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Defining Christian Palestinianism: Words Matter Hans Morten Haugen Haugen: Defining Christian Palestinianism Defining Christian Palestinianism: Words Matter Hans Morten Haugen Dr. Haugen is a professor in the Faculty of Theology, Diakonia and Leadership at VID Specialized University in Oslo. estern churches have A politically mobilized strand of over the last 10-15 years Christian fundamentalism commit- made repeated calls for ted to preserving Jewish control over a just peace in the Israel- all of historic Palestine to ensure the Palestine conflict. This includes adoption realization of the movement’s own W 2 end-time hopes. of measures referred to as BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) and calls to their While this definition is useful, not respective governments to put stronger all adherents of Christian Zionism are pressure on Israel to bring an end to the necessarily fundamentalists. Moreover, a 1967 occupation. Calls to boycott settle- distinction must be made between those ment products or divest from companies basing their support of the modern state operating in a settlement, or providing of Israel on Biblical end-time prophe- crucial equipment to the Israeli separation cies (primarily Ezeckiel, Joel, Daniel and barrier — most of it built inside the 1967 Zechariah) and those basing their sup- borders — have been strongly resented port on Biblical texts about land promises by other Christian actors,1 who believe for Israelites3 from the first books of the these churches are deceiving Israel and Bible.4 Many of those emphasizing the revitalizing the anti-Judaism that has been end-time prophecies belong to premil- a shameful part of the history of Western lennial dispensationalism,5 which has churches. its greatest representation in the United Many of these actors self-identify with States. Those emphasizing covenantal land Christian Zionism, which some term Bibli- promises have their stronghold in Eu- cal Zionism. The latter term has a broader rope, the so-called International Christian appeal than “Christian” when engaging Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) being the most Jews. For simplicity, the acronym CZ is important actor.6 Its media director says used in this article to encompass differ- that dispensationalism “is based on errone- ent forms of Christian Zionism, defined ous interpretations of … the Bible,”7 but by the leading scholar Robert O. Smith as he does not acknowledge any associated follows: harmful effects. © 2017, The Author Middle East Policy © 2017, Middle East Policy Council 41 Middle East Policy, Vol. XXIV, No. 2, Summer 2017 There are many reasons to be con- Semitism, anti-Zionism, anti-Israelism or cerned about the noncompromising posi- “replacement” theology,11 the latter closely tion of both the ordinary CZ — who claim linked to Christian anti-Judaism. These that those “dividing the land” will come terms are all applied imprecisely, as will be under God’s judgment8 — and the premil- illustrated. lennial dispensationalists. Irrespective of A brief reflection on ethical consider- how much influence the CZ actors have ations in undertaking this analysis is neces- over U.S. foreign policy, they are at least sary. I have chaired Friends of Sabeel Nor- recognized as important by Benjamin Ne- way since 2007. Sabeel, Arabic for “water tanyahu, quoted as saying: “Israel has no source” and “way,” has offices in Jerusa- better friends in the world than Christian lem and Nazareth and “friends” associa- Zionists.”9 tions in a dozen countries. This has given Hence, there is a wide split within Sabeel a platform to reach a wide audience Christianity over the state of Israel. While in several countries, making it a target for “official” Israel has chosen to align with many CZ actors. Sabeel is said to “spear- CZ actors, it seeks to delegitimize all those, head the [CP] movement,” with its found- including churches, who are accused of er, Naim Ateek, being the “chief archi- delegitimizing Israel. Even calls for divest- tect.”12 I am critical of many CZ authors’ ment from companies of any nationality inaccuracies. For instance, Paul Wilkinson, that are either operating in the illegal settle- who labeled CP (see more below),13 made ments or building infrastructure upholding strong allegations against the document the occupation are considered anti-Semitic. titled Kairos Palestine. Published by 13 CZ actors have engaged in a two-tiered influential Palestinian Christian men and strategy: first, to criticize the churches women in 2009, it called for an end to the making decisions labeled “anti-Israeli” or Israeli occupation, labeled a “sin” (kairos even “anti-Jewish” or “anti-Semitic”; and is Greek for the “appointed time”). Wilkin- second, to stigmatize those Christians and son alleges that Kairos Palestine includes Christian organizations that are said to the following message: “Israel is an influence these very churches, purported to apartheid state, guilty of genocide, ethnic represent Christian Palestinianism (CP). cleansing and war crimes, and the state This article attempts to analyze the of Israel is a sin against God…” and that rhetoric at play between two opposite posi- “WorldVision is totally against Israel.”14 tions: CZ, a term in general use, including While all of these are wrong,15 it might be by CZ actors themselves, and CP, a term that other observations made by Wilkinson currently used only by their opponents.10 or other authors are both accurate and a The reasons it is of interest to study verbal fruitful basis for further investigations. I exchanges between CZ and CP actors seek to relate to the writing of CZ actors through the lens of the term CP are three- critically and without prejudice, even if I fold. First, the term is new and has not myself might be one of those targeted. been previously researched. Second, it provides an intriguing introduction to the THE ORIGIN OF TERMS worldviews and strategies of CZ actors. The term “Palestinianism” was first Third, it has fewer inherent prejudices at- used in a publication in chapter 14 (“Pales- tached to it, as compared to terms like anti- tinianism: The New Eurabian Cult”) of Bat 42 Haugen: Defining Christian Palestinianism Yeor’s 2005 book Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Our faith teaches that following in the Axis. The authors cited in explaining the footsteps of Christ means standing emergence of this term are Kenneth Cragg for the oppressed, working for justice, (1913-2012; Anglican bishop of Egypt and seeking peace-building opportuni- 1970-74 and Oxford Professor of Theol- ties, and it challenges us to empower 16 local Christians… [and] to pursue ogy) and Naim Ateek (b. 1937; Anglican, ways of finding answers to ongoing founder and current chairperson of the theological questions about the sanc- Board of Sabeel; originator of the term tity of life, justice, and peace.22 “morally responsible investments,” which inspired BDS).17 Neither of them uses This formulation seems to capture “Palestinianism.” The term is introduced the essence of PLT. The emphasis is on by Yeor to capture the overall message of following in the footsteps of Jesus and this “cult,” characterized by conferring “a the prophets in calling for repentance and theological value upon Palestinian suffer- justice. It is true that Sabeel’s “vision for ing, …drummed into the European politi- the future” is for one state,23 but this has cal conscience through the church institu- to come as the result of a long process tions, the media and Eurabian networks.”18 of building mutual trust and a drastically Hence, even if theology were relevant improved security situation. and church institutions were identified as PLT is concerned with the universal- central to the emergence of the term “Pal- ization of the Christian Gospel and seeks estinianism,” Yeor did not apply the term to build on Christ’s example. The term Christian Palestinianism. “contextual theology” is applied by other When specifying the means through Palestinians, but Ateek and Sabeel promote which Palestinianism had been promoted, PLT. Their inspiration comes from Bibli- Yeor identifies “the traditional Christian cal stories of liberation and the teachings demonization of the Jews.”19 She also of Jesus.24 Old Testament stories of land claims that Palestinianism “provides the conquest and attacks that can justifiably be moral justification for the elimination of termed genocide are downplayed, while the state of Israel.”20 While Yeor refers to God’s universal love is highlighted. In several sources, starting with Saint Au- short, PLT takes God’s universal mission gustine, her linking of the tragic history of salvation as its starting point. The term of Christian anti-Judaism and the current CP, on the other hand, takes the modern “justification for the elimination of the state of Israel, and others’ attitudes to it, as state of Israel” fails to convince. its starting point. Yeor then introduces Palestinian Lib- Melanie Phillips, in her 2006 book eration Theology (PLT), rightly identify- Londonistan: How Britain Is Creating a ing Naim Ateek as its conceptualizer. Her Terror State Within, identifies Anglican subsequent description of PLT is less pre- Palestinian Christians as influencing the cise, however: “These Christians believe Anglican Church. She found an “extreme that they would thereby obey God’s will viciousness” and “monstrous mindset” by helping to destroy Israel by whatever in the Anglican Church,25 whose 2006 means.”21 This is a very inaccurate descrip- synod decided to divest from “companies tion of PLT. To quote Sabeel, established profiting from the illegal occupation.…”26 by Ateek in 1994,
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