Anglican Communion News Service

[The editor received the following letter from the Dean of St Georges College, Jerusalem, as a member of the college's consultative council.]

21 May 2001

Events of the past weekend mark a turning point in the Israeli/Palestinian strife. The unprovoked murder by the IDF of five Palestinian policemen, the Palestinian suicide bomber's retaliation that killed six Israelis, and then the massive IDF retaliation with missiles into Gaza and F16 fighters into Nablus have set into motion more wheels than I know.

The criticism of Ariel Sharon is not simply international. He has opposition within his own Security Council. Four daily newspapers (including Ha'aretz and the Jerusalem Post) in Jerusalem are also critical, for it seems that Sharon has no other strategy than a military escalation which has already proven counter-productive.

Reactions are still happening too swiftly for any definitive conclusions to be drawn. My own feeling is that Sharon must be stopped before this turns into a regional war, and that probably means an international peace-keeping force. I can understand the US fear that such would be an unending quagmire, but I see no other alternative.

Having described the depths of the situation, it seems strange to say that the daily routine for most people here has not been affected by the weekend carnage. On Saturday every store in East Jerusalem closed in protest. Today (Monday) is an Israeli holiday (Jerusalem Day) celebrating their occupation of Jerusalem, so there is disruption by those things and by increased difficulty in crossing checkpoints. We at the College have increased our caution in our daily scheduling, but the course members are still having a full and exciting day. My pledge to cancel a course if I feel that either our security or the quality of the experience is being compromised is still a pledge that I both feel strongly about and feel is not yet necessary.

Obviously I have a vested interest in telling people that they will have a safe and fulfilling trip here, but there is more involved than the interest of the College. First there is the matter of reality versus image: I believe my assessment is right, and most people here would agree with me. Secondly there is the matter of Christian witness. The College itself is neutral in this strife and every course has presentations by Jews and Muslims as well as Christians. We would counsel against any political involvement by our course members. Yet there is a great need for people to know what is really happening, for people simply to be here with their eyes open. No one can visit here and be unconcerned with the Intifada, and perhaps that is a call of our Lord. The answer to that Intifada ultimately lies in Christ, despite the necessity for such short-termed things as peace-keeping forces. Perhaps the support of the remaining Christians in the Holy Land is as important to a pilgrimage as that one visits a Holy Site.

The Very Revd S Ross Jones, Dean
St George's College Jerusalem