Episcopal News Service: Press Release # 101905-02

Los Angeles Pilgrims Hear Challenges of Holy Land Christians

Episcopal News Service. October 19, 2005 [101905-02]

Matthew Davies

Thirteen delegates from the Diocese of Los Angeles embarked on a 10-day pilgrimage to Israel and the Palestinian Territories October 16, building on existing partnerships with Episcopalians in the Middle East and expressing solidarity with Christians and others in the Holy Land.

At St. George's Anglican College in East Jerusalem, the pilgrims heard from the Rev. Hosam Naoum, residential canon and newly-appointed priest of the college's Arab congregation.

"The faith of Episcopalians in Jerusalem is very much connected with the issues of reconciliation and peace," he said. "As a church, we see ourselves playing a role that everyone should play ... one of forgiveness and coming together again to the table of negotiation for the sake of peace."

Naoum explained that the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has been instrumental in ministering to the needs of the community and working towards achieving peace in the Holy Land.

"As leaders in the community we try to make people stronger, hold to their hope and faith and let them know that we are going to make it one day," he said. "If not in our time, hopefully in the time of our children. We are trying to make a better future for everybody."

Building partnerships

The Diocese of Jerusalem extends over five countries -- Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria -- within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

The diocese has 31 parishes and supports 35 institutions, which include hospitals, clinics, kindergartens and schools, vocational training programs, as well as institutions for the deaf, the disabled and the elderly.

At its December 2004 convention, the Diocese of Los Angeles entered into a three-year Companion Relationship with the Diocese of Jerusalem, as recommended by the diocese's World Mission Group (WMG).

"We hope to deepen the mutual exchange and support between our two dioceses through transformational journeys [to the Holy Land], companion parish relationships and an educational focus," said the Rev. George Woodward, rector of St. Edmund's Church in San Marino and chair of WMG. "During this visit we are exploring scholarship possibilities for Palestinian Christian children and young people."

Sandy and Sue Smock from Church of Our Saviour in San Gabriel, California, have been helping to build relationships with Episcopalians in the Middle East for the last five years.

"They need our support," said Sandy Smock. "They need us to bear witness, to experience the challenges they face every day, to pray with them, and then to return home to tell their stories."

Frustrating conditions

In 2000, a second uprising, or intifada, against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza began, and many protesting Palestinians were killed. Negotiations to identify a permanent border between Palestinian and Israeli land have since proved unsuccessful.

"Talking about Israel and Palestine as two states is acceptable," Naoum explained, "as that is what we want. But when people talk about the land as a Jewish state that is very unhelpful, as Arabs account for about 22 percent of the population."

In the town of Abu Deis, the separation wall -- being built by the Israelis to heighten security but believed by Palestinians to be an intentional appropriation of land -- stands about 20 feet high.

"Israel has drawn its own border," Naoum said.

"The wall is separating families from one another; Palestinians from other Palestinians," explained Iyad Qumri, a licensed tour guide. "People are removed from health services, workers from their employers. None of that has been taken into account when building the wall."

The guards monitoring people's movement through the wall are not so strict with the elderly and much more rigorous when checking the credentials of younger people.

"I was born in Jerusalem and have lived here all my life," said an Arab Palestinian who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I have to cross the wall every day to get to work, but some days it can be very difficult. Many people have no access to work or education."

"Some days they give us hell," said another passerby who was anxious about his name appearing in print. "Sometimes we have to get reports from the doctors to prove we're visiting the hospital. Even if you have a permit, they often send you back."

Despite certain challenges involved in passing through the wall, intermittent unmanned checkpoints and tunnels allow people to pass easily. Qumri explained that the Israeli authorities are aware of this. "The wall is not so much a deterrent for terrorists but intended primarily to make Palestinian lives more frustrating," he said.

Jerusalem is divided into several areas with different tax levels. People -- especially those who live in the Old City -- are extremely poor and find it hard to maintain a living, Naoum opined.

"Most of the areas with the highest taxes are the Arab communities," he added. "It's one way of trying to get people to move out."

Prior to moving to St. George's, Naoum spent nine years as priest of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Nablus, a town in the West Bank.

Naoum was born in the state of Israel, which was established in 1948. His wife was born in Nablus and is considered Palestinian.

"We have tried many different ways for my wife to become an Israeli citizen, but the application for a permit consistently has been delayed," he said. "Israel had frozen the law for nullification for three years until recently. Now it is unfrozen, they are asking a lot."

The minimum age even to be considered for a permit is 25 years for women and 35 for men. "It is a long, dreadful procedure that could go on for years," Naoum said. "We have to be patient."

A better future?

At Nebi Samuel, the view overlooking Jerusalem from the North offers a clear view of the Jewish settlements that surround the city, making it very difficult for the Palestinians to expand.

"Nowadays, most Palestinians have fewer rights than foreign settlers," Qumri explained. "Even the water supplies are controlled by Israelis -- who've been known to cut the supply unannounced. A common sight on the roofs of Palestinian homes is a black water tank so they can be sure of their own supply."

In Nazareth, Atallah Mansour, a former journalist of Israeli Hebrew newspapers, told the group that he is optimistic about the future in the Middle East "because we live here and believe that there must be a better time ahead."

Mansour remained in "what is now called Israel" after many Arabs moved away or were forced out in 1948. "Most of us who stayed were fighting for our rights," he said. "Many Arabs who moved away thought that those who'd stayed were traitors."

Mansour described the immense challenges he encountered during the next 20 years. "We lived in a state of shame," he said. "We were only permitted to join the trade unions in 1958. Until 1967 we were not able to join Israeli political parties."

That was then. "Now there is not one single Christian sitting in any government office in Jerusalem," Mansour added. "There are no Christians in the army or police force. The government even has a Ministry of Religious Affairs -- still no Christian representation."Advocacy and prayer

Sixty years ago, 40,000 Christians lived in Jerusalem. Nowadays, there are fewer than 8,000 because the majority have relocated. Naoum's congregation has 157 members and at least 60 percent are more than 50 years old. He explained that many of his relatives have moved to Australia, Canada or the United States.

"What keeps me here is the strong faith that this land belongs to everybody." Naoum said. "I have to look after my people and remember that the church started in Jerusalem. It would be unfair for the church and unfair for the world to have Israel and Palestine without any Christians in it."

Advocacy and prayer are very important to Palestinians, Naoum insisted. "Many people may think this is not enough, but that is not true. The minute we pray, we act," he said. "You make our story real in people's lives. As part of the body of Christ -- sisters and brothers around the world -- we are all in this together."

The Los Angeles pilgrims are visiting Episcopalians and holy sites in Bethlehem, Galilee, Jericho, Nazareth, Ramallah, among other places, through October 25.

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