The Words of the Wilson Family

More Middle East Conflict Survey 2: Jerusalem 2

Andrew Wilson
November 1, 2010

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Permit me to give my reflections on some of the excellent contributions you've been making over the last few days.

First, I commend Paul Rosenbaum for his endorsement of prayer and efforts in our personal lives to do "random acts of kindness" so that we can exemplify in our own lives -- especially as Jews and Unificationists -- the sort of peace we are advocating for Israelis and Palestinians. Paul wrote another post to me privately, which he doesn't mind me sharing, that hits closer to home:

Prayer is always a good option. I myself usually wind up using the positive thoughts directed for others type of prayer-"Father and Mother God, please watch over so and so and guide them to do the right thing, so they can be protected from Satanic invasion, etc, etc..."

Right now the spiritual world is very very close to the earth and effecting many people. I recently have heard of many good things but some bad things happening between couples of Blessed Central Families. I want to encourage everybody to keep Blessed Central families in their prayers, at this time. If the Blessed Central families can keep a warm and embracing love between each other and a protective shell of love around and between their children and in the family, the leaders of nations and ethnic tribes will be guided to do the right thing. When we are disunited, that's when anger, resentment, hate and aggression leading to violence breaks out. Let's keep the Blessed Central Families strong and united!!

In this regard, I especially commend Era Thompson, who told me about the personal outreach she's been making to Palestinian families in LA. She wrote to me, and if I didn't already share it with everyone I will here:

When we were in Israel during the march for peace and Jesus coronation I was appointed as an ambassador for peace to Palestine. Since I couldn't go and live there I developed relationships with Palestinians here in California. I experienced deeply the heart of God for my Palestinian brothers and sisters and we established deep bond. I feel a lot of hope.

Prayer can change hearts and minds, kindling trust and rebinding people long separated by years of mistrust. But there needs to be a practical regime of peace, safety and security within which new friendships and new kindnesses can blossom. So when it comes to Jerusalem, how can we create such a safe, stable and welcoming place?

And as for time-frame, I'm talking short-term, because we'd all like to see some result by January 2013. So I'm praying and contemplating what is practical in the here-and-now. I believe it is entirely possible that their CAN be a peace agreement by the end of 2011. It doesn't mean there will be, but things are set up for such a result to happen, if Netanyahu and Abbas can live up to what God expects of them.

So what sorts of options can work in the here and now? David Byer proposes a very idealistic scheme of an "Abel UN Heavenly Police Corps" imbued with the teachings of SMM and recruited from Jews, Christians and Muslims worldwide to govern Jerusalem as an international city. I appreciate David's idealism, but I would ask him to do some self-assessment regarding the state of the Unification movement. Are we really ready and prepared to shoulder such a responsibility? Such a police corps would require strong, Godly, comprehensive and embracing leadership, knowledgeable in the Principle and able to live it in their families. They would have to demonstrate such skill and confidence to be a believable deterrent to violence, such that Israelis would be willing to set aside their powerful IDF and let the Peace Police take over! Considering the current disarray in the Unification movement leadership, I doubt we are ready for it. Our Israeli and Palestinian Ambassadors for Peace is a small but intrepid band to be sure, but I don't see them having the strength or focus or resources for such a task. How could we possibly mobilize sufficient Arab-speakers and Hebrew-speakers, train them in the Principle and the teachings of Non-violence, and then come up with the finances to support such a corps? If there were such a tried-and-true group, people disciplined in peaceful and non-violent conflict resolution such as the veterans of MLK's Civil Rights marches, it would be wonderful. But those folks, like Rev. Joseph Lowery, are in their sunset years.

I suppose that behind David's proposal is the concept that Rev. Moon and the Unification movement are/ or should be/ entirely responsible for the providence of God. I wish that were true, but then our movement would have to be a lot bigger and more successful than it currently is. If God in 2010 were limited to what the Unification movement can offer, then I'm afraid God would be in big trouble! So I take comfort in believing that based upon True Parents' victories to liberate God, God now has the freedom to work in unprecedented ways in the hearts of men and women everywhere, so that His reach can extend way beyond what our movement can manage directly. (Still, I think we have first dibs on the central role, so we can at least pray and work with God on the spiritual level.) Anyway, what I like about David's proposal is that he understands that a new spirit has to be generated for policing in Jerusalem, one that gives respect and earns the respect of all the population, based not on fear but on trust and a Godly love that extends to one's enemies.

So I would just ask you to be practical. Some of you like Gary Fleisher don't want any partition and long for one multi-cultural state. I might be willing to affirm this ideal in the long term, because Father Moon has talked idealistically about a world without borders. But God is also a practical God, and works with people in their current state of mind to foster growth, even as He/She envisions better solutions centuries into the future. I believe that God has the ability to look into people's hearts and understand what level of growth they are at, and what they are capable of, so as not to burden them with more expectations than what they can handle. Sometimes "good fences make good neighbors," because it takes time for neighbors to become friends and then become family -- and then finally the fences can come down. But what we don't want is walls that prevent the neighbors on either side of the wall from meeting and talking and sharing and dating and marrying with one another. The peace agreement at least needs to set up conditions that allow for growth and movement.

Finally, let me turn to Dr. Eliezer Glaubach's beautiful proposal to adopt the Geneva Initiative:

This attitude as expressed in the "GENeVa INITIATIVE " is probably the closest to the realities provided there is capable leadership on both sides. Am willing of course to elaborate if I can...

The Geneva Initiative, as you may know, was a non-binding informal agreement between liberal representatives of Israel and liberal representatives of the Palestinians, and calls for dividing Jerusalem between West (Israeli) and East (Palestinian) with the Old City under joint ownership and policed by a joint force. I commend Dr. Glaubach because his open and generous heart to give away a portion of Jerusalem to the Palestinian State mirrors the large-hearted attitude of Golda Meir in the spirit world, who only insists on Jewish access to the Western Wall. If both sides have the heart to give up their claims, then I'm sure an agreement will be much easier to reach.

So here is Dr. Glaubach, a representative Israeli Jew, expressing this heart to give up Israel's claims over the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. This, to me, is a beautiful heartistic condition that will make peace that much easier to accomplish. Thank you, Dr. Glaubach.

Now Dr. Glaubach, if you will, with your experience in the Jerusalem municipal government, please elaborate on what sort of security situation would exist in a Jerusalem divided in such a way, and what measures could be put into place to prevent violence between adjacent neighborhoods in years to come.

Thank you,

Andrew 

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