Holy Land: Israel and the West Bank

Craig was  able to go to the Holy Land in 2010 on a clergy familiarization trip. We  both went in 2013. It is a wonder to be at the same places where so  many Bible stories came from. Being there has a feeling that is hard to  put into words. It is a true privilege to have visited there.

Unfortunately,  this particular place on earth we call holy is also a place of  violence. In ancient times, it was in between ancient superpowers. So  many battles were fought there, some of which had nothing to do with the  local residents. The Holy Land is in the fertile crescent and was and  is valuable for food. There has never been much in the way of natural  resources there, except for salt. Its location made it a trading route  between empires and civilizations elsewhere. Egypt was to the southwest.  The Mesopotamia empires were to the north and northeast. Then Persia  came from the east. Later the Greeks came from the north. Later still,  Rome took it all.

Today,  the Jews seek their ancient homeland (the Romans kicked them out  centuries ago). But to return, they displaced the current residents  without compensation. That resettlement has yet to be fully settled. The  Israeli government controls the West Bank limiting Palestinian freedom.  A wall was built separating Israel from the West Bank for protection  (there is a peace between the Palestinian state and Israel) causing  economic hardship on the West Bank. Israel cannot annex the West Bank  without making the Palestinians citizens, greatly reducing the Jewish  population percentage. At the same time, they are reluctant to agree to a  Palestinian state without dealing with possible World Court issues with  their treatment of the Palestinians. But the big impediment to a  settlement is water. Water is a precious resource in the Middle East and  Israel does not want to give up access to the Jordan River. In the  meantime, we can hope and pray that some kind of agreement can be  reached.

After  the church became legitimate after the Pact of Milan, many churches  were built in the Holy Land using state funds of the Roman Empire.  Earthquakes destroyed many churches that were later rebuilt during the  Byzantine Empire or by the Crusaders. Some churches are of recent  construction. Christians in the Holy Land are Palestinians. Because life there is so  oppressive, Christians are resettling in Europe and other places. It is  possible that soon there will be no Christians left in the Holy Land to  attend all those churches.