CPTnet
11 July 2005

HEBRON REFLECTION: Finding the road to peace

by Peggy Gish

     "We are on a road that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca must have
used," CPTer John Lynes told Mabel Brunk and me. He was referring to a road
that Israeli settlers call "Worshippers' Way" in the West Bank City of
Hebron. This road led to the ancient structure--now half synagogue, half
mosque-- built over what many believe to be the cave of Machpelah, where
these ancient persons had been buried.

On that Sabbath morning in the city of Hebron, we greeted many Israeli
settlers on their way to Sabbath prayers and soldiers on protective watch,
with, "Shabbat Shalom!" Many ignored us, but a few responded with the same
greeting.

 At one outpost closer to the entrance of the Kiryat Arba settlement, two
soldiers called out, "Good morning!" We went closer to talk. The one called
David* had grown up in a village in northern Israel where Jews and Arabs
lived together. He told us, "My mother taught me to respect the
Palestinians. They are people too. I was surprised when I came
here and personally experienced the prejudice and hostility."

When a particular settler walked past, David said, "We have trouble with
him. He set a roadblock here yesterday meant to keep Palestinians from
walking on that road. Yesterday we were fighting settlers. There are bad
people among them."

After asking us where we were from and whether we miss junk food while we
are here, he asked what we think of Israeli soldiers. "In Iraq, where CPT
also works," I said, "the American soldiers we meet are mostly good men and
women who don't want to go there and kill people or raid houses in the
middle of the night. They are caught in the violent system of war and
occupation and are taught and told to do those things. It's the system of
war that is wrong. It's the same thing here."

Agreeing that there were good people in the Israeli army, but not ready to
agree that war is always wrong, he asked about the need to get rid of Saddam
Hussein. We talked briefly about societies that have used nonviolence to
rid themselves of brutal dictators and contrasted that approach to all
the killing and destruction done in the name of bringing freedom and
democracy.

When we asked him, "What kind of solution would be best for the Israelis and
Palestinians in this conflict?" he answered, " A two-state solution." He
added, "We all want peace."

 We walked away, thankful to have had this open conversation, and for people
who can see the humanity of those who are supposed to be their enemies. We
wished nations were doing the things that really lead to peace.

  I thought about an appropriate name for the road we need to discover here.
Might it be called something like the "Peacefinders' Way?" Whatever its
name, however, it seems clear that the road map needed is one that seeks
just solutions for all involved.