Bulletin 19th February 2011

Yesterday in the UN Security Council the US vetoed a resolution condemning settlements in the Palestinian territories as obstacles to peace. Why?

The resolution actually states nothing new. Supported overwhelmingly by UN countries and with the other 14 countries on the Security Council voting in favour the resolution merely restates what has been the international position for many years. It is also in line with US stated policy that settlement building is unhelpful to the peace process.

Obama’s administration argues that, whilst opposition to settlement building is its stated position, it is unhelpful to bring this to the UN while efforts are being made to resume the peace talks. It is difficult to see how anything could be more unhelpful to the ‘peace process’ than continuing to build on the property of the person you’re negotiating with; it rather suggests insincerity.

The real danger is less for Israel than for the Jewish diaspora. Should Israel continue down the route of ‘nuclear ghetto’; with the Palestinian people being largely ‘warehoused’(1), the very genuine and deserved sympathy for Jewish people may ebb away. Sixty years ago the world said, “never again”. Since 1948 we have seen ethnic cleansing in Europe, (the Balkans), in Africa, (Rwanda, Nigeria) and the far East. Sadly, we have seen it also in Israel-Palestine. Do we forget so soon, or have we simply become used to the images; our threshold of tolerance increased.

We need again to hear prophetic voices, reminding us of the requirements of our Just God. We Christians are a ‘Kingdom People’: we have one King, not an emperor: we are therefore One People; and we live and teach One Gospel. When politicians, our servants, sell out to institutional powers, whether they be the military, the pro-Israel lobby, or any vested interest,

keep Blessed                   Dave

Bulletin Archive:  Jan 2011

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.  (Micah 6)