It’s indisputable that the Israeli settler movement has led to the systematic displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. According to the Rev Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace, the bureaucratic efforts that allow the government to seize Palestinian homes and forcefully remove residents have been ongoing and represent a violation of human rights and the Oslo Accords. As Dr. Cannon reviews the events that triggered the most recent wave of violence she describes the work of an ecumenical coalition of Christian religious pushing for a holistic and lasting peace plan in the Middle East.
The conversation continues as Dr. Cannon challenges the old views and misconceptions of the conflict. She reviews the historical and theological misconceptions about the relationship between the descendants of Abraham, the implications of ethnic nationalism on our foreign policy, and the five actions she would like to see the Biden Administration take in the coming weeks.
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon. Ordained Pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church, and Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace. She earned doctorates in History (Ph.D.) and Spiritual Formation (D. Min.). Her Ph.D. focused on American History with a minor in Middle Eastern studies from the University of California – Davis, focusing her dissertation on the history of the American Protestant church in Israel and Palestine. Cannon’s Doctorate of Ministry in Spiritual Formation is from Northern Theological Seminary. Cannon holds an M.Div. From North Park Theological Seminary, an M.B.A. from North Park University’s School of Business and Nonprofit Management, and an M.A. in bioethics from Trinity International University. Cannon completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Chicago in History, Philosophy, Social Studies, of Science and Medicine.
Rev. Mae Elise Cannon contributed to an op-ed in Sojourners calling on Christians in the United States "to take on a more prominent role in calling for a just and lasting peace that is built on realizing equality for Palestinians and ending human rights abuses."
You can read the statement of the Office of The High Commissioner, United Nations Human Rights, here.
Churches for Middle East Peace has issued many press releases on the need to end the violence in Gaza and Jerusalem.
You can read more about Mohammad El Kurd's experiences and his path to becoming an activist.
Excerps of Just Vision's documentary My Neighborhood can be found on Vimeo.
This week's episode contains three pieces of oud music from
Bein Alnakhil (Nassir Shamma), Farid al-Atrash, and the ensemble of Derek Wright and Tobias Roberson,
all share under a Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0 license.
Additional loops and samples assembled at Dissimilation Heavy Industries.
