The Angels of Peace are Weeping
Thoughts on Israel, Palestine, and Peacemaking
As I sat down to write this month, I knew there was only one story I wanted to tell. The ongoing war in Israel and Palestine has occupied my mind and my heart for several weeks now.
Of course it’s not my story to tell at all. It’s their story. And I’m learning there are actually two stories. Surely many stories. (That’s really important to know.)
Stories like this one: 🎧 Hamas Took Her Son
And this one: 🎧 Voices from Gaza
And this one: 🎧 600 Americans are estimated to be trapped in Gaza, including a Massachusetts family
I lament that I did not know much about this conflict before October 7, and only what I had heard through my limited Christian worldview. In the past few weeks, I have taken a deep dive; learning so much, including how my own faith and tax-dollars have fueled and funded these wars. And yet, as I learn, I know I am only just scratching the surface of what has been a very long, complicated conflict.
Like most people, I’m hesitant to write about this because some of the news seems to be difficult to verify, and I don’t want to unintentionally spread false information. I’m aware that the Israel-Palestine conflict elicits strong emotions and differing opinions, which grow to a crescendo in times of crisis. I don't want to be misunderstood. But I don’t want those fears to hinder my ability to focus on the humanity of our suffering neighbors.
On October 7, Hamas1 launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing more than 1400 people and taking over 220 hostages. This attack was horrific, unconscionable, and a crime against humanity that must be condemned unequivocally. Undeniably, Israel has a right to defend itself. I grieve with the people of Israel and my Jewish friends and family who are deeply hurting right now.
In response to those attacks, Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, a Palestinian territory that borders Israel. Covering 141 square miles, the Gaza Strip is home to approximately 2.2 million people (roughly half of whom are children), making it one of the most densely populated areas in the world.2
For the past 16 years, Palestinians in Gaza have been living in what many have called an “open-air prison.” The Israeli government has restricted their movement and limited their access to clean water and electricity. This has had a huge economic impact on the people of Gaza. These restrictions have only intensified since the Hamas attack, creating a massive humanitarian crisis. As I write this, there are reports that over 8,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliation, and a ground invasion has begun.
My question is this: When is it enough? When have enough people died? Does self-defense warrant complete annihilation? (No.)
For the past few weeks, my heart has been breaking wide open. I have wept for the people of Israel. And I have wept for innocent Palestinians. As I sift through commentaries and wade through public opinion - lines drawn - it seems the world would sooner have us choose a side in this war. As if it were simple. As if our hearts would break and rage for one people group, but not another. May I propose a third way?
We can support de-escalation.
We can beg our representatives for the safe return of all hostages.
We can support the right to safety and prosperity for the Israeli people.
We can support the right to self-determination and human flourishing for Palestinians.
We can condemn antisemitism. (And we must!)
We can condemn Islamophobia. (And we must!)
It doesn’t have to be either/or. It can be both/and. We can hold that tension. We can choose humanity.
I’ve made a strong, conscious effort not to view graphic photos or videos of this war. I don’t believe we need to see these images in order to build empathy or to better understand the consequences of war. But one image that passed through my feed still haunts me: it is an image of a Palestinian woman, her clothing a vibrant blue, her hijab a golden yellow - colors so intense against the white backdrop, they immediately drew my eyes in. So much unexpected color in the midst of a dark war.
She is crouched on the ground, her face buried in the crook of her arm as she embraces the body of a Palestinian child wrapped in what I presume to be pure white burial cloth. You cannot see her face, but her grief is palpable as she envelops the whole child with her whole self. I cannot get that image out of my mind. I can’t help but imagine, what if this were my child?
(📷 I am not going to post the photo, but you can find it here. The image was captured by Mohammed Salem, a Reuters photojournalist based in Gaza.)
You see, every person killed is someone else’s child. It doesn’t matter if they’re young or old. Muslim, Christian, Jew. Arab, Israeli, American, or otherwise. And there is a ripple effect of war, as trauma wounds are passed down from generation to generation. I wonder what would change if we could remember that? What conflicts could be resolved if we stopped seeing other groups of people as the enemy, and instead saw them as someone’s child? Or a beloved child of God, created in Their image?
Until we start recognizing the humanity in each other, we will never have peace.
Until we stop “othering” one another, we will never know peace.
Until we beat our weapons into ploughshares, we will never sow peace.
Where are the peacemakers?
I have been meditating on that these past few weeks, with a very heavy heart for our shared global community. Wars rage in the Middle East, Ukraine, and all around the world. And we have our own struggles here at home: increased polarization, rampant gun violence, the rise of Christian Nationalism, the breakdown of truth, and the assault on democracy. It’s going to take some Holy Imagination to bind up these wounds, but surely we can do better than this.
It is a myth that war will bring peace. But peace is not merely the absence of war - it is justice and equality. It is empathy and understanding; reconciling and bridge building. It is acknowledging the Imago Dei in every life and desiring human flourishing for all of our neighbors.
Research by Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist at Harvard University, indicates that civil disobedience can have a greater impact in shaping the world for good. “Overall, nonviolent campaigns were twice as likely to succeed as violent campaigns: they led to political change 53% of the time compared to 26% for the violent protests.” And the same study shows that a small minority, just 3.5% of active participants, can change the world.
That’s you and me. So I won’t give up hope that peace is possible through non-violent resistance. What are our other options?
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
The path of non-violence is not only a strong moral choice, it is what my Christian faith demands of me. I’ve been meditating on that. What does that look like for me? I can't presume to know how I would respond when faced with such utter violence. I just know that I want my heart to bend towards peace. The world would be a much better place if we all resolved to treat one another as people who were created in the divine image God.
So my response is to draw circles. Let’s draw circles instead of lines. A line is rigid, drawn to divide two sides. They are not meant to be crossed. They just extend out and further away to infinity.
But a circle extends the hand of welcome; we can always step back to widen the circle in order to include others. We can outstretch our arms, opening our hearts, in order to join hands with our neighbors. Circles allow us to consider different perspectives; they prompt us to listen in a way that seeks understanding. Have we been drawing circles? Could we?
Have we ever had a cup of tea with a Muslim neighbor?
Held a Muslim baby in our arms?
Have we ever shared a meal with a Jewish friend?
Delivered flowers to the local synagogue as a gesture of love and solidarity?
Learned “hello” or “peace” in a different language?
Have we engaged in any interfaith dialogue in our own communities?
Or gotten to know someone who has had a different lived experience?
In my attempt to draw circles, I’ve listened to Israeli voices, and Palestinian voices. I’ve listened to a variety of news sources from all across the globe, paying careful attention to the language used by the media. I’ve listened to hours and hours of podcasts, and read countless articles. And yet, there’s so much I do not know or understand.
My next step is to continue to educate myself. These are just a few of the books I’ve seen recommended - I wonder if you’d join me in reading one.
📚 Who wants to join me? I would be happy to host an online book discussion if there is enough interest.
If we believe that every life is valuable, then we must include Palestinian people, too. I have been inspired by the faith leaders and peacemakers of the world who have called for ceasefires and “humanitarian pauses” that would get crucial humanitarian aid into Gaza and Israeli hostages out. I’ve seen Muslims, Christians, and Jews unite under the shared longing for peace. This is a glimmer of hope.
In times like these, it’s easy for us to feel helpless. But we must not underestimate the power of small acts: we can call our representatives and tell them to stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and ensure the safe return of hostages. We can donate to aid groups and peace orgs and pray that it somehow makes a difference. In this shared world we can all do our part, because when our neighbors flourish, we all flourish, too.
Some other things we can do:
Take a media break
Go for a walk
Rest
Bake some cookies - eat some, and share some too
This is an upside-down world, and we need to take care of ourselves.
I want to leave you with a modernized version of The Lord’s Prayer, written by the late Reverend Jim Cotter, an English Anglican priest known for his religious poetry:
Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain Bearer, Life-Giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be.
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.
Lord, let there be
Shalom.
Salam.
Peace.
🕊️
The United States and the European Union have designated Hamas a terrorist organization, and we must be careful not to confuse Hamas with all Palestinians.
This is roughly the size of Las Vegas, with more than three times the population.