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NewsDecember 18, 1999

Can the disputes ever be resolved in a region where three major world religions claim ties to Israel as the center for their faith? President Clinton led negotiations this week when leaders from Syria and Israel gathered in Washington for another round of peace talks...

Can the disputes ever be resolved in a region where three major world religions claim ties to Israel as the center for their faith?

President Clinton led negotiations this week when leaders from Syria and Israel gathered in Washington for another round of peace talks.

Christianity, Islam and Judaism all claim Israel as their religious birthplace so the area has been in conflict for thousands of years. The world watches when Syria and Israel talk about making peace.

People who live in the region recognize the need for peace, but the issue isn't solely about land or a border. The dispute rests in the timing and what sort of peace might arise in an area where the two nations have battled in three major wars.

Two Cape Girardeau ministers visited Israel within the last month. Both said the trip was inspirational for their Christian faith because they walked in the region where Jesus Christ began his ministry. At the same time, the political dynamics were evident.

"People understand the control issue and that it's about power, but there are a handful of fanatics on each side that complicate the process," said the Rev. Mark Anderson, pastor of Lynwood Baptist Church, who spent seven days in Israel.

"It was exciting to walk where Jesus walked and see the places of ministry, but at the same time you could see the dynamics of the area," Anderson said.

Whether Palestinian or Jew, the people who live in Israel know they have to work together to achieve peace, he said. "They have to work with each other to survive."

Living with the threat of disruption and conflict is a matter of fact for the Israeli people, said the Rev. Gary Brothers, who also visited Israel. "For the people who live there, they adapt. It's a way of life."

The streets of Israel are safe, Brother said, "with the exception that there is a potential for explosion at any time."

Often you will see uniformed soldiers carrying M-16s walking along the city streets of Jerusalem or riding a bus. The native people are more adapted to those images, Brothers said.

Can there be peace in an environment of conflict?

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From his understanding of biblical prophecy, Brothers said any peace that is achieved "will be short-lived."

The catch-22 for the peace is in the city of Jerusalem where both Arabs and Jews claim land. "There are not any Jews, especially the Orthodox, that are willing to relinquish the city," Brothers said.

Despite the pressure of peace talks and meetings, "that's where the powder keg is -- within all those factions," Brothers said. "And the lines are very clear."

Anderson agreed. By default of human nature, people are selfish and don't want to give in, he said.

"We all want things our own way," he said. "The only way to get it resolved and get peace is when God's peace comes to the heart of an individual through Jesus Christ."

Finding peace in the Middle East, or anywhere, isn't just about good will toward men, like the angel announced to the shepherds in the Christmas story.

"It's God's power living through our life that enables us to get along and love one another," Anderson said.

Christians living in Israel know that not everyone will accept Christ as savior, Anderson said. "That's when they have to take the high road and give up in order to have that peace."

In the United States, people take their peace for granted. "What is normal for an Israeli is not normalcy for us," Anderson said.

"We have no concept of how nations like Israel live," Brothers said. "We might be concerned about someone breaking into our homes or a school shooting but that would impact a few people at one point in the nation. We aren't concerned about Mexico invading or coming over our borders or Canada shooting shells over Niagara Falls."

In Israel, these are matters of daily concern, he added. Finding peace depends on what the definition is, Brothers said.

Anderson said, "It's a good time to be telling the old, old story that the shepherds heard. People are looking and trying to find ways to experience the peace of God."

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