2008

• Road Map and Arab Initiative
• Political changes for Israel and the Palestinian
  Authority
• Gaza Israeli withdrawal Hamas
• Terrorist attacks, military response and
  separation barrier

15
Some Current Issues

• Military occupation
• Violence (both terrorism and retaliation)
• Israeli annexation, settlements, barrier
• Refugees (over a million from 1948 and1967
  conflicts)
• Water access
• Internal Palestinian strife
• What kind of Palestinian state?
• Jerusalem

16
(No Transcript)
17
Jerusalems Religious Significance

• Holy to Jews as Davids city and site of First
  and Second Temples
• Holy to Christians as site of Jesus death and
  birth of Christianity
• Holy to Muslims as city of prophets Abraham and
  David, first qibla, and site of Muhammads night
  journey (Dome of the Rock)

18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
What is the ELCA doing to promote peace?
21
(No Transcript)
22
Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine

• Endorsed by August 2005 Churchwide Assembly
• To be implemented by many ELCA staff units, as
  well as synods and congregations
• Part of long-term engagement by ELCA and
  predecessor churches

23
Strategy Emphases

• Awareness
• Accompaniment
• Advocacy

24
Lutheran Church of theReformation in Beit Jala
Evangelical LutheranChurch in Beit Sahour
Lutheran ChristmasChurch in Bethlehem
Ecclesiastical Ministry - 6 Churches
Lutheran Church ofHope in Ramallah
Lutheran Church of theRedeemer in Jerusalem
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Amman
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
(No Transcript)
32
Destroying the Two-State Solution
Settlements, Wall, and Jordan Valley12 of
Historic Palestine
1947 UN Partition Plan48 of Historic Palestine
1967 DeFacto Line22 of Historic Palestine
Pre-1948100 of Historic Palestine
33
Augusta Victoria Hospital and Mt of Olives
Housing Project
34
(No Transcript)
35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
How can you help?

• Learn
• Pray
• Act
• Accompany
• For peace with justice in the Holy Land