2 of 3

Rawan Damen, who is also part of the speaking tour, agrees that occupation is among several issues blocking peaceful relations between Israelis and Palestinians in the region.

Damen, a 22-year-old Muslim Palestinian who has coauthored three books and several articles about Palestinian children, told CT she placed very little faith in the peace process, even before its interruption.

"We knew it wasn't treating the problem of occupation," she says. "The Palestinians see the Israeli politicians and government not dealing with the idea of occupation and settlements. The Palestinians are skeptical of Israelis' intentions."

Damen's family history in Palestine goes back to the 14th century on her mother's side and 350 years on her father's.

Damen says that economic issues—including a high percentage of Palestinians living below the poverty line—and Israeli control over water and electricity are sources of hostility between the groups.

She would like for people to move more freely between the 64 zones that divide the West Bank, an area about half the size of the Chicago metropolitan area. Damen, a recent graduate of Birzeit University in Palestine, says her walks to the university campus—about a 15-minute journey by car—often took her more than two hours because of security checkpoints. "No one wants to live that way," she says.

Interest in a peace agreement between the two groups has intensified as the Bush administration attempts to build an anti-terrorism coalition that includes countries in the region. Truce talks were jeopardized four times in the last week by resumed violence, but Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat agreed to maintain a ceasefire, establish a committee to help implement the Mitchell peace plan, and cooperate on security. The leaders plan to meet again within a week.

Damen, who witnessed the bombing of Ramallah last year, says she hopes the situation will improve. "I believe there is an opportunity for peace between Palestinians and Israelis," she says. "We have no other option."

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

CNN's in-depth report, "Struggle for Peace,"explains the decades of mistrust and animosity between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Rawan Damen attended Birzeit University in Palestine.

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians.

For current articles on the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, see Yahoo's full coverage area.

Recent Christianity Today articles on violence in the Holy Land include:

Amid Fears for Future, Jerusalem's Churches Embark On Prayers for Peace | Week of prayer launched with services held in various congregations. (Aug. 22, 2001)

Strengthen Christian Presence In The Holy Land, Carey Pleads | Middle-East leaders asked to help tone down violence that has killed 650 in 10 months. (August 2, 2001)

Violence Puts Archaeologists Between Rocks, Hard Places | About half of the planned excavations in the Holy Land this summer have been canceled. (June 27, 2001)

Christian Zionists Rally for Jewish State | More than 600 Christians from around the world flock to Jerusalem to show solidarity with Israel as peace process collapses. (Apr. 9, 2001)

next page... |  2 of 3

share this page

September (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45