ISRAEL PALESTINE

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ISRAEL / PALESTINE
In order to resume..vital role as peace
broker, the United States must be a trusted
participant, evenhanded, consistent, unwavering,
and enthusiastic--a partner with both sides and
not a judge of either." Jimmy Carter

• LEARN ABOUT
• This Middle Eastern conflict
• Balanced views about the conflict
• Muslim and Christian citizens of the occupied
  territories

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MISSION STUDY 2007-2008 ISRAEL- PALESTINE March/A
pril 2007 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK Magazine available
from Cokesbury 3 a copy http//cokesbury.com1-
800-672-1789 Permission granted New World
Outlook, credit use of photos and text copy
excerpts Christie R. House, Editor NWO, on file
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Israel/Palestine United Methodists An
excerpt by David Wildman
2007 - 40 years of Israeli military occupation
and colonization of Palestinian land in the West
Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. 2008 - 60 years
since both the establishment of the state of
Israel and the nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic)
when some 800,000 Palestinians (two-thirds of the
population) were uprooted from their land by war.
Image byBob May
A Muslim man breaks for prayer during his
travels. Many Muslims pray five times a day as
prescribed by the Qur'an.
Image byBob May
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A Blessing in the Midst of the Earth an
excerpt Sandra K. Olewine 
A man plays with his children in the Palestinian
Beach Refugee Camp, Gaza.

Image byPaul Jeffrey / ACT
A welcoming smile is extended by a Palestinian
man in Turmus'ayya, a West Bank village.
Image byPaul Jeffrey / ACT
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Unheard Voices an excerpt by Rev. Alex Awad
A once-bustling street in the ancient city of
Hebron in the southern part of the West Bank,
where 400 Israeli settlers intimidated and
violently attacked Palestinian shopkeeters to
drive them from the center of the city.
Images byPaul Jeffrey / ACT The Dome of the
Rock, the third holiest site for Islam, sits at
the center of a controversy in Jerusalem. Jewish
activists have complained that only Muslims are
admitted and are demanding the right to enter the
area, which is also considered holy by many Jews.
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Gaza A Lost Jewel An excerpt by Janet Lahr
Lewis
Fishermen pull nets on the Mediterranean
seashore, Gaza City.
Image byRichard Lord
A man walks through war-produced rubble in Gaza.
Image byPaul Jeffrey / ACT
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Seeking Justice and Peace Through Visits to the
Holy Land An Excerpt by David Wildman
Palestinian children take circuitous routes
around Israeli checkpoints to get to school each
day.
Image byBob May
Palestinians are forbidden to drive motor
vehicles in much of Hebron, so they use older
reliable modes of transportation.
Image byDavid Wildman
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Providing the Balance An excerpt Christie R.
House The Editor
NEW WORLD OUTLOOK
To supplement the study material, the magazine
gives a number of Palestinian viewpoints,
generally from Christian Palestinians, our
partners in the region.
Theirs is the voice least heard by the world,
those "living stones" of the Holy Land who have
carried the message of Christ over many
generations since the shepherds first found the
baby Jesus in the manger.

• PRESENT ATTEMPTS AT SOLUTION ARE NOT WORKING
• An encircling barrier
• Imposing a system of partial withdrawal,
  encapsulation, and apartheid on the Muslim and
  Christian citizens of the occupied territories.
• Determined and remarkably effective effort to
  isolate settlers from Palestinians. Jimmy
  Carter

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What do you think about...? The United Methodist
Church needs to do more to inform its
constituency about Palestinians living under
Israeli occupation. ? Agree
? Disagree ? No
Opinion SHALOM, SALAAM, PEACE