Middle East Needs More Attention from Local Churches, Bishop Says

In the aftermath of an eye-opening trip to the Middle East, United Methodist Bishop William Oden hopes that more can be done to raise the consciousness of local congregations about that region's people and problems.

As president of the denomination's Council of Bishops, Oden was part of a high-level delegation of American church leaders visiting Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Gaza and the West Bank during the December 7–12 trip. The purpose of the visit was to express solidarity with Christian churches there and join those calling for renewed efforts to a peaceful solution to the Israeli/Palestinian crisis.

On December 20, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met with President Clinton at the White House in an attempt to reach a settlement before Clinton leaves office in January.

For Oden, who had last been in Jerusalem for a Methodist-Anglican dialogue meeting eight years ago, the trip "was a life-changing experience.

"It's one thing to read news reports in the United States;" the bishop told United Methodist News Service. "It's another thing to be with families whose homes have been destroyed, parents whose children have been killed or maimed and to visit with Palestinians and Israelis and to see the fear in their eyes."

The "pressure cooker" situation was evident, he said, while visiting such places as Jaballa refugee camp in Gaza, where 93,000 Palestinians are crammed into a one-square mile space, and witnessing "how the Palestinian villages are being strangled," with access to food, medical supplies and jobs being cut off.

"I had the same feeling as we went through the West Bank and Gaza as I had when I visited the townships around Johannesburg, (South Africa)," he added.

Other perspectives of the situation came to the delegation through conversations with Israeli political and religious leaders. "We came back convinced there can be no Palestinian freedom without Israeli security and there can be no Israeli security without Palestinian freedom," Oden said.

For Oden, the most memorable part of the visit came on December 10, when the Christian and Muslim communities in Bethlehem planned a joint candlelight procession into Manager Square. The delegation, which had found the square deserted two days earlier, joined a swelling crowd of more than 1,000 persons. "We all together processed into Manger Square for prayers and carols," he recalled.

One of the immediate changes that Oden hopes will occur in the region is the renewal of tourism, which basically stopped this fall because of violence and security issues. He believes both Israelis and Palestinians will work to assure the safety of tour groups and encourages United Methodists participating in Holy Land tours to make an effort to connect with both peoples.

Oden also would like to strengthen denominational ties to the Middle East. He praised the work of the Rev. Sandra Olewine, a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries missionary working with both Catholic Relief Services and a Lutheran congregation in Jerusalem.

See also:
GBGM Statement on the Current Crisis in the Palestinian Territories and Israel
Letter from the Rev. Sandra Olewine, United Methodist Liaison - Jerusalem

Link of Interest:
United Methodist Service Photo Gallery