Thanks to Anglican Bishop George Browning, first published on 9th March in John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations.
Every religion is rooted in core beliefs or dogmas but is judged or weighed by the character it espouses and the values with which it identifies. Belief is verified or condemned by the way life is lived. Christianity is known to espouse “love your neighbour as yourself” or, “do to others as you would have them do to you”, or, “do not judge”, or “forgive others” etc. By those critical of any value in religious expression it is rightly weighed by the lived quality of these characteristics. Often, Judaism has shamefully been characterised in the negative, such prejudicial characterisation rightly called ‘antisemitism’. I wish to do the reverse, to speak of the essential virtue of Judaism which has clearly been abandoned by the State of Israel.
George Browning
Judaism is founded upon covenants it believes have been forged with God and through which certain privileges have been assured, on the basis that accountabilities are adhered to. What follows is not my understanding of this covenantal relationship, but the understanding of the loved and much-revered late Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain.
Lord Sacks points out there are specific covenants in Hebrew scriptures that relate to Israel and its future, notably covenants with Abraham and David; but preceding them is a universal covenant with the whole created order, made at the conclusion of the Noah flood narrative, which finalises the pre-history creation narratives. The point Lord Sacks makes is that any specific covenant must always be understood and implemented in the context of the universal covenant with the whole created order and specifically with all humankind.
What he is saying is that, at its roots, Judaism must always live out its unique identity in service of the good of the whole created order and never for itself at the expense of others. This truth has been manifested in the lives of hundreds of extraordinary Jewish people who have blessed all human life through the sciences, the arts, and many humanitarian causes. But it is not the character of the State of Israel, which since 1947 has behaved as a pariah and bully towards those who have had every right to call the lands ‘between the river and the sea’ their home.
On the 7 October 2023 Hamas engaged in activity which was abhorrent, no matter the context. The treatment of Palestinians by Israel had been increasingly brutal, without any hope of their rights being honoured, while the long hoped for and promised Palestinian State has been denied in perpetuity. The people have faced an enduring blockade from which no respite was likely soon, perhaps ever. Despite all this Palestinian suffering, the killing of innocent Jewish civilians in Kibbutz on the Israel/Gaza border must be condemned.
What happened on 7th October could not pass without response from Israel. The response needed was two-fold. Perpetrators in the Hamas military wing needed to be brought to account, but equally, perhaps more importantly, the reason why this atrocity occurred needed to be addressed. The reverse has occurred. Israel has doubled down on its persecution of Palestinian people, most egregiously in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and even in Israel itself.
Since October 7, Israel has engaged in some of the most inhumane aggression against fellow humanity ever seen in our lifetime. What exists in the mind of aggressors that they can knowingly cause mass starvation to thousands? What exists in the minds of the same individuals that they can herd innocent civilians into what was called a safe zone and then bomb them? What exists in the minds of the same individuals that they can cause the death of thousands of children, make orphans of others, and cause many to suffer excruciating pain without relief.
What possesses the mind of Israel’s leaders that they do all in their power to prevent aid arriving in Gaza? All possible denigration has been made of UNWRA, the only viable channel of aid distribution in Gaza. But it is not simply UNWRA, Israel has made it as difficult as possible for most humanitarian organisations to offer Palestinian aid. Visas are refused and operatives discredited. Mohammed Al Halabi, the head of World Vision in Gaza has been in gaol since 2016 for ‘supporting terrorism’. He was convicted in 2022. No evidence to justify his conviction has ever been made public, indeed independent audits have shown the accusations to have been entirely false. Why does Israel prohibit or punish those who wish to aid the most vulnerable?
Judaism is one of the oldest and most honourable religions, based on covenants that assume global humanitarianism. Indeed, there is an assumption that Judaism will be a blessing to all nations.
In contrast, the State of Israel was born in violence and the dispossession of others, its ambition for extension and control of all territory ‘from the river to the sea’, as reaffirmed recently by Netanyahu, depends on the same tools.
Long may Judaism and Jewish people be a source of blessing to human life on this planet, but we must forlornly conclude that Israel has long since parted company with Judaism and that Christians who without reservation support Israel because of its ‘divine chosen-ness’ are cruelly deluded.
The Author: George Browning was Anglican Bishop of Canberra Goulburn 1993 – 2008. He was President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network 2013 – 2022. He is now its Patron. He is also Patron of Palestinian Christians in Australia, and of the Palestinian ecumenical liberation theology centre -Sabeel.
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Greetings, Bishop George! I have many fond memories of your time as Assistant Bishop in Brisbane, and Principal of St Francis College, where I made good friends with a recent successor of yours there, + Jonathan Holland, and also of our joint work in Brisbane to bring a Christian witness to the fundamentalist hold that Sir Joh once had over many Christian Queenslanders. I remember too our work with Everald Compton of the Uniting Church to spread the witness of prominent South African Christian leaders in support of Archbishop Tutu and the fantastic role he played in brokering a peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy. You have since often been in the thoughts and prayers of many Christians here, whom you formed in a keen and contemporary understanding of the social justice message of the Gospels. Thank you for this very important message in a context in which other Church leaders have largely shied away from ‘Taking Sides’ and eponymously in which famous piece, the recently deceased Master General of the Dominicans, Albert Nolan, abundantly shows that Jesus always took sides and never ‘fence-sat’. I am moved to add a corollary to your persuasive argument here about how far the Israelis have strayed from the special covenant that the Jews made with the ‘God of our Fathers & Mothers’ and which has been distorted by fundamentalist Christians to proclaim that they, like the Israelis, are the special beneficiaries of a distorted Judaism called Zionism, that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the God of our Fathers & Mothers, and whose first prophets were Abram & Isaac. It is good to see a worthy son of the Anglican Communion proclaim this connection and responsibility for ALL Christians so that one day we may ALL be truly ONE in an authentically just and peaceful way, for so long as there are persons ‘crying in the night’ our hearts can never be at rest! God grant you and your family a long, active and happy retirement.
Michael Furtado
Bishop Browning makes some salient points about Judaism and the State of Israel. The government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas are excellent examples of the effect of religious extremism, driven by a literal/historical reading of scripture. The current Israeli government is in power because it has joined hands with the Ultra Orthodox who are supporters of the Settlers in the West Bank. The Ultra Orthodox are full-time scholars of a literal reading of Torah. Any literal reading of texts in the Old Testament about the Israelites coming into the Promised Land cannot help reach the conclusion that God not only sanctions the violent dispossession of the Canaanites, but orders it. In order to remain in power, Netanyahu has allowed the Israeli government to be influenced by the intention of the Ultra Orthodox to claim the whole of the Land. Outside of this extreme right-wing coterie are the majority of the people of Israel. They include many secular Jews, but also many Progressive practising Jews, who have accomplished much in developing good relationships with Palestinians and who wish for an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and the establishment of the ‘Two State Solution.’
On the other side of this hopeless conflict in Gaza is Hamas In 2012 its leader in exile Khaled Mashaal, said, “Palestine is ours from the river to the sea and from the south to the north. There will be no concession on any inch of the land. We will free Jerusalem inch by inch, stone by stone. Israel has no right to be in Jerusalem.” Again there is the religious understanding that their stance has divine approval. Outside of the Islamist leadership of Hamas and its foot soldiers are many ordinary practising Muslims who want peace in a sovereign state of their own alongside Israel.
I have always taken the view that it is better for those who are outside of this situation to work for the peace of the whole land. Taking one side or the other means you become a part of the problem. Following October 7 neither side can claim the moral high ground. The current conflict with the enormous death toll of the most vulnerable is a tragic and heart-breaking warning about the danger of taking scripture literally.
The bestial brutality of the 7th October massacre of innocent Israelis by Hamas called for a military reaction that would disable any possibility of future attacks on the citizens of Israel. This has now occurred and it seems that Hamas has completely been crushed in the actions that followed which has left some 30,000 Gazans dead.
If peace is to be restored to this region, then a political solution must be found. The rejection, multiple times, by Palestinians in the past, to work towards a two-State solution must be reviewed with serious intent by those who are genuinely interested in justice and a lasting peace.
It most probably would be helpful if a United Nations peace keeping force were to be put in place for at least the five years to follow, while politicians nut out a meaningful resolution that ultimately will lead to a viable two-State solution. A temporary peacekeeping presence may be necessary to maintain stability and build trust between the two sides.
This time would also oversee the rebuilding of destroyed parts of Gaza, and ensure proper accommodation, work and living standards for Palestinians to enter into this new political phase with dignity and assurances for a lasting peace. In the coming months and years, it will be crucial for the international community to provide support and oversight, ensuring that the rebuilding efforts in Gaza are carried out with transparency and fairness.
Dear Lorraine,
Much as I admire your attachment to fairness and effective strategic solution-brokering to the longstanding problem of the Zionist occupation of Palestine, your moral argumentation lets your pacifist position down. There are a number of ethical rules that Christians & some others universally subscribe to that feature in effective and influential ways in all the forums in which the ‘Israeli-Palestinian problem’ (as it is often called by those stressing the importance of objective judgement and unbiased solution-brokering) features, including at the seniormost global justice forum, the International Court of Justice.
Among the foremost contributors to this discourse is the classical Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who, although not a Christian, lays down the foundation for a teleology (or natural-law theory) of justice, that was reintroduced to European jurisprudence twelve centuries later by the Christian monk & Dominican scholar, St Thomas Aquinas (a pre-Reformation saint, whose work is revered by many Christians ecumenically as well as some Jews & others: his foremost jurisprudential champion is the American Jewish philosopher, Martha Nussbaum).
Among the foremost considerations that Aquinas brought to his assessment of the ‘just’ bases for taking up arms & waging war is the principle of proportionality, in regard to which the Israeli Zionists, clearly & categorically, have committed the far greater offence that Bishop Browning and Dr Greg Jencks have exceedingly carefully enumerated, than anything perpetrated by the Palestinians.
Even disregarding this fundamentally ‘catholic’ view, taking the Protestant ‘Reformed’ view that is generally attributed to that extraordinary Lutheran Christian martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we encounter a soul wrestling with his conscience that forbids him to kill, and who eventually bowed to the Thomist argument that in order to stop the terrible crimes of Nazi Germany, Hitler would have to be killed because there were no pre-existing available non-violent means of stopping the murderous destructiveness of the Nazis, even if that entailed killing innocent others.
I am ordinarily a great admirer of yours, Lorraine. However, in this instance I beg to disagree with you. You may refer to Albert Nolan’s famous piece, ‘Taking Sides’ (and available to be read on the internet) if you wish to pursue this exchange. Thanks, Lorraine.
And warm personal wishes.
Michael
Thank you for your opinion Michael
Interesting as always.