Lent 3, Exodus - Resistance

Exodus 17.1-7
“I will be standing there in front of you.” (Ex 17.6)

This story about Moses and the Israelites’ journey to the “promised land” makes difficult reading this week after five members of one family were murdered in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Those who discovered the murders describe a horrific and bloody scene. The settlement is called Itamar.

Jewish Zionists build towns in Palestinian areas because these are sites mentioned in the bible—places the Hebrew people settled after fleeing slavery in Egypt. Today’s residents of Itamar settled here in 1984, deep in the heart of the Palestinian West Bank, near Nablus (First map shows Itamar and how settlements are encroaching on Arab towns). They named their town after Moses’ brother Aaron’s youngest son, who, tradition holds, was buried near here. The town was settled by Orthodox Jews, on land belonging to the Palestinian town of Awarta, taking half of Awarta’s lands to build their settlement, according to Awarta residents .

Second map shows Itamar and Awarta in the larger area of the central West Bank, from Jerusalem north to Nablus: Palestinian areas shaded in brown; Israeli settlements shaded in blue. Itamar and Awarta are in upper center.
Before any investigation, the IDF characterized the attacks in a headline: “Five Family Members Murdered in Itamar Terror Attack.” Haaretz described the Israeli response: “Extensive police forces and Israel Defense Forces are scanning the area for the suspect.” It’s what we would expect—an investigation into the murders, right?

In the US, we heard about the killings, but not much about the Israeli soldiers who descended on Awarta, made everyone go outside, beat the men of the village, and arrested 12 of them, between the ages of 15 and 40 (see AIC News). The soldiers camped out in villagers’ homes for five days. Swedish volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement, describe what they witnessed in the days following the murders—IDF soldiers smashing furniture, polluting drinking water, pouring liquids on computers (http://palsolidarity.org/2011/03/17061/)

We also did not hear much about the dozen settlers who retaliated by marching into Awarta, throwing stones and bottles at Palestinian homes. Or how the Israeli military intervened when the villagers tried to defend themselves (http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=368642). Or about the two young cousins, 18 and 19, who were killed in March, 2010, shot at close range by Israeli soldiers. And the long history of settlers harassing Palestinians as they harvest their olives in the fall. It goes on and on.

The road to freedom for Moses and his people had not been easy. Thirst, food shortages and other hardships of travel made everyone testy and quarrelsome. Their leader, who was so sure of himself when they fled Egypt, had run out of ideas. In the barren, dry desert, not knowing where to turn, in desperation, he “cried out to the Lord.” The Lord’s answer? “Go ahead of the people…I will be standing there in front of you.”

God had not abandoned them. Just as in the pillar of fire, God continued to go ahead of them, showing them the way, providing what was necessary for life.

This is how the Palestinians survive—they stay in Awarta and other West Bank towns, trusting that God will provide what they need to remain in their homes, farming their lands, picking their olives, selling vegetables…..resisting Israeli efforts to drive them away.

God of freedom-seekers, you call your people out of bondage and lead them to places of new life, to springs of fresh water. Open our hearts to the needs of those who are imprisoned, longing for freedom and an end to their oppression. Help us find ways to join in your liberating work. Amen.