My recent experience in the West Bank
Earlier this summer Noreen Gilhespy of Queens Road Baptist Church, Broadstairs embarked on an intensive course with Bethlehem Bible College, before attending the college’s annual Christ at the Checkpoint conference.
The course involved both lectures and fieldwork, which saw Noreen meet Palestinians in the West Bank. She reflects here on what she saw and heard, and on how her own views of the Israel/Palestinian territories conflict have evolved
Why did I, an 80 year old woman, go against our government's advice and visit the West Bank?
When the bombing of Gaza started I would have liked to have gone to Gaza to help. I have done relief and disaster response work in Afghanistan, Congo and Sudan, and visited many other countries. But sadly I am not strong enough to do that now.
I had, though, already booked to attend a conference run by the Bethlehem Bible College, through Zoom.
This had happened through a desire to learn more of the situation. Like many Western Christians I was taught that Israel was God’s chosen nation, and so when I discovered they had been given the land, which had been managed by the UK in 1948, it just seemed the right action to take.
But a few years ago my husband wanted to do a traditional Holy Land tour and I agreed to go with him. When arriving in Bethlehem I was horrified to see the wall dividing Bethlehem from East Jerusalem.
It made me ask questions and we met Palestinians. I found out about Bethlehem Bible College. Later I met some Palestinian Christians who were visiting the UK and heard their stories. The Baptist church I attend sent a donation to the college.
When I heard some of our Palestinian Christians speaking once the Israeli bombing had started, they impressed me by their continuing trust in God and refusal to stop loving their enemies - yet could not hide their sadness.
They especially felt a lack of support from the Western Church. They expressed how it would encourage them if people went in person. So I responded, for it seemed like a small thing to do. It was an intensive course to educate me about the situation. Being there involved both lectures and fieldwork trips, and meant at the end of the course I could also attend a conference called ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’.
It was certainly an education – but it was a horrifying experience. In my ignorance I had thought the West Bank belonged to the Palestinians, but discovered it is surrounded by a wall and has Israeli checkpoints at every entrance, even along the Jordanian border. There are also checkpoints inside the West Bank. Palestinians can only go to Israel if they have hard to obtain passes.
Families are separated, and even before this war, although Gaza is only 40 miles away via Israel, Palestinians have to go via Jordan and Egypt to visit relatives there. In the West Bank Palestinians need permission to build houses or any alterations. They told me permissions are mainly refused and then land is taken from them if they don’t live on it.
Many villages have been knocked down and large, illegal Israeli settlements built which are guarded by the Israeli army. Palestinians are arrested and removed from their homes. While I was there, a 50 year old doctor was shot on his way to work and a 14 year old boy on his bike. The report was ‘two terrorists killed’.
When visiting Hebron there is a little market street which is overlooked by an Israeli settlement and some of the settlers actually throw stones down as people are shopping. A cage like structure has had to be built over the top.
The world has just allowed all this to happen.
Seeing the sadness of our Christian Palestinian brothers and sisters was extremely hard. But they refuse to stop loving their enemies and steadfastly want to follow Jesus’ teaching. Many of the older ones remember a time in East Jerusalem when they had good relationships. There are schools where Jews and Christians are educated together. They have Muslim and Jewish friends from their childhood.
They do though express a deep sadness that we Western Christians have not understood the situation and not stood by them. Many have relatives in Gaza. Some know relatives who have been killed, others say relatives’ mobiles are not being answered. One lady reported that her aunt had her leg amputated without an anaesthetic.
Of course October 7 was a devastating event that saw many innocent Israelites murdered, maimed or kidnapped, including children, and for this there is absolutely no justification. Yet it did not happen in a vacuum, but out of years of oppression, as I was to discover. It is an apartheid state where Palestinians have no rights.
So I challenge us as Baptists and our Baptist Union to think of positive ways to help and to protest about the US government still sending bombs to Israel. The irony of dropping food parcels alongside their bombs.
How will we answer God when he asks 'Where were you'? Jesus said ‘Blessed are the PeaceMAKERs. It is a ‘doing word’ and demands more than sitting in a prayer meeting.
We are God’s hands and feet. As an 80 year old woman, I may no longer have the physical strength to help on the ground - but I can use my voice to say surely we can be doing more.
Image | Bethlehem, Jonny Gios | Unsplash
Noreen Gilhespy is a member of Queens Road Baptist Church, Broadstairs. During her two week visit, Noreen took part in an intensive course with Bethlehem Bible College, part lectures and part field work, meeting Palestinians. She then stayed for the college's 'Christ at the CheckPoint' conference.
Noreen encourages readers to access talks by Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian, and academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, here, here and here
Since the escalation of violent conflict last year, church leaders, including the Revd Lynn Green (General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain), have been calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, international accountability and a transparent review of arms.
One example of such a call can be read here.
Baptists continue to speak and act for peace and justice in the Holy Lands alongside our worldwide Baptist family. The Baptist World Alliance General Council passed this resolution in July 2024
Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.
Baptist Times, 21/08/2024