Palestine?

Column by Gilbert Lammerts van Bueren 

According to some politicians, it won't be long until the state of Palestine will be proclaimed. For the Arab World this won't change much. They never ceased to speak of Palestine. In those countries maps that mention Israel are not available. It's all Palestine. Palestine inhabited by Palestinians or Palestine under Zionist occupation. Some Christians in our nation can't wait either. Finally there will be justice for the Palestinians. Many churches pray for the deliverance of Palestine. This solidarity has even led an (evangelical!) Bible teacher to write about Palestine when discussing the land at the time of Christ. As if that name existed in those days!
And then there are Christians on the other side of the spectrum. Palestine already exists: It's Jordan. And there is no such thing as a Palestinian. They are Arabs who deliberately take that name in order to lay claim to land they have no right to. No wonder that some Palestinian Christians carefully assess who they are talking to before calling themselves Arabs or Palestinians.
The problem with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that it's not just about truth and justice. New borders won't solve the conflict. Every 'solution' immediately creates new conflict. It's enough to keep you up at night! The realisation that peace will never come through our weapons and negotiation strategies is very humbling indeed. For it is not merely about reaching agreements that everyone can live with, but also about restoration and healing. As long as there are still traces of unprocessed emotional pain, as long as there is no trust, real peace cannot be achieved.
And then we read at the end of the Bible in Revelation 22:2 about the leaves of the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem that will bring healing to the nations. We will continue to testify to this hope. In word and in deed.

A Change at the Helm

A Change at the Helm

After fifteen years of faithful service, Gijs Lammerts van Bueren has stepped down as director of NEM. He passes the baton to Kees Jan Rodenburg.  

Before being appointed at NEM, Kees Jan worked at the Centre for Israel Studies in Jerusalem. For six and a half years he was their theological advisor. Although his main focus was on Jewish-Christian relations, he also tried to build relationships with Palestinian Christians. “I was deeply impressed read more...
'My response is that we have to keep forgiving'

'My response is that we have to keep forgiving'

By Alfred Muller in Jerusalem 

Dr. Alex Awad's house in South- Jerusalem is close to the military road block to Bethlehem. He passes through it on his way to the Bethlehem Bible College, where he works as a lecturer and student dean. He also pastors a Baptist church in East- Jerusalem...read more
Focusing on what unites us

Focusing on what unites us

By Alfred Muller in Netanya 

Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians know they have to recognise each other as brothers and sisters. They have been talking for years. They organise conferences and other events where they meet. Differences of opinion remain, but as they are involved in the ministry of reconciliation they realise that there is no alternative. Read more
Beautiful CD's from the Middle East!

Beautiful CD's from the Middle East!

…for you are Glorious 

In spiring Arabi c worship music by Louiza Kort from Israe l. Th e boo k le t which goes with t he CD ha s the words in Arabic and English. Louiza and her husband Nabil have a wonderful ministry bringing the
good news to Israeli Arabs and Palestinians. 

HOPE 

This beautiful CD with classical music from
Israel has been produced by Esther (NEM volunteer) playing the flute, together with Katharine, cello, and Ira, piano. Not only works from Bach and Martinu but also Israel's national anthem “HaTikva” and “Ose Shalom Bimromav”. 

Only £10 each + postage
The walls are falling down!

The walls are falling down!

The city of Tel Aviv has witnessed a very special event: young Jewish and Arab believers united to worship the Lord and study his Word together! That has been possible only because God opened the doors and made the walls fall down. One of those walls was the check-point of Bethlehem. It took a lot of paper work and patience, but we got the permit for the Arabs believers of Bethlehem: they could pass the wall to join their Jewish brothers and sisters. It was something special, most of those young Palestinians never go out of Bethlehem, and they were suddenly in read more...