Middle East peace talks: what’s in a handshake?

Quote

“Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.”
Cherie Carter-Scott

News

This week President Obama has brought together four government leaders for the nearly impossible task of making a fresh agreement on peace in the Middle East.  Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu shook hands with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, as Jordan and Egypt’s heads of state looked on.  Talks began in Washington on Thursday to try and find a way forward on the intractable issues of West Bank settlements, security, the borders of a Palestinian State, Jerusalem and the refugee issue.

While this fresh initiative is to be welcomed and encouraged, there are limits to what heads of state can do, for all their vigorous efforts and noble speeches.  Mr Abbas only represents the West Bank Palestinians; Hamas, who rule Gaza, are excluded from the talks.  Then there is no telling whether these leaders’ successors will keep their commitments (Egypt’s President Mubarak is 82 and frail).  Also there are militant groups in each country who may seek to sabotage the process – such as those responsible for killing 4 Israeli settlers on Tuesday.

What hope is there of these talks leading to a lasting peace?  Ultimately what is needed is the reconciliation of peoples who are deeply suspicious and fearful of each other.  The path towards rebuilding trust and the road to forgiveness are long and hard, but exemplary relational leadership can bring this about.  This is not primarily a task for heads of state but for “ordinary” Israelis and Palestinians learning to look at the other as a fellow human being again, and daring to take small steps of reconciliation in their direction, beginning, perhaps, with a handshake.

Read on...

While President Obama’s initiative makes the headlines, there are other organisations working unobtrusively behind the scenes to promote dialogue and build bridges of reconciliation.  One of these is our sister organisation, Concordis International, whose work you can read about here www.concordis-international.org/.  They recently produced a 28 page booklet on the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, which is available for free, or you can read it online www.concordis-international.org/files/pdfs/Concordis_Papers_VIII_UKChurches_ISRPALConflict_2ndEdition.pdf  

Walk the talk

Some of you may follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict closely, others have perhaps lost sight of what it is all about.  While most of us are not in a position to get involved directly, you could support Concordis International and help bring about dialogue and reconciliation in Africa and the Middle East through them. Visit www.concordis-international.org/support-us.html  

The last word

From the Bible, Matthew 5, verse 9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”