The Lemon Tree– On The Israeli Palestinian Problem

Last updated on: November 6, 2023 at 1:28 am by Ben Witherington

The Lemon Tree– On The Israeli Palestinian Problem 2023-11-04T17:05:46-04:00 Ben Witherington

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I will be honest with you, I’ve never read a book which was both so heart-wrenching, and also at the same time heart-warming as this one, the story of two families, one Palestinian, one Israeli who at different times lived in the same house in the late 20th century, and by something of a miracle, became friends, particularly the eldest son Bashir Khairi and the daughter Dalia Eshkenazi, from a Bulgarian Jewish family who immigrated to the Holy Land in the late 1940s when that became possible through the efforts of David Ben Gurion, the U.N., and various western nations. Here below are the two principles that this carefully researched non-fiction, award winning book is mainly about…

Bashir has been in and out of prisons for being suspected by the Israelis as aiding and abetting terrorism, something he denies. Dalia for her part has worked hard to help make possible a more human, a more humane approach to the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Bashir does not believe Jews have an inalienable right to be in the Holy Land, whereas Dalia does, even a Biblical right to be there (and I agree with her), so on that point the problem becomes insoluble. These are profound matters of conscience.

I personally found the story which takes us from the later 1940s until 2005 (and I can tell you that in 2021-22 Bashir was back in yet another sort of detention without and formal charges filed). The author of this Award Winning book Sandy Nolan, with copious notes seems to me to be imminently fair in his treatment of both sides of this horrible dilemma, but has received extreme criticism from ultra-Zionists. (see https://www.meforum.org/campus-watch/20552/sandy-tolan-the-lemon-tree-bias) which I find largely unconvincing, though it is clear that there are a couple of factual errors in this book, which makes no major difference to the larger truths found in it. There is more than enough inhumanity, murder, unjust killing of civilians and even children on both sides of this conflict to make one despair of any solution short of the Second Coming. I would recommend ever single Jewish, Christian or Muslim person in America make this book required reading if you want to understand the history and reasons why the bloodbath keeps happening, even now as we speak. If you read the early sections on the 1948 or 1967 war, it will sound strangely like an account of something ripped from the headlines of the events of the last couple of months in that country. As the French would say “plus change, plus la meme chose.”

I must confess that I myself have been too naive about the long term and underlying causes of what’s going on in the Holy Land now. This book is a good cure for that, and a cure as well for indifference. What happens there affects America and the rest of the world, and frankly war crimes abound. And it is interesting to read about the whole history of Netanyahu’s involvement in these various struggles, not to mention the story of when and how Hamas arose in the first place. Terrorism is terrorism whoever perpetrates it, and Israel does have a right to exist, but there needs as well to be a proper Palestinian state, but how, and where, and when? I do not have any obvious or quick solutions that haven’t already been tried. And even if it were possible to eliminate Hamas altogether, another terrorist group, fueled by hate and wanting revenge would surely arise. Violence, especially against civilians and innocent parties, just breeds more hate and more violence. In an endless cycle.

What is notable in this book is that Christians and Christianity are not even on the margins of the story, with rare exceptions. But even if they were, I’m not sure it would make much difference. God alone is capable of fixing this tragic and broken situation. It seems sadly the case that there is no room for forgiveness in the land where Jesus the Jew made clear that forgiveness, a commitment to non-violence and even love of one’s enemies was what was required to break the cycle of violence.

History and Religion

Home and Religion

Uncategorized

Lemon tree very pretty

Previous Post

November 5, 2023

After the Lamb's Book of Life was Turned into Password Protected Computer Files

Next Post

November 8, 2023 Now and Then-- The Beatles Recovered Old Tune

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz