A Very Sad Place

I have felt obligated for some time blog about the current situation in Israel and Palestine. However, I simply did not know what to say. Should I give a summary of the events of the last several weeks or give a more pointed perspective about how the global media and community cares far more for the hardships of one peoples than another? Should I simply give a prayer for the region and hope that you are all following the news and doing your best to watch various, balanced, and alternative news sources?

I do not really want to do any of that. Or maybe I want to do all of that.

On June 12th, 3 Israeli teens were kidnapped from a hitchhiking station near an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Hamas, the Palestinian ruling party in Gaza, was blamed for the kidnappings. In a mass attempt to find the teenagers, the Israeli Defense Force launched Operation Brother’s Keeper. Throughout this operation, 9 Palestinians were killed and at least 419 have been arrested.

On Monday, the bodies of the three teenagers were found outside the town of Halhul, near Hebron in the West Bank. Many questions remain unanswered. They have suspected kidnappers but little proof of their connection and these suspects cannot be found. However, in this place, all Palestinians are considered guilty until proven innocent.

Read more here: Israel searches for teens kidnapped in West Bank, day 9

And here: Tragic Deaths of Teens do not Justify Collective Punishment against Civilians

You can read even more here: Tensions Mount after Apparent Revenge Killing in Jerusalem

As the news broke and the situation continues to escalate, I really don’t have much more to say than I did days ago.

The world is a very sad place. I grieve for the lives of the young men and for the pain of their family and friends. I grieve for the lives of the 9 Palestinians that were killed throughout Operation Brother’s Keeper. I grieve for the Palestinian teen that was kidnapped and murdered Tuesday morning and for the victims of revenge and retaliation that have erupted in Jerusalem and Hebron. I grieve because the world will mourn more for the three Israeli teens and many of the Palestinian victims will continue to go unrecognized. I grieve for what all this means for Palestine and Israel.

I grieve because the world is a very sad place.

Lord, in you mercy…