Israel / Palestine blog. 1. Preparations

Next Sunday I hope to be in Bethlehem.

I am fortunate to be part of the URC Commitment for Life / Christian Aid group visiting Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territory, and next Friday we’re flying out to Tel Aviv and travelling on to the West Bank for the first part of the ten day visit.

In the year 2000 the United Reformed Church took part in the Pilgrim 2000 series of visits to what was then being termed “The Land of the Holy One” (“Holy Land” seemed somehow to stick in the throat). Our Pilgrimage, which I think involved something like eight people from each synod, took place at about this time of year – and as things turned out  we were more fortunate than many Anglican dioceses who never made the journey. The  events around the Al-Aqsa Intifada curtailed visits from some point in the summer; and though I returned a couple of years later, my own plans to lead a pilgrimage the following year never materialised.

So it is more than ten years since I was last in Israel, and I am conscious that there are now many more “facts on the ground” to take in: many more settlements, and of course above all the Separation Barrier winding its way down the length of the country, which we will be acutely conscious of on Friday as we pass through it into Bethlehem.

During our time there we will be meeting people from a variety of organisations, including churches, Christian Aid partners and Commitment for Life’s partner organisation PARC. I think it’s going to be a fairly intensive and demanding time – absolutely not a holiday, although there is a welcome note in the weather forecast – “sunny or sunny periods next weekend in the Jerusalem/Bethlehem area, around 20/21 degrees”.

 I hope to return home with a clearer understanding of what is happening in what remains for us all, whatever names to give to it, such a significant part of the world. I know from the Christian Aid and Commitment for Life literature that we will see much to celebrate and rejoice over as people work together to break down barriers and work together for peace – but I don’t doubt that there will be much more to break the heart.  And as the only member of our group from Northern Synod, I will of course be pleased to come and share my experiences with any of our churches and church groups.

I hope to be able to put up this blog during the visit – so please start coming back here next weekend!
 

John Durell -  Sunday Feb 10^th