Sumud, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) initiative responding to Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands, has released three episodes of a five-part docuseries focused on the plight of Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza. The series, Stolen Stories: Palestinian Christians Share History in Their Own Words, begins with Episode 1: Nakba, which tells of the early 20th-century displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from what would eventually become the modern state of Israel.
Each episode includes stories shared by Palestinian Lutheran leaders. The series is intended as an educational resource to help Christians better understand the region’s conflict beyond how many Western historians, theologians and media outlets have framed it.
The series title, Stolen Stories, refers to how this selective retelling has shaped public policy and sentiment in Europe and the U.S. regarding the plight of Palestinians. As an example, in Episode 2: Naksa, the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb notes that Palestinian Christians don’t refer to the war in which Israel gained control of the West Bank and Gaza in the same way it is portrayed in many Western circles.
“We don’t call it ‘Six-Day War,’” he said. “We call it ‘1967 War’ because ‘Six-Day War’ is weaponizing the Bible for political ends. It is as if God created the world in six days, and then he rested. However, Israel in six days did not make us rest, nor did they rest.”
The third episode tells the stories of the intifadas and the Oslo Accords. Two final yet-to-be-released episodes will focus on the region’s history since the Second Intifada.
According to the ELCA’s website, Sumud, which is Arabic for “steadfastness,” is intended to follow the lead of Palestinian partners “to bear witness to the truth that only when justice prevails can there be lasting peace for all Palestinians and Israelis.”
You can access the first three episodes on the Sumud site.
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