The small sign on the rather austere desk held my eyes each time our interview lagged. For some reason it seemed as though the meaning should have been obvious—yet an explanation was needed. Seated behind the desk was Mr. Enaab, public information officer for UNWRA, the United Nations Works and Relief Agency.
We had come a long way to reach Mr. Enaab and his people here in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He and most of his staff at Amman were part of the problem we had come to face. As Palestinian refugees they were part of the problem and now were working as part of the solution.
“Twice in a Lifetime” turned out to be no Madison Avenue slogan, but a simple statement of fact. The fact being that many of the refugees we had come to meet have been refugees since 1948 when the country of Israel was officially born. Some 750,000 Arabs were forced to leave what was called Palestine to find new homes in other countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Again in 1967, during the Six-Day war, these same refugees, along with perhaps 750,000 more, were forced to move out of the areas annexed by Israel.
Louis Van Ess, executive director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, and I had come to the Middle East to determine whether CRWRC might in some way be of help to 1,500,000 Palestinian refugees. We had come at the request of our own Back to God Hour, which has a daily broadcast beamed into the area. Rev. Bassam M. Madany, Arabic broadcaster, has had many contacts with Christians in this part of the world and felt the needs of the people warranted a Christian approach to the problem. In addition, the UN has expressed the hope that CRWHC could become involved in some way. As a result. our board, through its long range planning committee, decided that an on-the-scene inspection was necessary.
We received our initial briefing from the UNWRA staff in Beirut, Lebanon.
In a two day session, they were able to give us a broad background, including the history of the problem, the religious and political nature of the area, and a general review of programs presently under way. The staff of UNWRA served as gracious hosts in a sub-tropical setting. Beirut was obviously a beautiful and comfortable place to begin what appeared to be a most pleasant journey. However, the atmosphere changed rapidly!
We expected to fly from Beirut to Amman, a normal flight of 200 miles and about 30 minutes duration. We were told to be at the airport three hours prior to flight time. Upon our arrival at the airport, we were taken by truck to an isolated building near the end of the main runway for “inspection.” Men and women were placed in separate rooms. We were then searched, one at a time, in front of the other passengers. The search included a very complete personal frisk and a check of every item in our luggage, including even the toothpaste. After everyone had been checked, we were loaded on trucks again and taken to the plane, now waiting on the runway. The Jordanian officials have a great fear of potential hijackers and bombers.
We were loaded aboard the plane under guard and were told that the flight would last some five hours and cover about 2500 miles. This was due to the fact that Jordan had been denied the use of airspace over both Israel and Syria, necessitating a trip south over Egypt and then north over Saudi Arabia and finally into the hack door of Jordan.
Our stay in Jordan bore no resemblance to our time in Lebanon. Life in this small country for both citizens and visitors is lived under the watchful eyes of the army. Soldiers occupy every street corner, and roadblocks are commonplace. Searches are routine. The country is geared for war, whenever it comes.
Our host, Mr. Enaab, barely concealed his bitterness as he showed us the country and its problems. As a refugee, he has knowledge of the problems, both past and present, firsthand. He explained that the creation of Israel in 1948 by the UN and the subsequent fighting between Israel and her neighbors had resulted in Israel annexing an additional 2500 square miles. This was in addition to that land already given by the world body. As a result, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled for their lives. In 1956, new fighting broke out when Israel invaded the Sinai desert. The resulting cease-fire was maintained by a peace-keeping force until May 1967. In June of that year the fierce fighting between Israel and the Arab allies ended in six days, but not before another 750,000 Arabs had left the West Bank area of Jordan ahead of the invading Israelis.
Since that time, UNWRA has had the responsibility of keeping the refugees alive until a political solution can be found. This has included the providing of shelter, food rations, medical assistance, and education facilities. No attempt is made to settle the political problem. Their responsibility is to provide custodial care until someone decides who will occupy Palestine.
We visited a number of camps in Jordan and were impressed by the work being done. Much more, however, remains to be done. Some refugees are beginning to make a new life outside the camps in towns near the Jordan River. The people hope to leave the camps and begin life again in agricultural communities like Karameh, located just a few miles from the spot where Christ was baptized. For the people to return to this village which they occupied before it was destroyed in the 1967 fighting, they will need to rebuild their houses, their school, and the medical clinic. Since UNWRA is not permitted to spend money for that kind of project, some other agency will have to step in and assist Karameh and its people.
We left Jordan by way of the Allenby Bridge which is the only border crossing between Jordan and Israel. We had to walk across under the eyes of soldiers on either end of the bridge. Machine guns from both armies were leveled at our heads. The hatred between the two sides becomes visible here at the “no man’s land.”
Om visit to Israel began with another search and interrogation by the Israeli army. They made no attempt to welcome us, perhaps because we had been to the Arab side first. We were able to visit with several other voluntary agencies representing various denominations. Each has its own approach to the problems.
There is no doubt that the problems have both a political and religious significance. It cannot be denied that there is great human and spiritual need. The question we need to face is what responsibility the Christian Reformed Church has. Our denomination has had an evangelical outreach in our radio broadcast there for some years. It would seem to follow that we also have a responsibility to minister to the physical needs of these people. Whether and how that need can be met will be the task of the CRWRC board and eventually the Synod of our church. What an opportunity to witness for Christ in a land where Christianity had its beginning here on earth. May God grant wisdom and direction!
John Vander Ploeg, businessman, and member of Grace Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is president of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.
We had come a long way to reach Mr. Enaab and his people here in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He and most of his staff at Amman were part of the problem we had come to face. As Palestinian refugees they were part of the problem and now were working as part of the solution.
“Twice in a Lifetime” turned out to be no Madison Avenue slogan, but a simple statement of fact. The fact being that many of the refugees we had come to meet have been refugees since 1948 when the country of Israel was officially born. Some 750,000 Arabs were forced to leave what was called Palestine to find new homes in other countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Again in 1967, during the Six-Day war, these same refugees, along with perhaps 750,000 more, were forced to move out of the areas annexed by Israel.
Louis Van Ess, executive director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, and I had come to the Middle East to determine whether CRWRC might in some way be of help to 1,500,000 Palestinian refugees. We had come at the request of our own Back to God Hour, which has a daily broadcast beamed into the area. Rev. Bassam M. Madany, Arabic broadcaster, has had many contacts with Christians in this part of the world and felt the needs of the people warranted a Christian approach to the problem. In addition, the UN has expressed the hope that CRWHC could become involved in some way. As a result. our board, through its long range planning committee, decided that an on-the-scene inspection was necessary.
We received our initial briefing from the UNWRA staff in Beirut, Lebanon.
In a two day session, they were able to give us a broad background, including the history of the problem, the religious and political nature of the area, and a general review of programs presently under way. The staff of UNWRA served as gracious hosts in a sub-tropical setting. Beirut was obviously a beautiful and comfortable place to begin what appeared to be a most pleasant journey. However, the atmosphere changed rapidly!
We expected to fly from Beirut to Amman, a normal flight of 200 miles and about 30 minutes duration. We were told to be at the airport three hours prior to flight time. Upon our arrival at the airport, we were taken by truck to an isolated building near the end of the main runway for “inspection.” Men and women were placed in separate rooms. We were then searched, one at a time, in front of the other passengers. The search included a very complete personal frisk and a check of every item in our luggage, including even the toothpaste. After everyone had been checked, we were loaded on trucks again and taken to the plane, now waiting on the runway. The Jordanian officials have a great fear of potential hijackers and bombers.
We were loaded aboard the plane under guard and were told that the flight would last some five hours and cover about 2500 miles. This was due to the fact that Jordan had been denied the use of airspace over both Israel and Syria, necessitating a trip south over Egypt and then north over Saudi Arabia and finally into the hack door of Jordan.
Our stay in Jordan bore no resemblance to our time in Lebanon. Life in this small country for both citizens and visitors is lived under the watchful eyes of the army. Soldiers occupy every street corner, and roadblocks are commonplace. Searches are routine. The country is geared for war, whenever it comes.
Our host, Mr. Enaab, barely concealed his bitterness as he showed us the country and its problems. As a refugee, he has knowledge of the problems, both past and present, firsthand. He explained that the creation of Israel in 1948 by the UN and the subsequent fighting between Israel and her neighbors had resulted in Israel annexing an additional 2500 square miles. This was in addition to that land already given by the world body. As a result, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled for their lives. In 1956, new fighting broke out when Israel invaded the Sinai desert. The resulting cease-fire was maintained by a peace-keeping force until May 1967. In June of that year the fierce fighting between Israel and the Arab allies ended in six days, but not before another 750,000 Arabs had left the West Bank area of Jordan ahead of the invading Israelis.
Since that time, UNWRA has had the responsibility of keeping the refugees alive until a political solution can be found. This has included the providing of shelter, food rations, medical assistance, and education facilities. No attempt is made to settle the political problem. Their responsibility is to provide custodial care until someone decides who will occupy Palestine.
We visited a number of camps in Jordan and were impressed by the work being done. Much more, however, remains to be done. Some refugees are beginning to make a new life outside the camps in towns near the Jordan River. The people hope to leave the camps and begin life again in agricultural communities like Karameh, located just a few miles from the spot where Christ was baptized. For the people to return to this village which they occupied before it was destroyed in the 1967 fighting, they will need to rebuild their houses, their school, and the medical clinic. Since UNWRA is not permitted to spend money for that kind of project, some other agency will have to step in and assist Karameh and its people.
We left Jordan by way of the Allenby Bridge which is the only border crossing between Jordan and Israel. We had to walk across under the eyes of soldiers on either end of the bridge. Machine guns from both armies were leveled at our heads. The hatred between the two sides becomes visible here at the “no man’s land.”
Om visit to Israel began with another search and interrogation by the Israeli army. They made no attempt to welcome us, perhaps because we had been to the Arab side first. We were able to visit with several other voluntary agencies representing various denominations. Each has its own approach to the problems.
There is no doubt that the problems have both a political and religious significance. It cannot be denied that there is great human and spiritual need. The question we need to face is what responsibility the Christian Reformed Church has. Our denomination has had an evangelical outreach in our radio broadcast there for some years. It would seem to follow that we also have a responsibility to minister to the physical needs of these people. Whether and how that need can be met will be the task of the CRWRC board and eventually the Synod of our church. What an opportunity to witness for Christ in a land where Christianity had its beginning here on earth. May God grant wisdom and direction!
John Vander Ploeg, businessman, and member of Grace Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is president of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.