Reflection on the Sabeel Witness Trip, by Rev. Richard Toll

Reflection on the Sabeel Witness Trip, October 29 through November 6, 2009

By The Rev. Richard K. Toll, D.Min., D.D.
Chairman, FOSNA

Since 1983 I’ve been traveling to the occupied territories, taking groups from my parishes to stay at St. George’s in East Jerusalem. I have participated in many Sabeel events, and have experience the first and second intifadas at close quarters. Throughout this time I have assumed and hoped that for the sake of Israel and the Palestinians that a final peace solution would come into being. I fought for support of a two-state solution at the national convention of the Episcopal Church USA in 1991 and helped win the resolution even though there was intense opposition by visitors from the Jewish Federation who informed us “You cannot tell Israel what to do”. That statement was as true then as it is now.

After all these years it is obvious that Israel has no desire for a two-state solution as outlined by the terms of international law and based on 1967 borders and the sharing of Jerusalem.

The Sabeel witness visit this past month showed us new major expansion of settlements on the West Bank, more than I ever imagined since my most previous visit there in November 2008. Confiscations of land, destruction of villages, more by-pass roads and construction of the wall has shaken off the entire population of Palestinians. And the wall also separates Palestinians in one neighborhood from Palestinians nearby. The wall is so very ugly in the Bethlehem area especially and is used to choke off any hope for the thousands of Palestinians who live there.

We observed families being evicted from their homes in the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, and the machinery of ethnic cleansing continues. Our trip was aptly entitled “The Ongoing Nakba”. Evictions and land confiscation are visible everywhere and moving at a fast pace.

I used to hope Israel would come to its senses because it is insane to think what they’re doing will solve the problem in a peaceful way. It’s obvious they do not want a peaceful solution and have a military solution for everything. It is also insane that the U.S. government continues to support Israel in view of a continuing arrogance and contempt for international law and human rights. Most recently, our government’s refusal to uphold the UN’s Goldstone Report on Israel’s devastating war on Gaza is a sign Washington’s policy with regard to Israel’s occupation is not changing, as we had hoped it would.

I was very saddened by what we witnessed on our trip, by the extremes of the Israeli right and the unconditional support of the American government. Our U.S. policy allows Israel’s aggression to continue, making us as much at fault as Israel, since we have enabled that nation its belligerence without consequences.

For the sake of Israel, Palestine, the U.S. and the entire world, I hope very soon all parties will come to their senses.

As for Sabeel, we will continue our work in Hope for Justice and Peace in God’s world.