Just Outside the City Walls
Previous knowledge of the Israel conflict
I grew up in a church that held to a traditional Zionist perspective when it came to Israel. Essentially, the return of the modern nation-state of Israel was the fulfillment of a prophecy that was going to usher in the Apocalypse. This might be overstated and simplified a bit. However, as I have grown as a believer, and an academic, I have taken a more nuanced approach in my perspective of Israeli conflict. I find myself less confident in my perspectives and more confused by the massive history of conflict.
After the attack on Oct. 7th and then the subsequent responses by Israel and the world, I asked my peer group for their wisdom and understanding of this tough subject. At home, I had college-aged students refuse Christmas gift cards to Starbucks because of the company’s position in support of Israel. At the same time, we were hosting my parents, who held to the belief that Israel could do no wrong, and it was America’s duty and pride to support her at all costs.
Sitting around the dinner table, I started with an overview of the land that Abram was called to in Genesis and walked my family through the long and tumultuous history of Israel up to the modern state.
Learnings from this week’s reading
My attempt at looking back at the historical realities with my family mimicked what Bunton writes, “One of the main premises of this book is that there can be no assessment of the present, nor discussion of the future, without an understanding of how the conflict unfolded from the beginning.”[1] The problem with his perspective is that he views the history starting in the early 1900s. Notably, there has been conflict in the land (currently known as Israel) since Abrahamic days, up through the judges, the kings and the exile. At no point in history was the land fully controlled by Israel, as the book of Joshua demonstrates how the task was not completed.
This book did a great job of summarizing the variety of attempts at peace and reconciliation and taught me how different countries, presidents, and groups have all tried to bring the parties together. It does seem that the White Papers were as close as ever to bringing a two-state solution that was acceptable. Bunton writes, “Most importantly, the White Paper called for the establishment of a unitary Palestinian state in which Arabs and Jews would jointly exercise authority. It contemplated needing ten years to bring about an independent Palestinian state.”[2]
Navigating the Israel-Middle East conflict
I recognize that I am neither a theologian nor a historian, and given the time, it would be great to deepen my understanding of how the biblical Israel intersects with the modern state. I am, however, a follower of Jesus who wants to see all of humanity as image-bearers of God. Furthermore, I also work with immigrants, and I have great concern for the plight of refugees. My understanding of the modern conflict is through these two lenses.
Image-bearers of God, born of Jewish descent, endured the most tragic atrocity the 20th century ever saw in the Holocaust. It makes sense, then, that Jews who have gathered to protect their new nation respond with such extreme measures when poked by smaller entities.
Image-bearers of God, born of Palestinian descent, have grown up in the last few decades under increasingly oppressive structures and a large majority of them have been forced out of the country as refugees. The Human Rights Organization states,
As the Palestinian human rights group al-Haq wrote, ‘the legacy of the Nakba events is that about two-thirds of the Palestinian people became refugees,’ while Israel ‘imposed a system of institutionalized racial discrimination over Palestinians who remained on the land.’ Today, there are more than 5.9 million Palestinian refugees, including the descendants of those who fled or were expelled.[3]
Most Palestinian image-bearers are spread around the area into neighboring countries such as Jordan and Syria, along with Gaza and the West Bank.[4] It makes sense, then, that Palestinian refugees continue to push back against the apartheid-like rules of Israel. Bunton writes, “Their suffering as refugees set the primary context for the evolution of Palestinian national identity. Denied the right to return to their homes, Palestinian refugees deeply resented Israel’s hurried efforts to develop and settle their former lands, and some fought to obstruct it.”[5]
So, the big question then is, where does this lead me and my understanding? It leads me to the cross. On a recent podcast, a Palestinian-Christian born in Bethlehem stated, “We have to look at Hamas and Israel through the cross.”[6] He has condoned the evil attributed to both parties and challenges Christians everywhere to look at the issue through a missiological lens. He poignantly stated, “Jesus is a paradigm shifter, and we should therefore love our enemies, even the terrorists.”[7]
As a Christian, I have brothers and sisters on both sides of the conflict. I see the evil committed by Hamas. I see the evil committed by Israel. I see image-bearers of God destroying each other and pillaging each other. I see Palestinians responding to Israel from the position of refugees without land. I see Israel responding to terrorism and the threat of other nations as a people who have endured genocide through the ages. The hope for this broken and militarized land is found on an ancient hill called Golgotha, just outside the old city of Jerusalem, where once stood a Roman cross with the limp body of a Jewish man who had been born in a small town, found in Palestine.[8]
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[1] Martin Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction, illustrated edition (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013), xiii.
[2] Bunton, 43.
[3] Omar Shakir, “75 Years Later, Israel Blocking Palestinian Refugees’ Return | Human Rights Watch,” May 15, 2023, https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/15/75-years-later-israel-blocking-palestinian-refugees-return.
[4] Elliott Davis Jr., “Everything You Need to Know About Palestinian Refugees,” US News & World Report, January 5, 2024, //www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2024-01-05/explainer-the-complicated-plight-of-palestinian-refugees.
[5] Bunton, The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, 55.
[6] “Theology in the Raw: A Gospel-Centered Perspective on the War in Israel-Palestine: Dr. Fares Abraham on Apple Podcasts,” Apple Podcasts, accessed August 18, 2024, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-gospel-centered-perspective-on-the-war-in/id1018952191?i=1000663294892.
[7] “Theology in the Raw.”
[8] Jesus was born in Bethlehem, currently found in Palestine.
About the Author
Adam Cheney
I grew up in California, spent five years living along the beautiful coast of Kenya and now find myself working with refugees in the snow crusted tundra of Minnesota. My wife and I have seven children, four of whom have been adopted. I spend my time drinking lots of coffee, working in my garden, and baking sourdough bread.11 responses to “Just Outside the City Walls”
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Adam. The way you juxtaposed the image-bearer status of both Jewish and Palestinian people is a powerful way of framing the human toll on both sides of the conflict.
Given your parents’ strong support for Israel and the younger generation’s refusal of Starbucks gift cards due to the company’s stance, how do your family respond to your more nuanced approach to the historical and theological aspects of the conflict? Have you found common ground in these conversations, or was it difficult to bridge the generational divide on the issue?
Glyn,
In that conversation, my kids were heated but my parents did let me handle the conversation and the topic without much interjection. My kids began to realize that boycotting one company for their support of Israel was silly as they would have also had to boycott their phones, their food, their clothes, etc. I do think that they learned that social media manipulates them and highlights one cause while neglecting others. My parents learned that Israel is currently being a bully. They have gone past the point of self-defense to being a bully. I think that the majority of the world was in support of a measured response after Oct. 7th.
Thank you Adam. I appreciate so much your perspective and reminder that there are image-bearers on every side. My question was similar to Glyn’s in how you suggest we can help people navigate the political divides in our world with ways that are cruciform?
Ryan, simply inserting the words, image-bearer of Christ into a conversation with a Christian has significant meaning. I do this often when people want to get into a discussion about immigration and they use demeaning terms like, “illegal alien” etc. When I continue the conversation and rephrase their question to them using different Christ-centered terminology I am able to reframe the whole discussion.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this challenging topic Adam. I’m wondering how your family responded as you walked them through the history of this region. Does that long view change your, or their, perspective on today’s situation at all?
And how does landing at the cross in your contemplation of this situation affect your overall view of the conflict and impact you in your context?
Debbie,
I think that my kids resonated with the long perspective. They really don’t know the history and they just hear on TikTok about the latest trend and who is cancelled or not. It was helpful for them to understand why Israel has responded like they have when I showed them a map of how big Israel is and all the Arab countries surrounding them.
There is no peace and no reconciliation without Jesus at the center. Nations might redraw lines that can keep people happy for a while but true peace will only be found when we all look to the resurrected slain lamb and the kingdom he is ushering in.
Adam, I appreciate how you recognized people on both sides of the conflict as “image bearers” and that you preached your way to the cross. Spurgeon famously said, “I take my text and make a beeline for the cross.” It really is the difference-maker. What role do you think the church can play in this conflict?
Graham,
I think that the church has a significant role in this. First, we can be praying for peace. Second, we can be active in peace-making. Third, we can learn from and listen to our brothers and sisters on both sides of the conflict. There are Christians in the midst of the conflict who have wise words to share and the experience of understanding what is going on. We need to elevate those voices.
Adam, I echo the sentiment from others about your use of the term, “image bearers.” It is interesting to notice which issues (globally or nationally) catch the attention of our children. Boycotting Starbucks was a way for them to take action. Just curious if the war in Ukraine came up in your dinner table discussions and if so, how did your kids navigate their thinking by comparison? The intent of my question is whether you can see a pattern of how they are learning to navigate conflict. Well done on your post.
Adam, thanks for your post. I found myself relating to so much for what you shared, especially having friends and loved ones on both sides of the issue. What are some ways you have found to peacefully engage in conversations with those outside of your family who are strongly loyal to one of the sides of the issue?
Hi Adam,
I resonate with your background regarding your previous knowledge of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. My background was very similar. My church, growing up, had many of what I call ‘End Times enthusiasts’ who believed any occurrence in Israel was ushering in the Second Coming of Jesus. He could come at any moment!
Your post mentions taking a more nuanced approach to the conflict. Again, I can relate. What were some of the things in your life that helped you develop this more nuanced approach? Does anything stand out in particular?