LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is sponsoring a travel study seminar in Israel and Palestine.

A group of more than 100 Presbyterians left on Wednesday (April 26) and is expected to return to the United States on May 5.

The event is the culmination of three years of planning by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, the PC(USA)'s Office of the Middle East and Europe, and the International Center in Bethlehem.

The purpose of the trip, which will involve teams from PC(USA) presbyteries, is to give participants a first-hand understanding of the situation in the region. It will include meetings with a variety of Israeli and Palestinian individuals and organizations and invite participants to plan ministries to be implemented upon the group's return to the United States.

Ninety-five participants represent 27 of the church's 173 presbyteries, in three- to seven-person teams...

Today brought our second day of presentations by a variety of speakers. The theme of the opening session was "Christian Witness in Palestine Today." It began with an impromptu presentation of statistical data on Palestinian Christians. When this brief overview was complete, our first distinguished guest was Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal of the Episcopal Diocese of the Jerusalem and the Middle East...

...The second session of the morning dealt with the "Economics of Peace." The speakers were Terry Rempel and William Somplatsky-Jarman.

Terry Rempel is an independent consultant and Research Fellow and Ph.D. candidate at the School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies, University of Exeter (UK). He is the author of numerous book chapters, articles and reports about Palestinian refugees. His current area of research examines refugee participation in peace negotiations. He is a founding member of BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency & Refugee Rights and was Coordinator of Research and Information between 1998 and 2004. BADIL takes a rights-based approach to the Palestinian refugee issue and supports the development of a popular refugee lobby for the right of return.

Rempel spoke about what he called "the other divestment" * efforts to use economic measures against Palestinian, Israeli, and international non-governmental organizations seeking to challenge the status quo. Perhaps the most visible use of such economic leverage has been the withdrawal of assistance to the Palestinian Authority by the U.S., the European Union, Canada, and Norway. Israel's withholding of sales tax revenues and custom duties on products entering the Palestinian territories is another example.

In a campaign to dissolve the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA), charges are made that the organization aids and abets Palestinian refugee demands to return home, turns a blind eye to the presence of armed combatants in refugee camps, retains members of organizations on the US terrorist list on its payroll, and accepts funds from organizations with terrorist links. However, in light of the withholding of funds from the Palestinian Authority, UNWRA has become viewed as a key player in channeling aid to the Palestinians and Rempel believes the organization has been granted a temporary reprieve.[Unfortunately. -S]

The Rev. William Somplatsky-Jarman spoke next. Somplatsky-Jarman is the Associate for Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) and Environmental Justice of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and has served in that capacity since 1984...

..."Is this an effective strategy?" Somplatsky-Jarman asked. He answered, "If the Church can create a new moral discourse around this issue and challenge American and international corporations to do business with a just and moral conscious, it can lead to improvements in the region."...

...The speakers spent a few minutes in a question and answer period and then the participants went to lunch. The afternoon session continued the focus on "The Economics of Peace" and featured three speakers: the Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, Ingrid Jaradat Gassner, and the Rev. Dr. Victor Makari...

...Ms. Ingrid Jaradat Gassner was born and raised in Austria. In 1997, Ingrid co-founded the BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights. She serves as the director of BADIL and has participated in numerous international conferences and seminars about the Palestinian refugee question and requirements for Middle East peacemaking. She is a co-author and editor of BADIL research studies and publications.

Referring to Dr. Ateek’s presentation, Ingrid noted that in looking at the history of the region it becomes apparent who is the oppressed and who is the oppressor. Until 1948, most Palestinian Arabs lived in Palestine. Today more than half of Palestinian Arabs live outside those borders. Before 1948, Palestinian Arabs owned most of the land. Today Palestinians own only 12% of the land.

Ingrid stated that, in the face of the situation in Israel/Palestine, economic measures such as divestment are probably the only non-violent means to make a difference in the current imbalance of power...

On April 28, we rise early for a tour with the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions.