Sami Awad’s Back Pages

by Dexter Van Zile (July 2012)

After having watched Sami in action at the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference in Bethlehem in March, I had some hope that Sami would transcend the propagandistic legacy left by the previous generation of Palestinian Christian leaders.

For this, we can thank Naim Ateek, founder of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. Ateek was the person most responsible for damaging the credibility of Palestinian Christian peacemaking.

Sami made good use of the opportunity afforded to him by the conference which was organized by Bethlehem Bible College led by his father, Bishara Awad. At the event, which was attended by approximately 600 Evangelical Protestants from around the world, Sami presented himself as someone who can offer up a genuine message of peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. After hearing him talk, audience members had reason to think that just maybe, Sami would not traffic in the demonization and self-pity that have been the hallmark of Palestinian Christian messaging under the likes of Ateek.

In his successful effort to gain his release from administrative detention, Adhan invoked Western notions of human rights, rights he has not interest in according to Jews, as is evidenced by his membership in Islamic Jihad and his above-mentioned call for young Palestinian men to blow themselves up. This is authoritarian, antisemitic fascism.

If Awad cannot denounce Adhan, he has no right to call himself a peacemaker.

Dexter Van Zile is the Christian Media Analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America.

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