I have recently returned to the United States after completing a tour in the Middle East, which involved visits to Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt, focusing primarily on leading prayer summits for peace in my beloved homeland. The tour was in large part a crucial component of my ministry’s continuous work in the region. Almost everywhere we went, during the prayer events in Bethlehem, Amman, and Alexandria, fellow Arab Christians confronted us with a persistent question: Where does the church, especially in the West, stand in response to the injustice and carnage inflicted upon the innocent Palestinian people?
I am a Palestinian American Christian, born and raised in Bethlehem, and my wife was born and raised in Gaza. We both advocate for peace, and our loving families still residing in the West Bank and Gaza share the same pro-peace stance as do millions of Palestinians.
It was challenging to face this question, knowing very well that, while various opinions exist in most American and Western churches, a significant group either remains indifferent or unconditionally supports the modern state of Israel and many of its dehumanizing policies. Adding insult to injury, certain Christian evangelical leaders have employed the Bible to justify and rationalize the war in Gaza, as if it were a conflict between biblical Israel and God’s enemies. Some leaders have gone so far as to promote political ideologies and disguise them in biblical language. Furthermore, some have even outright dismissed and discredited the voices of Christian Palestinians.
However, the recent meeting between Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Palestinian Pastor Munther Isaac marked a notable change, as the archbishop initially declined a meeting during Isaac’s visit to London in February but later engaged in dialogue. This shift demonstrated a positive willingness on the part of the archbishop to address the concerns of Palestinian Christians regarding peace, justice, and the war in Gaza. The encounter symbolized a step toward fostering understanding and acknowledging the dire challenges faced by Palestinians in general and Palestinian Christians in particular.
Indifference is not an option. As Christians, we cannot afford to remain silent in the face of any injustice. Our silence will be perceived as complicity, particularly by those we aim to reach with the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
Antisemitism is pure evil, and as Christians, we must combat it and denounce it. However, contrary to misconceptions in the church and in the media, the Israel-Palestine struggle is not a religious conflict but a complex political dispute rooted in human rights violations and decades of injustice. I believe in Israel’s right to exist and live securely, and I certainly support our Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and a viable state. But we must reject violence, bloodshed, and acts of terrorism from any quarter.
For these reasons, it is imperative for Christians to unreservedly speak out against all forms of injustice, including the Israeli occupation. Taking a principled stand against oppression and discrimination is the core of the biblical teachings and the Christian message.
Under the Israeli occupation, I’ve experienced numerous hardships and pains as a Palestinian. My mother was shot in front of our house in Beit Sahour while trying to lead us to safety when Israeli soldiers were approaching the area we were living in. My father, who believed in nonviolence and refused to pay taxes as part of the “no taxation without representation” campaign in the first intifada, ended up in jail, and the Israeli army confiscated all our belongings. My childhood friend Salam Musleh was shot and killed by an Israeli settler when he was 14. But, despite all the hostilities my family has endured, we have chosen to heed Christ’s call to forgive those who trespass against us.
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