Lisa Schirch’s article on Israel and Palestine (June) is about as fair and even­handed as you will ever see. Having spent part of five summers in Gaza and the West Bank in volunteer work at Bethlehem Bible College and the Little Lighthouse in Gaza, my wife and I have seen the situation in Gaza and the West Bank become worse over the years. It may be true that Mennonites are more prone to support Palestinians, but I have yet to hear any members of our church or speakers from the pulpit say anything positive about Palestinians. It’s always about Jews being God’s chosen people and end-times theology. Mennonite Brethren churches have bought into dispensational theology, and this hurts Palestinian Christians, who are often forced to leave their churches because of pressure from dispensational American Christians. We experienced an American Christian in the East Jerusalem Baptist Church telling a Palestinian minister and his congregation that God had told her that the minister and congregation were to leave the church and give the land to Israel. Both Jews and Palestinians should be respected for who they are today, not what a biblical sweep of the past would impute to them.  

Stan George, Reedley, Calif.