The Future of Christians in Palestine:
Presence rather than existence

We all know that Bethlehem is central to the Christmas story. However, as illustrated by the above cartoon and highlighted by this article from Kairos Palestine, modern Christmas celebrations gloss over the huge difference between past history and present realities and tensions. In the article Rifat Kassis reminds us of the importance of the Christian presence in the Holy Land. He highlights the significance of the continuous Christian presence in the following ways:

• The existence of Christians has expanded and continued since the birth of Christianity two thousand years ago. It has not diminished in any way and has remained steadfast, powerful and influential.
• This existence is original and was founded locally among Arabs. It was not a sudden event and did not originate from the West, as some people like to believe or as is cited erroneously in some Palestinian textbooks. Christianity was born in Palestine with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, and then moved to the West and other parts of the world.
• This is an institutional presence: it is organized, systematic and solid. Churches, ecclesiastical and community institutions, and other structures have existed for a long time and continue to exist. Christian institutions are major employers and employ more than 20,000 people, two-thirds of whom are Muslim Palestinians, in their projects and organizations.     
• This presence is political, economic and community-oriented. It is a participatory presence rather than passive, although the extent of participation may vary according to the conditions.
• This presence is broad and community-based. It is open to everyone without discrimination on the basis of sect or gender.
• Finally, this broken and wounded church, like other Palestinian institutions, is still capable of inspiring hope in people’s hearts and offers much more than it is capable of. This vibrant, unique and unbreakable presence will never cease to exist. 

The article is another good reminder of why we need to stand with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. The complete article can be read here.

Some Christmas in Palestine Stories
 

There have been a number of stories in the media recently about unusual and creative commemorations in Bethlehem, Ramallah and other places. They highlight that resistance to occupation continues and despite the suffering that Palestinians endure, lots of people still find poignant and sometimes humorous ways to highlight the injustices they face. We particularly liked these stories:

From Christ at the Checkpoint, a video that puts a modern perspective on some of the characters in the original story. Click here and choose the Little Town of Bethlehem video

There is also this excellent article from Palestinian Israeli citizen Yohanna Katanacho, who describes the political, legal and theological issues in travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. His article is on the "Come and See" website and can be found here.

Some creative protesters staged a race involving 24 Mary and Josephs running from Nazareth to Bethlehem, all to highlight the imposition of the occupation. Aljazeera have video coverage of Mary and Joseph vs The Occupation on the AJ+ Facebook page which can be found here. 

Also interesting to note is the coverage in the Washington Post, which highlights some of the realities for the town at the heart of some of the most popular Christmas carols. As the article says, "The existence of Palestinian Christians, and the difficulties they face under Israeli occupation in their homeland, is a blind spot for American Christians." The full article can be found here.

Lastly, and definitely in the category of light, seasonal entertainment, there is this little video of Santas doing the traditional Palestinian dabka dance in Ramallah. Happy watching!
 

Coming soon: formal membership of PIEN Inc

Over the last few months, a number of people in the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network have worked hard to transform the organisational structure of the network. As a result, PIEN is now officially an incorporated association, incorporated in Victoria under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act (2012). The Model Rules of PIEN Inc can be found here

Becoming an incorporated association provides many benefits, including a better ability to raise and manage funds, legal protection and clearer accountability to all those who are part of the network. It also provides a strong base for growth and further development in the year ahead.

As part of this development, we will be soon sending out information about how to become a financial member of the organisation. There are clear benefits of membership, including the chance to contribute to the financial and strategic growth of the organisation, the chance to vote for office bearers and to be involved in the committee of management. 

More information about how to join PIEN as a financial member will be sent out shortly, however, in the meantime, please contact PIEN if you have any initial comments or questions.