Gaza

Jim Wallis 5-18-2009
Two days, in comparison to years of conflict, is not a lot of time, but it was long enough for a broad spectrum of Christian leaders to find hope in a growing consensus around a way forward for pea
Brian McLaren 4-16-2009

I've written a lot on Palestine and Gaza in recent years. Any of us who travel (or read) know that peace in the world can't be separated from peace in Israel -- peace for Jews, and peace for Muslim and Christian Palestinians.

In last week's SojoMail, the quote of the week was from an Israeli squad leader describing the incredulous reactions of his men when he took measures to protect civilian lives during the invasion of Gaza.

Ishmael and Isaac, brothers of the same father and different mothers, together buried their father Abraham. Esau and Jacob, twin brother and rivals, reconciled.

Each time I write about the Middle East, I feel compelled to repeat three concepts.

Lynne Hybels 2-13-2009
A year ago I became haunted by the notion that Christians, Muslims, and Jews are going to blow up the world unless we learn to get along.
No more details as of yet, just this update on the Facebook page:

Wednesday February 11th, 4:00 a.m.

We at Sojourners continue to be deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of Philip Rizk, who was arrested and detained by Egyptian secret police Friday evening following a rally north of Cairo in support of the people of Gaza.

Ben White 2-09-2009
My dear friend Philip Rizk was kidnapped on Friday night by Egyptian secret police.
Leonard Rodgers 2-09-2009

Friday evening I was in Washington D.C. and received an urgent message from Egypt. The major player in helping us get medical equipment into Egypt duirng the early days of the recent 22 day war in Gaza was Philip Rizk. Friday evening at 11 p.m.

Today I listened to a persecuted woman, mother to mother.
Cathleen Falsani 2-02-2009

Former President Jimmy Carter just published a new book about the ongoing violent unrest in the Middle East titled, We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work.

Arthur Waskow 1-29-2009
Beyond anguish, what can we say about the massive death and destruction in Gaza and the traumatic fear of falling rockets in Israel?
If this Gaza War teaches us anything, if the tragic history of wars in the Middle East teaches us anything, it is that when people are determined to obtain weapons and fight, war goes on and solves
J. Daryl Byler 1-27-2009
I began a fast for peace when Israeli troops entered the Gaza Strip. Last week, I ended the fast, as fighting has stopped and most if not all the troops have left Gaza.

Jim Wallis 1-22-2009

It's a better country than I thought it was. I honestly wouldn't have thought this possible. I guess I would have agreed with the older generation of African Americans in my neighborhood: This day would never come in our lifetimes-but here it is.

Leonard Rodgers 1-16-2009

As of Thursday, the Red Cross reported 900 Palestinians from Gaza killed, half of them civilians, over 3,400 severely wounded, and 28,000 displaced from their homes. The special medical supplies which I brought here from the U.S., augmented by blankets and powdered milk and other food bought locally in Cairo, all seemed a drop in the bucket compared to the dimension of need.

This kind of feels close to an exercise in I-told-you-so, but for all the folks who assert that voting is a hopelessly corrupted exercise in irredeemable empire, consider as an indicator the testim