Category Archives: Israel & Palestine

Interview with Michael Bell

Posted on February 4, 2017 by donald

Courtesy of the University of Windsor Interview with Michael Bell The University of Windsor’s senior scholar for international diplomacy and former ambassador to Israel, Jordan and Egypt talks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Canada’s response By Donald Grayston INTERVIEWS February … Continue reading →

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Trudeau, Auschwitz and Black Lives Matter

Posted on July 13, 2016 by donald

A classic Buddhist aphorism says that everything is connected to everything else. Our challenge, then, is to identify connections and their meaning as we try to live discerning lives, both as individuals and as citizens. In this post I want … Continue reading →

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Unholy allies: on Christian Zionism

Posted on September 7, 2015 by donald

As many of you know, I have been working on the issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 2006. In April I went to a conference here in Vancouver on the subject of Christian Zionism. Later the United Church Observer (an … Continue reading →

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The Paris Shootings: Conflicted Feelings, Fragmentary Thoughts

Posted on January 15, 2015 by donald

Very soon after the tragic events in Paris last week, I began to have conflicted feelings. On the one hand, I grieved with millions of others over the deaths of the journalists, the hostages, the police, and yes—the gunmen, all … Continue reading →

Posted in Citizenship challenges, Deep holy thoughts, Israel & Palestine | 5 Comments

Christian Zionism, Armageddon and Stephen Harper

Posted on March 1, 2013 by donald

With some friends here and in eastern Canada, I have embarked on a project to do with Christian Zionism.  OK, Christian Zionism: what is it? It’s what the United Church of Canada, in a report prepared for its triennial General … Continue reading →

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Oppressor and oppressed

Posted on December 15, 2012 by donald

So, Brazil: why did I go? And did I buy the t-shirts? Yes, two. One is yellow and green, and simply bears the word Brasil; the other is black, and bears a message in Portuguese, which I translate roughly as … Continue reading →

Posted in Israel & Palestine | 4 Comments

Letter from Brazil

Posted on December 1, 2012 by donald

Today, December 1, is the last day of the World Social Forum Free Palestine (wsfpalestine.net). With my friend and colleague, Anna Baignoche, I have been here since the beginning of the forum on November 28. As someone fluent in Portuguese, … Continue reading →

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The peace of Jerusalem …

Posted on September 21, 2012 by donald

I read this in The Globe and Mail this morning. It’s a quotation from the interview that Globe reporter Patrick Martin did with Ahmet Davutoglu, foreign minister of Turkey, on his recent visit to Canada; and it was printed (there must be … Continue reading →

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Who is for me? and who am I for?

Posted on September 8, 2012 by donald

Last week there was an attack of sorts on the Trappist monastery of Latrun, in Jerusalem. Graffiti were painted on the outside walls, including the charming statement that “Jesus is a monkey,” and the main door was set on fire. … Continue reading →

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The tacit contract

Posted on August 22, 2012 by donald

On August 21, The Globe and Mail printed five letters about the United Church’s decision to take “economic action” (read: boycott) against exports from occupied Palestine misleadingly labelled as “Made in Israel” or “Produce of Israel.” Three opposed the United Church’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Israel & Palestine | 3 Comments