YOUTH CAFE 2008 AND INTERFAITH PRAYER VIGIL FOR PALESTINE

2008 June 7 | Quezon City, Philippines

Restoring the Palestinian Vineyard with Its Fullness for All

The 1 King 21: 15-19

By REV. DR. LEE HONG-JUNG

2008 JUNE 7

The I King Chapter 21 describes the story of Naboth’s vineyard, and it is unfolded like this: Ahab covets Naboth’s possession, the vineyard, and he is sorely vexed at the owner’s refusal to sell it at any price. Naboth can not give Ahab the vineyard as the inheritance of his ancestors. Hearing from Ahab, Jezebel instigates a packed communal court to condemn Naboth to death on a trumped-up charge, with the royal confiscation of the property. God commissions Elijah [ilaidzer] to Ahab to denunciate the king and his family. Finally, Ahab’s repentance puts off the evil day for him.

The 60 years of conflict, oppression and fear of the Palestinians can be reflected in the light of the story of the Naboth’s vineyard. The Palestine vineyard, which was the inheritance of Palestinian forefathers for a long time, has been stoned to death and divided, conquered one-sidedly by the State of Israel on the basis of Zionism and Anglo-Saxon-Jewish alliances which took the role of Ahab, Jezebel and the elders and the nobles in the story of the Naboth’s vineyard.

The Zionism backed-up by Anglo-Saxon-Jewish alliances has constantly created myths about the new identity of Israel.

Firstly, it created a myth that the land of Palestine was a people-less wilderness waiting for a nation of a landless state; but, in fact, in 1947 when Palestine was occupied and divided by the united forces there were about 1.3 million Palestinian Arab people and 0.6 million Jewish people in the land.

Secondly, the Zionism has also created a myth that Israel is the unique ‘realistic’ democratic state in the Middle East; but, in fact, she has been a fragile state built on racism and Zionism which legally denies even a basic human right according to one’s race and religion.

Thirdly, the Zionism creates a myth that in order for Israel to keep her national security among the ‘savage’ Arab nations she must become one of the four most powerful military states in the world; but, in fact, the anger against the Israel among the Arab nations has been constantly caused by the Israel’s oppression and aggression against the Arab people in Palestine and other part of the Middle East and even their Arab-ness.

Fourthly, the worst myth created by Zionism was that it has been in moral succession to the victims of the Holocaust; but, in fact, from the very beginning the Zionism compromised with Nazism in order to get its permission to occupy the land of Palestine. For the Zionists the first priority was not on taking care of the on-going victims of the Holocaust regardless of numbers but on establishing the State of Israel in the land of Palestine.

On the basis of these Zionistic myths, the State of Israel has enthusiastically pursued a divide-conquer policy to colonize Palestine and eventually other Arab world by tightening the omni-faceted alliance with the USA.

The 40 years of the illegal occupation of the Palestine vineyard has claimed numerous lives in its history of genocide, distorted the rights of both peoples, and deepened the conflict between them. Settlements are illegal and incompatible with peace; therefore Israeli soldiers and settlers must be withdrawn. The Separation Barrier is illegal: it is a grave breach of international law and humanitarian law, and therefore must be removed from the occupied territory. The Israeli government should be able to complete the bargain offered in the Arab Peace Initiative, stopping bulldozing one community’s homes and building homes for the other community on that land that is not their inherited vineyard.

Now is the time to end this unholy conflict in the so-called holy land in order for both Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace, making freedom from occupation, pulling down walls and fences in others’ property, respecting human lives regardless of their religions and races, sharing their equal rights.

Now is the time for Palestinians to have the right of self-determination. Their duly elected governmental authorities must be recognized, including the current leaders. Any kind of discrimination, segregation and restrictions against the Palestinian self-determination movement should not be allowed anymore.

Now is the time for those Palestine refugees for 60 years to regain their rights of return and require a permanent solution, and for Jewish settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to be assisted to make their homes in a legal land of Israel.

Now is the time for both sides to release their prisoners and give those justly accused a fair trial, for the people of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem to be reunited, and for foreigners to be welcomed to visit Bethlehem and other towns imprisoned by the separation wall.

Now is the time for Jerusalem as the capital of two nations and a ‘holy’ city to be shared by three religions, therefore Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities can be free to visit their holy sites. Jerusalem must be an open, inclusive and shared city in terms of sovereignty and citizenship. The rights of its Muslim, Jewish and Christian, Palestinian and Israeli communities should be fully guaranteed including access to Holy Places and freedom of worship. The life and witness of local churches guide churches worldwide in prayer, support and advocacy for peace. Churches are to agree the status of Holy Places with Muslim and Jewish counterparts. Local authorities must not interfere in internal church affairs.

The annexation of East Jerusalem should not be allowed. The final status of Jerusalem is an international responsibility and must be agreed within the framework of international law and as part of a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement. Peace in Palestine and Israel is inseparable from international peace. The conflict affects stability and security all over the Middle East and the whole world.

Violence in all its forms is condemned. Certain economic measures are legitimate forms of pressure for peace: for example, avoiding investments or other economic links to illegal activities on occupied territory and boycotting settlement products.

The on-going process of just healing and reconciliation should be fully supported and materialized by both sides, acknowledging past wrongs, understanding each other’s anger, seeking forgiveness between communities, and repairing a broken land together, in cooperation with the groups on both sides working for peace and inter-religious initiatives.

As human beings who are all made in the image of God, regardless of our religions and races, we should be able to speak truth to the principalities of the earthly power; we should be able to break the silence surrounding injustice; and we should be able to share something for peace, now for Palestine, for Israel, and for every each broken and wounded part of the world.

Finally but in a more fundamental sense, we all want to see the olive trees and the vineyards in Palestine to flourish and grow old as in Israel.

The Prophecy of Elijah is still alive and relevant to the present situation of Palestine and other places such as where the extra-judicial killings are going on, claiming the Filipino people’s democratic life-giving vineyard; where the division of nation is being constantly abused by the superpowers, claiming the Korean people’s inherited life-giving vineyard; where the conspiracy of the war on terror is going on, claiming people’s security and sovereignty for peace for life; and where the rich is ruthlessly eating up even the daily food of the poor in the context of the economic globalization and the neo-feudal system, claiming the poor people’s God-given right for Life.

The God of Peace for Life condemns against the today’s Ahab and Jezebel and their alliances, the principalities of darkness, who claims the peace for life of today’s Naboth:

“In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.”

“Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab…”

“The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.”

Dear friends in Christ outside the gate, time has come to restore the Palestinian life-giving vineyard with its fullness for all. Peace for Life be with you all.

Rev. Dr. Lee Hong-Jung gave this homily during the Prayer-Vigil commemorating the Nakbah, held on June 7, 2008 in Quezon City, Philippines. Dr. Lee is a member of the PfL Continuation Committee.