DEC 24: It's Christmas Eve; I'm in Bethlehem, part of the West Bank, and here it doesn't matter if you're Christian, Jewish (few in these parts) or Muslim of any flavor because, either way, you'll likely be keenly aware that you've stepped into (what millions of people understandably consider) occupied territory. There's a tangible unease here, a notable tension lying just beneath the surface. Of course, the general mood remains light and the city itself is aglow (it IS Christmas after all - and Bethlehem is the world capitol of the holiday). The vast majority of the thousands of pilgrims around me are Arab Christians and most are more than friendly but you can't escape the feeling that people are on edge.

It's not hard to imagine why. Gaza has been conquered by Hamas, fracturing the Palestinian people. Another year has passed without peace, another international conference  has been held where pragmatic puppet masters poured empty promises into video cameras spreading controlled messages to a blissfully ignorant audience around the globe. Meanwhile the conflict continues, innocents suffer, and none of the real problems are properly addressed.

There's now a massive concrete wall surrounding much of Bethlehem. Even more than the one outside Jerusalem, this wall seems formidable and quite imposing, reaching into the sky and jutting off at sharp angles. Staring at the monolith, however, one starts to see that an object of separation can also be used as a canvas for hope. Countless artists, both local and international, some amateur and others established, have colored the wall with inspired and politically charged creative works - everything from graffiti to poetry, photography to traditional paintings. The contrast is stunning but the theme is as common as it is clear - freedom for Palestine, the chance for its people to be directors of their own destiny.

There's a lot of room for argument and debate on these matters of course. The arguments have been going on for decades and, by other dimensions, for centuries. I'm not here to take sides in or rekindle that debate. There are plenty of other places you can find for that. I'm just here to share my experience which, of late, has helped reshape some of my perspectives.

I cannot cease to support the right of Israel to exist, nor its right to vigorously defend itself  from acts of terror and hatred. And while I cannot condemn the desire of an oppressed people to fight, by whatever means they can, for their freedom, I certainly do and will continue to condemn the cowardly and hateful acts of violence and terror by radical groups against innocent people. Moreover, I continue to find it strange that this group of oppressed people have adopted, as their national identity, a name that has existed only and ever because of it's long history of occupation - Palestine. Additionally, one can argue that there's never been a proper country called Palestine. But the reality is that, whether it eventually receives official sanction or not, there is one now.

Unlike some of the political elites taking up the media spotlight these days, I don't pretend to have any answers to this tragic cycle. The reality is that even if all the superficial problems were solved tomorrow, with the right people shaking hands and signing papers, the problems would not go away. In the older generation, there seems to be only mutual hatred that can  (apparently) be swayed only by the complete destruction of one's enemies. The younger generation seems more sincere about calling for real peace but competes with "educational" and religious institutions intent on brainwashing and a disillusioned populous turning increasingly to fundamental forms of their religion; hardly a recipe for optimism. But, like the artists adorning the barrier forced upon them, I continue to look for reasons to hope.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm in my hotel room avoiding work I really need to get done. The hotel is nice enough and, considering how late in the year I made reservations, it's amazing I was able to get a room at all! That said, there is room for complaints. Half the facilities advertised in the hotel's brochure (e.g. fitness center, restaurants, etc.) don't actually exist. Apparently they're also out of TVs. While the attitude toward customer service is vastly superior to that to be found in Israel (generally), the signs of an economy under considerable stress are clear.

By all reports, this year marks a resurgence of tourism in the area, and attendance is the highest it's been in some time. On the flip side, Arab Christians are apparently leaving the region, with a reduction in the population by up to 15%. I do find it interesting that Christianity is so casually allowed, even encouraged (though largely for the economy's sake) in a nation (Palestine) that is largely Muslim. I can't think of a single Arab state in the rest of the world where such a gathering would even be a remote possibility, though this IS the Holy Land and Christians, for good or bad, have been a staple here for some time. The cohabitation hasn't always worked (to put it mildly) but when it does it shows us that there are lessons here the world should really learn.

I've been to Manger Square. I've walked around the Church and Grotto of the Nativity, and I'll be attending tonight's midnight mass (which is broadcast around the world each year). Impressive and awe inspiring as these historical treasures may be, I find myself less interested than I thought I'd be. Maybe it's the crowds of people touching, kissing, and photographing every single icon or maybe its the torrent of shopkeepers hawking every religious collectible imaginable tempting me to see Bethlehem as just another tourist trap. Maybe it's the fact that explorations and truly spiritual experiences such as these are almost always better when shared with friends or family. At least I can say that I've been here.

While I find myself generally under-whelmed with the unavoidable saturation of religiosity here, my fascination with the people so captivated by it remains. I may have become a cynical, detached observer of the events happening around me, but I can certainly appreciate the need for ritual, pageantry and traditional forms of religious expression. People need something to hold onto, something to remind them what and why it is they believe in something more than themselves. Its a basic human need and that in itself reminds me that I am not alone in the universe, I am not an accident of the cosmos. Shared belief creates community and also allows for the healthy release/exorcism of passions, anxieties, doubts, and fears. In the midst of seemingly intractable conflict, people here are still looking for truth and hope - concepts that lie at the very core of the Christmas season.

With Hope,
Joseph

Occupied Territory | Church of the Nativity | Religious Expression