Eifo Hashalom? (Where’s the Peace?)

Greetings from Israel! It’s Tuesday night, and there’s much for me to write and talk about. I’ll begin talking about the current events here in Israel. First on my mind is the Muslim rage taking place around the world. In case you missed it, some newspapers in Europe published cartoons depicting Mohammed in unflattering ways. Muslims, outraged at such blasphemous portrayals, have taken to burning and pillaging European embassies in the Middle East (for more info, check out http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/07/cartoon.protests/index.html).

Let me say that, while I don’t condone the actions of the Muslim rioters, I think it was inappropriate of the European newspapers to publish the cartoons. Many European nations tend to be, in attitude and action, anti-Muslim, and I feel that this protest is a reaction that should surprise no one. Anyways, everyone here is pretty tense about it. The protest struck close to home when Haaretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, published a picture of Muslim protestors burning a Danish flag in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem- the same ‘Little Town of Bethlehem” I visited last Thursday. Needless to say, I won’t be visiting the West Bank (or much of Eastern Jerusalem, for that matter) again until this situation calms down. The news struck even closer to home when I went to the Arab market the other day. The fellow I bought pita off of (delicious, by the way- fresh, aromatic, mmmmmm…), asked me, in broken English, “From Denmark?” I told the seller I was from another country- a good country, in his opinion- and he let me go with a smile. Had I told him I was Danish, I’m sure he may have pinned me down and pulled out my entrails. People have told me I look Northern European, and I always thought that would keep me safe here. Well, not anymore, apparently.

There is also a situation with Iran that continues to get more and more exciting with each passing day. Iran, apparently, wants nuclear weapons and power capabilities that the rest of the world doesn’t think an extreme Muslim state ought to have (see http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183975,00.html). Israel has made threats that it will not stand by as Iran gains nuclear capabilities, and most Israelis believe these threats should be taken seriously. You may recall that Iraq, like Iran, once wanted nuclear weapons. Israel, once again, wouldn’t allow this to happen and, in 1981, destroyed the Iraqi nuclear weapons facility at Osirack. People here seem to think Israel will do the same thing to Iran. I don’t doubt that they will, but I think Iran will be a much tougher nut to crack than Iraq. Personally, I’m thankful I’m studying in Jerusalem, where the threat of an Iranian nuclear attack is relatively low compared to Tel Aviv or other places in Israel.

Third in the news is the evacuation of the Amona settlement, an illegal Israeli outpost in the West Bank (http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/7734.htm). There have been big demonstrations here, as the article says, and Israeli society is incredibly torn on the subject. Personally, I find it really exciting to read the news and then hear from friends how the protests affected or prohibited there visits to downtown Jerusalem. I have encountered a few protestors- mostly hippy types- beating on drums in downtown Jerusalem. I have also seen the signs that say, in Hebrew, “Olmert is bad for the Jews.” The elections here at the end of March ought to be incredibly charged, exciting, and historic. The fate of the West Bank will hang in the balance. Be that as it may, it’s wonderful to be able to witness the political system here and not have to take sides. Truth be told, I’m still burnt out on political rhetoric after the 2004 presidential election.

The weather today was beautiful. Lower to mid-60’s, sunny (the sun has a special way of reflecting off the Temple Mount Mosque), and a great day for a walk. The climate is semi-tropical, but we're in the mountains so the wind often makes it really chilly. It's also the rainy season, so it's more wet than usual (in the summer, Jerusalem turns into a desert). The weather now is reminiscent of early May in Ohio- still a little nippy, but summer is on the way. The grass is green, though, flowers are blooming, and the palm trees wave in the wind.

The university turns off the hot water during the day. As long as I take my showers in the morning and the evening, I’m all right, but at any other times it’s a chilling experience. Most buildings here have solar panels on the roof that serve as water heaters and, with all the sunshine, they must work quite well.

I had the chance to take a Jewish fellow to see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher today. It was quite a humbling experience. The more I’m here, the more I realize how inadequate I am on my own to share the Gospel. My words of witness and testimony are completely insufficient apart from the power of God, but I trust and pray that He can, and will, use me in peoples’ lives. I’m so thankful that the work of God does not depend on my efforts (although, with His grace, I’ll try as hard as I can), that He wants a relationship with everyone (Rom. 5:8, 2 Peter 3:9), and that He can use me, a sinful and deficient person, to share the Good News.

I hope you all have a great week. All the best and God bless.