| ACSI
in the media
Home
> ACSI in the media
Australian Christians Supporting Israel aims to
become an effective voice for Christians who support Israel in
the Australian media.
ACSI doesn't aim to respond to every element of
unfair criticism of Israel in the media - there are other organisations
that do that. But ACSI wants its voice heard when Christians,
in the name of their respective denominations, unfairly criticise
Israel. If you see evidence of this, e-mail
us and we'll respond.
Letter to the Editor
The Melbourne Anglican, March 2009
Jamie Miller’s account of his Israel tour (Pain and humiliation daily fare for Palestinians – TMA, Feb) is one-sided and error-laden. He writes that Israel bans Israelis from entering Palestinian areas, implying this is to isolate Palestinians and hurt their economy. In fact, Israelis are banned from entering these areas for their protection. Many Israelis have been murdered whilst shopping in the Palestinian Authority.
He refers to the "obscene concrete barrier" separating parts of the West Bank from Israel and cynically dismisses the need to prevent hundreds of Israeli deaths by Palestinian suicide bombers. This "wall" (over 90% being wire fence) has saved lives and prevented the need for military action. The impact on the Palestinian economy is the unfortunate consequence of terrorism.
Mr Miller doesn’t mention the guns, knives and explosives found weekly during those "humiliating" pat-down searches of Palestinians. The victims of the March 2008 Yeshiva shooting in Jerusalem would probably agree that a pat-down isn’t humiliating if you have nothing to hide.
He writes of Israeli only roads in the West Bank, omitting that Israelis and Palestinians once shared roads until Israelis were shot at by Palestinian snipers. The Israeli investment in new roads again prevented the need for military action.
Miller’s piece is editorial comment, devoid of context, disguised as emotive, personal experience. Yes, the Palestinian Christian population is decreasing but this is entirely due to persecution by Palestinian Muslims. Sabeel, however, are perfectly safe while they selectively ignore Palestinian terrorism and fabricate Israeli "atrocity". In doing so they put their political ambitions ahead of the welfare of the Christians they claim to represent.
Patrick Atherton
Australian Christians Supporting Israel
Is Israel the land of God's Promise?
Melbourne Anglican, February 2009
Australian Christians Supporting Israel brought Murray Dixon to Melbourne in September 2009 to speak an ACSI event. During his time in Melbourne, Murray spoke to the Melbourne Anglican. Murray Dixon is not an ACSI member.
Murray Dixon, author of Israel: Land of God's Promise, spoke to Peter Riddell towards the end of last year - before the outbreak of current hostilities between Israel and Palestine - about the complexities of the issues between the two countries.
"I believe that God's purposes are stated for Israel in the Scriptures," said New Zealand author Murray Dixon. "I wrote this book for gentile Christians who might consider this in their spectrum of thinking."
Murray Dixon, who now devotes his time to speaking and writing, ministered in parish work for the New Zealand Anglican Church before serving as a chaplain in the Air Force. For many years he led study tours to Israel, which culminated in his taking up the position of Rector at Christ Church Jerusalem for over a decade. He only stepped down earlier last year.
Christ Church Jerusalem was established in 1849 by the Church's Ministry among Jewish People (CMJ) and represented a change in direction under the Ottoman Empire which ruled the area. "New churches couldn't be built under the Ottomans," Dixon explained. "But there was a deal struck up between the British Government and the Caliphate in Istanbul. Christ Church is actually officially the chapel of the British Consul in Jerusalem.
However, Anglicans in Jerusalem do not always sing from the same score. Under the second Anglican Bishop appointed to the diocese, ministry was directed more towards the Arab population, with a particular focus on St George's Cathedral, built later in East Jerusalem. Dixon explained that the relationship between Christ Church and the Cathedral has been "quite a separated one", especially in more recent years under Arab bishops.
Murray Dixon's concern with ministry among the Jewish people has greatly influenced his book. Speaking of the audience for his world he said:
"A particular emphasis in the books falls upon the Jewishness of Jesus, especially in the second chapter. It seems to me that today it is particularly important to be reinforcing Jesus' Jewishness because of the influence of the Palestinisation of Jesus", explained Murray. Referring to an announcement in Christmas 1995 when the late PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat made the proclamation that Jesus was a Palestinian, Dixon decried the lack of response from the churches to what he saw as revisionist history by Arafat. "World Council of Churches material at times seems to be very much influenced by this whole thinking. I believe it has become quite influential, even among senior leaders of the different denominations in Jerusalem. I think there has been a conditioning here."
Dixon's interpretation of modern events draws heavily on his reading of the Bible. In response to questions about whether more literal readings of Bible versus are relevant for today's world, he said: "We've got to be very, very cautious. When we look at Psalm 83 and we see the list of ancient nations, it seems to me that you transpose that map onto a modern map and you've got virtually the Muslim heartlands."
According to Dixon, the Islamic challenge to Israel today does indeed seem to represent a fulfilment of Biblical prophecy. He sees continuing Arab rejections of offers of a state - "from the creation of Transjordan onwards - the White Paper of 1939, the Partition Plan itself, even the 2000 Camp David II process between Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat" - as evidence of an uncompromising determination to destroy Israel. "The picture throughout this has been to take the land back - that the two state solution is not really a solution; it's just a step towards the ultimate of retaking that land." In this he hears sharp echoes of the prophecy of Psalm 83.
Nevertheless, biblical prophecy can also work in favour of the Arab peoples, says Dixon: "…the Lord plans, not to liquidate the Palestinian people, but to integrate them into Israel. There are a couple of scriptures in Zechariah and Zephaniah that suggest that there will be a move of God among the Palestinians who will come to know the Lord and this will bring integration. In faith in Jesus and the renewed understanding of the greater things there will come peace. The source will be through Jesus, the Prince of Peace."
Though Murray's book primarily considers how the Bible maps out events in the world today, he is comfortable discussing the big issues of the day outside a biblical context. One of his great concerns relates to anti-Semitism. While acknowledging that there has been much public discussion of this topic, especially in the context of the Nazi Holocaust, his concern is much more specific: "Quite often I've found that Christians are ignorant about the history of the experience of the Jewish people at the hands of the Church," he said. "African Christians, especially from Nigeria, seem to be more aware of the Church's role in anti-Semitism - more so that what I have seen of western Christians. It's something that the Church really needs to address."
As for matters relating to daily conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Dixon's many years in Jerusalem have provided him with some clear insights, as well as a sense of suffering on both sides of the conflict. On the much discussed Separation Wall, he sates: "There are two sides to the issue of the Wall, and I recognise that it has very negative effects for Arab people. My question then is what is the alternative? The issues and conflicts in the region are so deeply embedded. I've never experienced hated like we've seen in the Middle East. And it's not all on one side at all. I've been to Gaza and I've been to some of the camps inside and outside Gaza, and the squalor and life standard is horrific. But some drastic steps had to be taken to stem the suicide bombings. On Gaza, remember that when the Israelis pulled out, a number left very fruitful agricultural plants there. They had used Palestinians as workmen on the sites and they handed those over intact, and they were destroyed. Whichever side you're on it's a nightmare to try and sort out."
Another issue which exercises his mind is media reporting of events in Israel and Palestine. In response to those who accuse Western media reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian situation as biased in favour of Israel, he countered: "I don't think it can be as simple as that. There are also those who are very biased in favour of the Palestinian Arabs. Both sides have got bias."
A further hot issue is the continuing establishment and maintenance of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Murray acknowledges the great difficulties here, pointing out that "there are those that are going to try and put settlements up even if the Israeli government is opposed to it. They see it as what they must do for the restoration of Israel. But it certainly obviously poses great difficulty for trying to get some sort of resolution to the whole political situation."
One of the great difficulties for outsiders who try to interpret the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is that comment from insiders tends to either represent the view that Israel can do no right or the opposite view that Israel can do no wrong. Murray Dixon's approach overall suggested an internal struggle on his part. His instincts, based on his reading of the Bible, leant towards Israeli positions and concerns. At the same time he was willing to take account of the human concerns of the Palestinians. Such an approach, while more complex that black and white positions on the Middle East conflict, is more reflective of the realities of the daily trials of Israelis and Palestinians.
Promise to Israel stands
Melbourne Anglican, August 2008
Dr. Lindsay Wilson ('The Promised Land - not given forever' TMA, July) has an unfortunate reading of biblical promises. Regarding God's promise to Jews to have the Land of Israel as an everlasting possession, he claims God's use of the word 'forever' doesn't actually mean forever. If true, it doesn't give much hope that God's promises to us through Jesus means forever!
He also writes that biblical Israel's possession of the land was conditional. God makes clear that Israel's right to the land as an eternal inheritance is different from Israel's right to possess the land. The first is unconditional, the second is conditional. (However, Isaiah makes clear that twice Israel would be removed from the land and twice it would be restored. Amos prophesied that once Israel was restored for the second time it would never again be destroyed.)
As Dr. Wilson points out, Romans 9-11 doesn't mention a future physical restoration of Israel, but that's because Romans was written before the temple was destroyed and the Jews exiled. Paul didn't write about a physical restoration because it wasn't on people's minds, as Jews were still living there.
Finally, Dr. Wilson makes the valid point that the modern "state of Israel is not the same as the Old Testament theological entity of Israel." While true, he substitutes modern Israel with Jews, writing, "this does not imply that any modern Jewish political group or nation can inherit the promises made to the people of God in the Old Testament." Here, he is fundamentally wrong.
The modern state of Israel is a manifestation of modern politics (is modern England the same as in the time of Rufus the Red?), but the people running Israel are the same Jews on whose God's promises to all humanity centre.
Let's remember that of the four covenants God made in the Old Testament (to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David - with a fifth, new, covenant being fulfilled by Jesus), only the Mosaic covenant was conditional. The other three promises were all unchanging, eternal and unconditional.
Finally, none of this excludes justice for Palestinians. But so far, Palestinian attempts at self-determination have been at the expense of Israeli lives, and Palestinian media, school books and the like point to an almost universal Palestinian desire to replace Israel, not live alongside it. When this Palestinian goal (and violent attempts to realise it) changes, Israelis will be much happier ceding land for Palestinian self-rule.
Annette Meller
Australian Christians Supporting Israel
| 
