‘It’s been just over a year now,’ says Michael, the driving force behind PIETA, the Palestine Ireland Ecumenical Twinning Alliance.
‘A year since that inter-faith event,’ where Christians, Muslims and Jews came together to express concern over events in Palestine/Israel, Gaza and the Occupied Territories.
‘And that video message from Father Bashar Fawadleh, from Christ the Redeemer, in Taybeh,’ documenting the latest pogrom by ‘settlers’ intent on driving them from their homes, village, church and land.’
A land in which they are as deeply rooted as their olive trees: their symbol of Sumud, of resilience. In a place once known in biblical times as Ephraim, where ‘The Good Shepherd’ found refuge after raising Lazarus. Where his followers remain and try to stay sane.
‘As Father Bashar might say, ‘He never came to steal land, kill animals, and destroy villages. It’s the thief that does that. He was all about life.’
‘Then there were lots more listening-and-learning Zoom calls, Michael continued, ‘and with Father Bashar‘s friend, the Rev Ashraf Tannous of the Evangelical Lutheran Bethlehem Christmas Church. Both of them laser-focused on the need for more school places, greater educational support, and the creation of even a little hope in a generational crisis.
‘Then the practicalities of actually developing a Twinning Alliance between here and there.’
A brief pause; a short sigh. Michael has had a lifetime of experience as a Senior Manager in the public sector, retiring last year. He is now experiencing the truism that the worst thing about being retired is that you never get a day off. Certainly not if you’re in Christians4Palestine.
‘But we’re there now. Launching this week. Starting slow and in a year, hopefully scaling up the numbers of kids we can support.’ In Taybeh and Bethlehem, through the descendants of the first church, birthed at Pentecost, the Living Stones, still standing as waves of relentless terror break against their walls.
‘We think this may be the first Ecumenical Parish Twinning support scheme, powered by people of all shades of political and religious affiliation. Finding a way forward.’
Of course, the first Christ followers were known as people of ‘The Way.’ And some of that practical, almost existential descriptor still breaks free from institutional protocols, weaving through history, refusing coercive control by mere temporal nationalisms, which are never on the side of the better angels of our nature.
And of course, we here also need a ‘Way’ as we scroll through scenes of deep immorality – of ongoing slaughter, live-streamed on screens. Something the Genocide Convention and International Law were meant to prevent.
But there is still, perhaps, an occasional light that shines – from inspirational communities reaching out to support all their neighbours regardless of faith designation.
And perhaps even we might find some shelter, some faint measure of hope in dark times, through the radiance of their Way, their candlelight.
For more information on PIETA, please see
Or donate at https://localgiving.org/fundraising/PIETA
For how churches, community organisations and individuals across Ireland can stand in solidarity with the Peacemakers through fundraising, volunteering, and sponsorship opportunities.
Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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