Resources on Israel/Palestine

What We Believe

United for Peace & Justice in the Holy Land
(adopted from statement of principles from Millennial Voices for Peace)

E4J is part of an emerging movement seeking peace and justice in the Holy Land. As inhabitants of an increasingly interconnected world, as followers of Christ who believe that faith should inform action, as United States citizens invested in the endeavors of our country, and as friends and family members of those actively experiencing the conflict in the Holy Land, we hold a personal connection to this land and to its people.

• We share in the heritage of faith and tradition that was born out of the Holy Land, and we desire to see redemption and flourishing in the land. We hope to be ambassadors of peace and reconciliation and advocates for both the Palestinian and Israeli people (2 Cor. 5:18-20).
• We are inspired by those of different faiths who seek to understand the experience of the other under mutual respect and shared commitment to peace. We are inspired by all who live in fear and oppression yet choose to love their enemies and pray for those who dispossess, terrorize or oppress them (Matthew 5:44).
• We believe all children – be they Israeli or Palestinian – have the right to live in safety, free from violence, fear, and want. We believe it is God’s will that all the children of this land live in peace and without fear (Matthew 19:14).
• We believe that frustration without action or compassion will never lead to positive change. Thus, we are dedicated to working towards constructive outcomes for those who experience the destructive power of conflict. We are committed to being quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19).
• We call for the end to all violence, vengeance (retribution), fear, and hatred of Palestinians toward Israelis and Israelis toward Palestinians. We are committed to reconciliation and nonviolent bilateral change, believing that this is the only way to achieve a long-term solution and a lasting peace that affirms the God-given dignity of all people. We reject the notion that advocacy is practiced within a narrative in which we must choose between polarized sides. We challenge all arguments that place narratives unavoidably and unalterably in opposition to each other. We instead seek to tread a different path, in which the historic and present pain and suffering of all peoples are heard, felt, and validated, and in which a future solution represents the legitimate, holistic needs of both Palestinians and Israelis. Violent acts of terror do not advance the cause for peace and justice but undermine those who pursue it. We believe that sustainable peace cannot be fully realized in the presence of terrorism, nor under the realities of military occupation. Long-term solutions do not include an indefinite occupation, as it is a significant contributor to poverty in the Palestinian territories and source of fear and oppression for all people in the Holy Land. We stand alongside the Israeli and Palestinian men, women, and children leading the way on this difficult journey toward peace and justice.

It is time to venture beyond solidarity and into peaceful activism. E4J is committed to a movement that mobilizes our U.S. national resources (churches, communities, government) to act as a catalyst for establishing peace and justice in the Holy Land.

Helpful Resources on Israel/Palestine

Websites 

 

Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME)

NEME is a network of Evangelical leaders who work together to mobilize toward a more holistic perspective and engagement with Israel, Palestine, and the broader Middle East. NEME asks the question: What would happen if evangelicals displayed less zeal to win the argument and more concern to listen and learn from one another, even from people of different traditions, with opposing points of view and contradictory experiences? What if we recognized that none of us sees clearly and that all who follow Jesus are called to humility and costly love? Might we finally become a force for good, justice, and peace in the midst of Conflict?

 

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)  

CMEP works to encourage U.S. policies that actively promote a just, lasting, and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring security, human rights, and religious freedom for all the people of the region. CMEP helps church organizations, leaders, and individuals nationwide advocate in a knowledgeable, timely, holistic, and effective way to express their concerns about justice and peace for all peoples in the Middle East. E4J is a member of CMEP’s Board of Directors.

 

Prayers for Peace 

Violence and chaos in the Middle East have left many around the world hopeless and feeling helpless. As followers of Jesus, we refuse to be sidetracked by the temptation to despair. Prayers for Peace (P4P) provides a way for Christians of diverse political and theological backgrounds to stand up for peace and unite in supplication to God with a special focus on prayers for the Holy Land. Prayers for Peace provides Jesus’ followers with the common language of prayer around which to mobilize their energy and passion for the land that gave birth to our faith. To combat the prevailing images of discord, Prayers for Peace will highlight peace-building organizations that we may pray for them as they live out the reconciliation offered in the Prophets and Jesus’ message of shalom.

 

Another Voice

A group of Israeli Messianic Jewish and Palestinian Christian women.

 

Newspapers

Haaretz – Israel Newspaper

Jerusalem Post – Jerusalem Newspaper

972 Magazine – “+972 Magazine is a blog-based web magazine whose goal is to provide fresh, original, on-the-ground reporting and analysis of events in Israel and Palestine. 

 

Books

Skeptics Guide to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – Dale Hanson Bourke
With all of the heat surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even the most basic facts can be hard to grasp. How do we make sense of what we read in the Bible―and what we read in the news? 

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine – Ilan Pappe
Renowned Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe’s groundbreaking book revisits the formation of the State of Israel. Indispensable for anyone interested in the current crisis in the Middle East.

Righteous Victims – Benny Morris
At a time when the Middle East has come closer to achieving peace than ever before, eminent Israeli historian Benny Morris explodes the myths cherished by both sides to present an epic history of Zionist-Arab relations over the past 120 years. 

A Land Full of God: Christian Perspectives Toward the Holy Land – Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, ed.
A collection of essays from Christian leaders with varying views on The Holy Land, peacebuilding, and how US Christians can and should be involved.

Blood Brothers – Elias Chacour
In Blood Brothers, Chacour blends his riveting life story with historical research to reveal a little-known side of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the birth of modern Israel. He touches on controversial questions such as “What behind-the-scenes politics touched off the turmoil in the Middle East? “, “What does Bible prophecy really have to say? “, and “Can bitter enemies ever be reconciled?”

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East – Sandy Tolan
Based on extensive research, and springing from his enormously resonant documentary that aired on NPR’s Fresh Air in 1998, Sandy Tolan brings the Israeli-Palestinian conflict down to its most human level, suggesting that even amid the bleakest political realities there exist stories of hope and reconciliation.

Mornings in Jenin – Susan Abulhawa
A Novel – A story about the life of a Palestinian family throughout the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following their displacement from 1948 until today.

The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land – Donna Rosenthal
This is a great book to look beyond the politics at the diverse lives, aspirations, and challenges of ordinary Israelis.

Dark Hope: Working for Peace in Israel and Palestine – David Shulman
American-born Israeli David Shulman takes us right into the heart of the conflict with Dark Hope, an eye-opening chronicle of his work as a member of the peace group Ta‘ayush, which takes its name from the Arabic for “living together.

 

Films

5 Broken Cameras (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125423/)
An enlightening documentary sharing some serious eye-opening truths about journalism and its suppression.

Budrus (http://www.justvision.org/budrus)
A beautiful film about nonviolent Palestinian resistance and solidarity expressions by Israeli activists, with a positive message and example to our societies. 

Promises (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0282864/)
A documentary that follows the lives of Palestinian and Israeli kids, and what happens to them when they grow up in conflict.

The Gatekeepers (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2309788/)
A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets.

Omar (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2852406/)
A love story amidst the occupation and working within a system of collaboration and manipulation.

Little Town of Bethlehem (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602609/)
“Little Town of Bethlehem” shares the gripping story of three men, born into violence, willing to risk everything to bring an end to violence in their lifetime. 

The Wanted 18 (https://justvision.org/wanted18)
Humorous and thought-provoking, The Wanted 18 shows the power of mass mobilization and nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation during the First Intifada.

My Neighborhood (http://www.justvision.org/myneighbourhood)
Only 25 minutes long, this short film tells the story of a young Palestinian boy. Mohammed El Kurd is a Palestinian boy growing up in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. 

Home Front (http://www.justvision.org/homefront)
A series of four short films chronicling the resolve of a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, where families are struggling to keep their homes in the face of escalating Israeli settlement expansion.

Encounter Point (http://www.justvision.org/encounterpoint)
A story of everyday leaders who refuse to sit back as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalates.