Holy Land - Part II | Rotary Club of Lincoln East

Lyle gave us a Brief History of the Past 150 Years leading to present day issues between Israel and Palestine. All trade use to travel from Africa or Europe through the land that Israel now occupies during the time that the British controlled it. The people that lived in this area before the war of 1967 were either Arab or Jewish. The war of 1967 only lasted seven days.

The West Bank area was former a British-mandated (1920-1947) territory of Palestine which is west of the Jordan River. From 1949 to 1988 it was part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, but occupied from 1967 by Israel. The territory, excluding East Jerusalem, is also known within Israel by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria.

As you can see what the territory of the West Bank looked like before Israel took over. Within its present boundaries, the West Bank represents the portion of the former mandate retained in 1948 by the Arab forces that entered Palestine after the departure of the British. These borders and status of the area were established by the Jordanian-Israeli armistice of April 3, 1949. The decades that followed the armistice, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) each laid claim to the approximately 2,180 square-mile area.

During the 1967 war, Israel occupied the Est Bank and established a military administration throughout the area, except in East Jerusalem, which Israel incorporated into itself. This period of relative calm began to wane during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as Israel began a more aggressive course of establishing settlements. Israel took over and it is no longer known as the West Bank. By the early 1980’s there were a large number of settlements. Land, businesses, and buildings were expropriated from the Palestinian inhabitants, many of whom were long absent, having fled the wars of 1948 and 1967. During Menachem Begin (1979-83) was in charge, the number is Israeli settlements more than tripled and the number of Israeli settlers increased.

Israel regards the possession of the West Bank as vital to its security, and the growing number of Israeli settlements further stiffened Israeli unwillingness to relinquish control of the area. This area today has a wall that goes around the city. Many of the people have to go through checkpoints to get medical assistance, go to school, or even go to work.

By 2000 the Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled less than one-fifth of the West Bank, while Israeli occupation continued in the remainder.

By 2

000 the Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled less than one-fifth of the West Bank, while Israeli occupation continued in the remainder.

This is what the settlements look like. During the 2010’s the Fatah-dominated PA continued to work toward establishing itself as an independent government in the urban Palestinian areas of the West Bank, while Israel expanded its settlement activity in the territory. At the close of the decade, many in Israel were calling for the annexation of parts of the West Bank.

The old wall surrounds Bethany and the Mt. of Olives. The wall itself even goes down what was originally the main road. There are about 450,000 who live in the 149 settlements that is in the occupied territory today.

Someone said that Jericho is not a place of war because it is too hot. There are many Christian families, and they attend school outside the area. Christianity is becoming less in numbers.

Lyle got a chance to visit with Bishop DeCore who wrote the book “Blood Brother.” This is about what has happened. Lyle said that what they need is BDS. B stands for Boycott, D stands for Disinvestment, and S stands for Sanctions. What can they do to obtain peace – A sign says: “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.

Someone said that if they plant Olive trees now, that when PEACE comes, they will have plenty of Olive Branches to wave. The ratio is more Israelites than Palatines and only 2% are Christian.