My wife and I watched a program on the television tonight that really opened my eyes to a situation that has been a powder keg for 2000 + years now. The show was called “Breaking Borders” and was aired on the Travel Channel (US) and on DTour (Canada). In brief the program takes place and is centered around a Jewish Settlement home in Palestine. An American Chef (Christian) and an American Journalist (from Portugal who just became a Citizen of the US today, congratulations ) with Fusion and ABC news based in L.A. (Male and Female) respectively (not that it makes a difference) brought together a Jewish Vineyard owner and wine maker (who’s house it takes place at) his young daughter, a Palestinian Book store owner, Jewish Husband and Wife ( also from the settlement) and a Palestinian who works for an Israeli company to sit at the same dinner table to break bread. Being an Interfaith Minister, I wish I could have been there and involved in the discussion.
From my vantage point in my comfortable living room chair, watching it on the tele, I could see the tension in the air, yet it was a relaxed tension if that makes sense. What I mean by relaxed tension is this; from my point of view neither side was worried about the other physically lashing out, yet all were prepared for the probability that the discussion will get heated. One thing I noticed was the respect that was shown more so by the Palestinian gentlemen to the Young (perhaps 13 years old) daughter of the Jewish Wine maker, in which she genuinely returned. For the most part they all ate in silence, until about midway through the meal. I will have to hand it to the American Chef, because he had to create dishes to accommodate both cultures, which he did rather nicely.
Now I can only assume what the thoughts were that were running through the heads of the Chef and the Journalist before the conversation really began once everyone got past the compliments of the meal. In which all parties joined in with smiling faces and general kindness. Finally, the Journalist broke the proverbial ice by asking the Book store owner how he felt about eating with the Jewish guests in a Jewish settlement house on Palestinian soil. With no apparent anger in his eyes from my viewpoint he stated “I feel uncomfortable only because I am seated in an illegal house on land which is belonging to Palestine, not only by International Law but by Israeli Law as well” “I feel as though you are dangerous to the Palestinian people” To that the husband of the Jewish couple replied “We are dangerous? You say that we are dangerous?” You are dangerous”” In 1967 who started that war between our peoples? You did! In 1974 who started it? You did! You attack Israeli people and we retaliate. As for your International Law, It sent us to Auschwitz!” That one even left me shaking my head saying “What the What?” The book store owner replied with “all we want is what was promised to us under your Israeli Law, our 22% of the land” And you call us dangerous, you have the 4th largest army in the world and Nuclear weapons, and we are dangerous?” All we ask is our 22% the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem without Israeli military lurking about”. To that the Jewish man said “we now have the means to keep what is ours”.
The Palestinian who worked for the Israeli company spoke next, “Every day I must travel through check points to go to work, I am no terrorist, I should be able to travel freely in my own country.” There has to be a compromise between our peoples” with that the Store owner says “ Our government plays with people to gain re-election, yet we are not allowed to vote, If our Mother is Israeli we have full rights, if not we do not have full or equal rights.” The wine maker finally speaks, however looking somewhat angry he says” I will give up my vineyard for peace” That shocked me.
During the program the Chef and Journalist went to Hebron for spices and other items for the meal, though the market place seemed friendly enough I could tell by the eyes of the people that there was an element of not only fear, but one of resilience and dignity. The mixture of Islamic and Judaic temples and gathering places was quite eerie to view at times, yet this appeared to be normal everyday life, until it came to the dividing wall or as Israel calls it a separation barrier, what it reminds me of is the Berlin Wall that was constructed post WWII. This “Barrier” as it’s called when finished will be some 403 miles/650Km and 25 feet/8 Meters tall complete with guard towers, yes guard towers.
On one side it is said to be for security and protection, on the other it is said to be a prison wall, can you figure which of the dinner guests feel which way?
I could go on all night about my feelings of what I watched unfold before me but it is one of those “you had to see it for yourself” programs. Near the end of the program the youngest dinner guest was asked what she thought, and she replied something like this, “I have seen enough anger and violence to last me a lifetime, nobody my age should have to see, I just want to have peace” Boy out of the mouth of babes right? To that the Palestinian book store owner replied” The wisest person at this table perhaps” I must agree. This evening may not have followed what I refer to as the 5 R’s of Interfaith Ministry, Respect, Reconciliation, Renovate, Record and Refuse; however they did respect each other, they did reconcile themselves to the fact that it could do no harm to sit, dine and talk with each other even though they had no preconceptions that they were going to solve their issues with one dinner. The program was a record of their meeting and mutual realization that they could do so in peace, and they Refused to let their Governments issues keep them from the table even though they knew they would not all agree on the conversations. So, 4 out of 5 isn’t bad.
It is said that when there are items left on the table of negotiations that the negotiations are still open and able to reconvene at a later date. When this happens there is hope for the future. The Chef and Journalist chose two different cultures that have been hostile with each other at best, and brought them together for the dinner feast under circumstances that were difficult at best, so I must applaud all who dined. I noticed one thing at the end of the program when they all left.
There was food and wine left on the table…..
