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The Secretary of State is determined to lay foundations for Middle East peace.
Last Friday, I joined five other evangelical Protestant leaders for an intense and rewarding half-hour conversation with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Our goal was to assure her of our support as she navigates the treacherous waters of Middle East politics—particularly as she arm-wrestles the various parties toward the summit planned for the beginning of December in Annapolis. The Bush Administration is hoping that foundations can be laid for an enduring, peaceful two-state solution in Israel-Palestine conflict.
The others in our delegation included three megachurch pastors—Bob Roberts of Northwood Church near Dallas, Joel Hunter of Northland Church near Orlando, and John Jenkins of First Baptist Church of Glen Arden near Washington, DC. Also part of the group were foreign policy guru Chris Seiple of the Institute for Global Engagement and Ron Sider of Palmer Theological Seminary.
Secretary Rice is an intelligent, calm, well-spoken person whose social skills are clearly meant for diplomacy. (Click here , here , and here for CT’s 2003 cover essay about Condi Rice.) But she also radiates strength—which is what it takes to go head-to-head with the antagonists in a protracted conflict.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
· She is a “fundamental defender of Israel’s security and its right to defend itself.†She will not abandon Israel’s security needs.
· She also doesn’t believe that you can excuse any terrorist activity by calling people “freedom fighters.†There is no such thing. A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist.
· Although there are absolutist factions on both sides, she believes that the leadership on both sides now understands that the window of opportunity for a peaceful resolution is very limited, and that this will require them to abandon absolutist claims for practical possibilities. This could open up political space in both societies for moderates to function.
· Resolving this conflict is important both regionally and locally. More than just Palestinians and Israelis have a stake in this. Responsible Muslim allies in, for example, Indonesia would discover that a fair and peaceful resolution would reduce the pressures from fundamentalist groups. And in the region itself, the Arab states are quite nervous about the activities of an Iran-backed Hamas that wants to exploit tensions with Israel.
· She sees herself as a facilitator. The US is not imposing a solution on Israelis and Palestinians, but it is helping leaders who want to move their people toward increasing peace and economic stability to reach their goals.
· She is realistic. In the 14 months the Bush Administration has left, there is no way to accomplish everything that needs to be done. But strong foundations can be laid. And this is a moment of opportunity.
The pastors in our group are interested in more than diplomacy. While they prayed for Secretary Rice, that God would strengthen her to accomplish her mission, they also spoke of people-to-people development projects they envisioned to help impoverished Palestinians to a better life. If Palestinian civil society is going to recover from its current chaos, it will require some serious attention to local economies. That's something that individual American Christians can be part of.
On her October 17 visit to Bethlehem, Secretary Rice observed first-hand the devastated economy of that traditionally Christian city. With tourism as the lifeblood of the local economy, occupancy in the main hotel is down to 20%. This fact was repeatedly reported in the press after her visit, and Secretary Rice referred to it again in our conversation. She was obviously glad to hear of the hopes these pastors had for reaching out to fellow Christians in the birthplace of Jesus. Stay tuned for an announcement of specific church-based projects in the near future.
Several years ago, I heard Secretary Rice give her testimony at the National Prayer Breakfast. She talked about the African-American spiritual “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.†There is a paradox in that spiritual. One line talks plaintively of trouble, suffering, and sorrow. The next exclaims, “Glory, Hallelujah!†Secretary Rice, as a Christian believer, sees that the path to “Glory, Hallelujah!†lies through tribulation—but only if one lets go of the pain and the preoccupation with victim status and uses it for the good of others. That kind of faith may fit her well for taking on the monumental challenges of the Middle East.
Posted by David Neff on October 30, 2007 2:56PM
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Comments
Ms Rice needs to understand the five year old "two state vision" of the President is dead in the water. Not one step in the Road Map has been implemented.
The only possible solution to the West Bank is its division between Jordan and Israel - the two successor States in Palestine.
Ms Rice neeeds to have the candour to tell the President just that. She needs to formulate a policy to get Israel and Jordan together to redraw the boundary between their two respective states to end the conflict that will continue to rage in the West Bank unless this critical first step is taken.
This will not solve the Israel-Arab conflict but it will be the first step in the right direction and end Israel's control over the Arab population living there.
Annapolis and negotiations with the Palestinian Authority serve no purpose and have no prospects of succeeding. The sooner Ms Rice wakes up to this fact, the sooner some hope of peace in the Middle East might start to shine through.
Posted by: david singer at October 30, 2007
These types of meetings inrigue me - how "intense and rewarding" could it be in 30 minutes? There would be no time for anything other than a group hug - and in a circumstance as complex and dire as middle east politics, you couldn't even get started.
Posted by: Rick H at October 31, 2007
Mr. Singer should wake up. Palestine is not Jordan, in the same manner that Canadians are not American. A Palestinian state along the 1949 armistice lines (West Bank and Gaza) is necessary for long term peace in the area.
Posted by: Albert H at October 31, 2007
All I can say is she had better hurry up about it - she has a year at best left in the job - and to date has made a complete shambles of the Middle East Situation...
The article would be funny if it were not such a serious matter - there is no doubt Secretary Rice is an intelligent woman - but frankly to date she has proven to be incompetent at best.
Both the Israelis and the Palestinians are desperate for some sort of resolution - nothing in her time in Government has suggested she has the skills to deliver this.
Posted by: alanps at November 1, 2007
How can Christianity Today back her in this? God does not want Isreal to be seperated. This land has been set aside for His chosen people and we as Christians should know this better than anyone.
Posted by: Gretchen at November 2, 2007
As a Christian, as well as one who has followed her career with interest, I am a great supporter of Ms Rice. Her approach to terrorists is however problematic for us down here in South Africa. I doubt she would get far in PR with our government if she insists that OUR one time "terrorists" were not freedom fighters! What the USA judges as terrorists today, the world MAY judge differently in 30 years time whether we like it or not!The stand against violence that affects the innocent must however be upheld at all costs.Its a confusing world!
Posted by: andrew at November 3, 2007
I find it astonishing that so many Christian leaders in the USA really haven´t done an in depth study of the Scriptures about Israel, the Jews and Bible Prophecies. If they had, together with Pres. Bush and Sec. of State Condeleeza Rice, they would really knows what the Bible says about the future of the region and not be making so many tragic mistakes. When the USA pressurized Israel to give up Gaza C. Rice guaranteed there would be peace. Look at the mess today! PLO have publicly declared that all the money and training by US military to support Abbas will be used to kill the Jews! Now she is trying to force into being a two state solution which will be disastrous for Israel as well as being totally anti-biblical. One book I strongly recommend to such leaders is JUDGEMENT DAY by Dave Hunt - available through Amazon Books.
Posted by: J. Victor Cardoo at November 30, 2007
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Posted by: fuejmwhb rnawsfom at December 3, 2007
Rice is part of the oilistic team that launched an illegal and devastating war, using bold-faced lies which all Christians should condemn, bringing terrible international distrust for the US. The Bush family oil interests are almost universally known, as are Cheney's involvement in the oilistic Halliburton corporation. Condoleezza Rice was a Chevron Director from 1991 until January 15, 2001, until she joined the Bush brigade. Iraq has the second-largest oil reserves in the world.
Posted by: Jason at January 15, 2008
For evangelicals to support a two state solution is only possible if you don't believe in the faithfulness of God and His covenant with Abraham. If evangelicals think that an Islamic Palestinian state will allow a Christian community to flourish they are deluded.
Posted by: Noel Sanderson at May 4, 2008
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