Rayan Suleiman and the Children of Palestine
by Jonathan Kuttab
“Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
—Matthew 19:14
Last night I could not sleep and got up before dawn thinking of Rayan Suleiman, the 7-year-old child who suffered a heart attack, literally dying of fright, when Israeli soldiers attempted to arrest his two older brothers (aged 8 and 10) in the village of Taqoa a few miles south of Bethlehem, where the baby Jesus was born. Israel denied responsibility for the child's death, claiming its soldiers were only trying to arrest his two brothers and “talk" to his parents regarding stone throwing.
The incident was, in fact, unique. I was unaware that children as young as seven could have heart attacks. It was so unique and shocking that even the US State Department issued a statement calling for an immediate and thorough investigation.
What is not unique, and indeed what is very routine, is the practice of armed Israeli soldiers chasing down younger and younger children to arrest and terrorize. It is routine practice to raid houses in the early morning hours, to “map out” Palestinian homes and arrest the children they seek, blind folding and ripping them away from the security of their homes and families. What is also routine is subjecting Palestinian children to police interrogations (without either lawyers or parents present) as well as “trying" them before military courts. While most little children are in fact released after a few hours or days (Israeli military law lists 12 as the age of criminal responsibility, and the trial of children below that age is not permitted) yet the trauma inflicted upon the children and the scars violently carved on their psyche for the rest of their lives is now a permanent feature of Palestinian life. Those children killed or maimed are, of course, another story altogether.
It is such practices (and not the supposed curricula of Palestinian textbooks) that creates hatred and resentment and impedes the possibilities for peace and coexistence.
I think not only of Rayan, or of the 8-year-old who was shot with a “rubber coated” bullet the next day in Aida refugee camp and now lies in a hospital, or of the 80 other children shot and killed this year alone, but of all the other hundreds of thousands of children who are scared, frightened, terrorized, and traumatized by deliberate Israeli policies aimed at bludgeoning Palestinians into submission. I also think of the Israeli children who are being doomed to live forever with no prospect of peace or reconciliation with their semitic cousins.
Surely such practices are counterproductive and cannot succeed in achieving true security for the Israeli population. Surely we can get even the most ardent Zionists to see that nothing can be gained from such actions. Luckily, we can do something about this. We need to engage, however difficult, with Jewish and Christian Zionists in this country to end their silence about these practices and to acknowledge their common humanity with Palestinian children. We can also contact our representatives and demand an end to US complicity in such inhumane acts.
Representative Betty McCollum’s bill (H.R. 2590), requiring that US military aid not be used for the military trials and abuse of children, should be enacted into law—thus conditioning the massive amounts of US military aid to Israel on at least some measure of humanity towards children. As an organization, FOSNA has proudly endorsed this bill.
The campaign to end the use of military courts (“No Way To Treat a Child”) also merits our support and advocacy. We may not be able to bring peace to Israel/Palestine any time soon, but there is no reason not to end immediately the abuse of Palestinian children, actions which bring no security to Israel but cause such great anguish and sorrow to anyone who has a conscience.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Children of God.”
—Matthew 5:9
Take Action!
Preach Palestine is back!
Friends of Sabeel North America is calling on Christian leaders across the U.S. to commit their congregations to Preach Palestine this Advent season.
Be it an entire service or a single prayer, we are asking you to once again Preach Palestine and lift up the Palestinian people such that they would come to experience the joy, justice, and peace of Christ's liberating reign, as a very real light in the present darkness.
Now Is the Time!
Can you commit your congregation to Preach Palestine this Advent season?
Visit the Holy Land With Us!
This Advent season, join FOSNA in the Holy Land to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and bear witness to apartheid in action.
Get Involved!
We invite you to join us in the following events and activities:
Hosted and Facilitated by Friends of Sabeel Colorado:
October 6: Denver
Israel-Palestine: A Conversation with Jonathan Kuttab
University of Denver
Margery Reed Hall 113 (Reiman Theatre), 5:00pm
Sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies
October 7: Denver
Faith, Hope, and Love: The Work and Life of Palestinian Christians
Iliff School of Theology is pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan Kuttab, Executive Director, Friends of Sabeel North America for an in-person roundtable discussion on Friday, October 7th from 12 – 2 PM in Shattuck Hall on the Iliff campus. Dr. Kuttab will discuss topics ranging from nonviolent peacemaking, Palestinian human rights, Palestinian Liberation Theology, and a One State solution as the way forward for justice and peace in the Holy Land. Bring a brown bag lunch if you wish and we will provide beverages. Please confirm your attendance by emailing cwarejoseph@iliff.edu. Please also provide your proof of COVID vaccination to HumanResources@iliff.edu. All are welcome!
Friday, October 7th from 12 – 2 PM
Shattuck Hall, Iliff School of Theology
October 7: Fort Collins
Palestine: A First-Person Perspective
Heart of the Rockies Christian Church is hosting a gathering with Jonathan Kuttab, well-known international human rights attorney, Friday evening, October 7, 6:30-8 p.m. Presentation and discussion with members of the church and community activists who are involved with Palestine justice work. Come and share in the conversation.
Friday, Oct 7, 6-8 pm
Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, Fort Collins
October 8: Denver
Together for Palestine
Together for Palestine is a free festival put on by the Center for Freedom and Justice-Colorado. The festival celebrating Palestinian culture and history, will be a space to listen, learn and experience the people of the Holy Land. Speakers include: Samia Halaby, Jonathan Kuttab, Iman Jodeh, Bessan Adi, and Joel Northam.
There will be:
Face painting and Henna tattoos
Debka performances
Artwork
Historical artifacts including pottery, jewelry, costumes, hand embroidery, olive wood carvings and glass
A Bedouin tent for hanging out in and taking pictures
Imported food and handwork products, books and apparel items for sale
Food provided by The Jerusalem Cafe and The Phoenician Grill
11am - 5pm
23 Lincoln Street
South Broadway Christian Church
Denver, Colorado
October 9: Virtual
"Boycott" Q&A
Voices from the Holy Land’s October Film Salon is here!
"Boycott" is a documentary of the legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 33 states in America through anti-BDS legislation.
Join a discussion of the documentary with Peter Beinart, Editor-at-Large for Jewish Currents; JustVision filmmaker Jen Marlowe; and Bahia Amawi, plaintiff in the film. The moderator will be journalist Mnar Adley, founder and executive director of MintPress News.
Hosted and Facilitated by SABEEL-Hawai'i:
October 15: Honolulu
Palestine: A New Vision for Peace with Justice
SABEEL-Hawai’i presents: Debunking the Two-State Solution with Jonathan Kuttab
Cosponsored by: SFJP@UH, JVP-Hawai’i, Ka Lāhui Hawai’i Kōmike Kalai’āina
Saturday, October 15th 6:30pm - 8:00pm
St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral
229 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu Hawai'i
October 16: Honolulu
Being a Christian Voice for Palestine: The Past, Present & Future of Friends of Sabeel North America
St. Clements Episcopal Church invites you to come learn about the mission, work, and impact of Friends of Sabeel North America. Join FOSNA Executive Director Jonathan Kuttab for two services. Join us at 8:00am or 10:15am with breakfast in-between.
Sunday, October 8:00am & 10:15am
St. Clement's Episcopal Church, Honolulu
October 21: Honolulu
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict from a Christian Palestinian Perspective
Afternoon workshop for Education Day–Peace & Reconciliation at Convention 54: the Annual Meeting of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i
12:30 pm
'Iolani School, Honolulu Hawai'i
October 25: Virtual
The Covivencia Declaration: Justice, Peace and Reconciliation in Palestine – Christian Perspectives
Join Rev. Allan Boesak (South Africa), Jonny Clark (Northern Ireland), Rifat Kassis (Palestine), Mark Braverman (USA), Stephen Sizer (UK) as they share their analyses about Zionism, Apartheid and unity from a Christian perspective. Organized by Covivencia Alliance.
Hosted and Facilitated by NorCal Sabeel:
October 25: Berkeley
Targeting the Lawyers & Journalists: Israel’s War on Civil Society
With Jonathan Kuttab, co-founder of Al-Haq and Nonviolence International and Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America
Join us at Berkeley Law School in Booth Auditorium, October 25th at 4:00pm or watch it live online.
Hosted by Dr. Hatem Bazian, sponsored by NorCal Sabeel, JVP-Bay Area, Palestine Studies Working Group, Ethnic Studies Department, IROP, ISC, Islamophobia Studies Journal, MENALSA, LSJP, Berkeley MLSA, AMPR.
October 26: Berkeley
Palestinian Liberation Theology: A Spiritual Call for Justice, Freedom and Equality
Jonathan Kuttab will be speaking on Palestinian Liberation Theology at the Pacific School of Religion on Wednesday, October 26th at 12 noon. Because of limited space, and provision of light refreshments for lunch, we would appreciate your RSVP to Hassan Fouda at SabeelTOL@gmail.com.
Graduate Theology Union
Bade Museum
Pacific School of Religion
1798 Scenic Ave, Berkeley, CA
12pm - 2pm
Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem:
Weekly
Sabeel Prayer Service. Join Sabeel every Thursday (6pm Jerusalem) for online Bible Study, discussion, and prayer. Examine scripture in light of the ongoing realities confronting the Palestinian Church and the pursuit of Palestinian liberation.
Wave of Prayer. Subscribe to receive Sabeel's Wave of Prayer, enabling friends of Sabeel around the world to pray over issues of critical concern to the Holy Land on a weekly basis.
Kumi Now! (Week 40) Nonviolence in Palestine. October 2 is the International Day of Non-Violence, celebrated annually by the United Nations on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Dedicated to teaching “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and working “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence,” it is an international holiday that is dear to the Kumi Now community. This week, we look at the organizations and individuals working on all sides of the conflict in Palestine and Israel to bring a just solution through nonviolence. Here’s what you need to know about nonviolence in Palestine and Israel and what you can do so that together we can rise up.