Witnessing Glimmers of a Sea-Change:
Reflection by the Rev. Allie Perry
Might it be possible that we are witnessing glimmers of a sea-change for justice and equality for Palestinians? If not yet the rising up of what the Irish poet Seamus Heaney called “the longed-for tidal wave of justice,” at least a shift in the tide? One of Israel's 'New Historians’ Ilan Pappe implies as much. In a recent article, he asserts, “This is a rare moment in history that opens opportunities for those struggling for liberation and justice in Palestine.” (See article in Breaking the Stories)
The constant barrage of headlines, as Israel’s extremist, racist, ultra-religious, apartheid regime lurches towards authoritarianism, and state and settler violence against Palestinians continues unabated, can make openings hard to discern. It is possible to miss in this moment that there is ‘news of a difference.’ But there are signs. Mitchell Plitnick sees them. Here's an example he describes in his Mondoweiss article about “Leading liberal Zionist voices call for ending U.S. aid to Israel” (See in Breaking the Stories): the “impenetrable wall” AIPAC has built around U.S. aid to Israel, “has finally begun to crack.”
Another recent and significant sign is release of “The Elephant in the Room,” a sign-on letter addressed to leaders of North American Jewry.” Initiated by two Israeli academics, Shira Klein, Professor of History at Chapman College, and Omer Bartov, Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, the letter calls attention to “the direct link between Israel’s attack on the judiciary and its illegal occupation of millions of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
The letter names as the “elephant in the room” “Israel’s longstanding occupation that. . .has yielded a regime of apartheid.” Now, the letter asserts, is a “moment of urgency and also possibility for change.” It makes a four-part appeal to leaders of North American Jewry, including the demand from elected U.S. leaders that they restrict military aid from being used in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
As of August 15, over 1,600 people have signed the letter. The signatories are collectively identified as “academics and other public figures.” In an email exchange with Shira Klein, I confirmed that “public figures” is intended to be inclusive of clergy and religious leaders of all faiths and she urged me to share the letter “far and wide” with colleagues. To read the full text of “The Elephant in the Room,” and to sign on, scroll down to “Take Action” at the end of Breaking the Stories.
Meanwhile, as another sign of the tide changing, the language of apartheid continues to get traction with mainline denominations and is not an ‘elephant in the room.’ First, the UCC in 2021, the Presbyterians in 2022, and now this summer the Disciples of Christ, at their biennial national General Assembly, passed a resolution naming Israel an apartheid regime.
Peter Makari, Global Ministries’ Area Executive for Middle East and Europe, who spoke during the debate in favor of the Disciples’ resolution, has shared this reflection on the significance of its passage: “The overwhelming vote to adopt the ‘Compelled to Witness’ resolution at the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), following that of the UCC two years ago, centers the voice of our Palestinian partners in naming the injustices that they experience. The stated policies of our two churches, the UCC and Disciples, are in alignment, and are being appreciated by partners in the Middle East region. The task remains to advocate for justice, and to bring that change about.”
Indeed, the task. . . our task . . . remains to advocate for justice and to bring that change about. Our advocacy is needed all the more because as of yet there are few cracks visible in the U.S. administration's 'ironclad' support for Israel. As the Elephant in the Room letter exhorts: “No more silence. The time to act is now.”New Paragraph
