| y Jonathan Kuttab Rev. Naim Ateek, founder of Sabeel, once told me that the Psalms can be divided into Psalms of Lament and Psalms of Hope. Psalms of Lament cry out, “How long, Oh Lord? How long will evil go unpunished and the righteous suffer?” while Psalms of Hope praise and celebrate the sovereignty of God and proclaim the ultimate victory of good over evil. In these times, those of us concerned with peace and justice in Palestine/Israel seem to be in a constant state of lament: Israel and its supporters seem to be running amok, totally unrestrained. Their outrages only multiply, while their power and reach seem to extend unchecked. Their arrogance and disregard for basic tenants of humanity is only matched by the impunity with which they operate and the complicity of much of the world powers to their crimes. Not only are they violating international law, the norms of war and peace, and the humanity of others, but they seem capable of punishing and sanctioning those who dare to oppose them, as they mock and undermine the very architecture of the systems of morality and decency. Those who dare to oppose them are doxxed, reviled, maligned, and yes, even punished. The Israeli success in projecting their power widely throughout the region and even the world is enhanced by their apparent ability to influence (if not outright control) the vast power of the United States in their service. Israeli leaders openly gloat that they have even pushed President Trump, an “America-First hater of foreign wars” to initiate a totally unpopular war on Iran on their behalf, while shielding them from international law and international scrutiny as they ravage Lebanon in addition to the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank. The traditional press is largely silent or frightened, if not outright complicit, and the social media giants are actively creating algorithms that prohibit and downplay displaying the abundant evidence of Israeli crimes. Their navy engages in open piracy in the high seas as they attack, intercept, capture, and humiliate those nonviolent humanitarian heroes who work to challenge the cruel siege of Gaza and continued genocide against its people., while their governments watch helplessly. Truly we lament and cry out for justice and demand: “How long, oh Lord, how long?” Yet, in the midst of this lament, we also remember that we are people of Hope. We are people of Sunday and of the Resurrection. We acknowledge God’s sovereignty and the ultimate victory over death and the powers of evil that Jesus wrought in his crucifixion and resurrection. We are not awed by the power of the Empire or frightened by its destructive violence. We live as citizens of the Kingdom of God, proudly proclaiming its message, and confident in its ultimate victory. In the midst of suffering and brokenness, we are not defeated. We need not only to be reminded of that but also to note and celebrate the glimpses of hope that do exist and that confirm to us that we are on the correct path. I will list below some of those signs of hope: The incredible patience, steadfastness and Sumud of the Palestinian people, who continue, against all odds and with poor leadership and minimal support, to be steadfast and continue both in their faith in God and in the ultimate victory. The bravery of our Jewish allies, who in the face of tremendous tribal, family, and community pressures continue to say: “Not in Our Name! This is not Judaism! We oppose occupation aparthied, and genocide, we do not support Jewish supremacy, and will not allow Zionism to define us and our Jewishness!” The millions who have marched throughout the world against the genocide, and in support of Palestine, and who face the false accusation of anti-Jewish antisemitism and the complicity of their own governments and institutions in response to their support for Palestinian freedom. The churches, unions, civil society organizations and others who have participated in BDS (Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions) despite pressures, accusations, and costs imposed by the rich and the powerful to end such solidarity and even criminalize it. The sea changes in public opinion, even in this country, and among constituencies that traditionally supported Zionism, Christian Zionism and the state of Israel, including changes among many evangelical Christians, Democrats, the young, and even conservative Republicans. The shattering of taboos against criticizing Israel and its policies and automatic acceptance of its narrative. This includes the recognition of the Nakba, as well as the widespread acknowledgment of Israel’s use of torture and its systematic violations of human rights and international law. The legal cases brought and won in national courts to bring Israeli war criminals to justice in various forums throughout the world. Specific instances of hitherto unheard of changes in the political sphere, like the election of Mamdani in New York and the recent election of Chris Rabb, in Philadelphia, who openly referred to his position “against the genocide in Gaza” in his campaign speeches and advertisements. In fact, I would like to invite you all to write to FOSNA and point out instances, great or small, that constitute signs of hope that change is coming in our continued struggle for peace and justice. I would like to dedicate my next blog to listing such signs of hope and encouragement. |
