Books on the Arab-Israeli conflict

No. 6 of 47. First published 3 Dec 2007. As a child, I heard news and occasional adult conversations about Arabs, Israel, oil and the fate of the Temple Mount. Yasser Arafat's characteristic dress was both familiar and unfamiliar. The wars of 1948, 1967 and 1973 were discussed as possibly fulfilling biblical prophecy. My paternal …

In a war such things happen

No. 4 of 47. First published 30 Nov 2007. War poetry. Something many of us wish we had no need for, but a literary genre of immense significance nevertheless. When you think of war poets, you might recall Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, John McCrae or others. In my view, one of the most moving poems …

Peace talks to begin Dec 12

No. 2 of 47. First published 29 Nov 2007. Surprising progress was made at yesterday's Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, where Israeli Prime minister Ehud Olmert (pictured, at right, with US President George W. Bush) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (pictured, at left) agreed to begin formal talks next month and pledged to "make …

Australian Christian leaders to visit Palestine

No. 1 of 47. First published 28 Nov 2007 In December 2007, an official delegation of Australian Christian leaders will visit Israel and Palestine. The purpose of the delegationโ€™s visit is to meet with and express friendship and prayerful support for its Christian counterparts in Palestine and Israel. During the visit the delegation will also …

Statement by Australian Church leaders on Israel

Archbishop Phillip Aspinall addresses the Heads of Jerusalem Churches at a dinner in Jerusalem, 6 Dec 2007. Photo credit: Rod Benson In December 2007, a delegation of nine Australian Church leaders visited Jerusalem and the Holy Land. I was one of the nine. Seventeen years on, so little has changed. So many have died, and …