Addressing what many consider the world's most controversial conflict, Naim Ateek offers a succinct primer on liberation theology in the context of the Palestinian struggle for freedom and self-determination. Beginning with the historical roots of this struggle, he shows how the memory of the Holocaust served to trump the claims and aspirations of the native inhabitants of Palestine, and how later Israeli occupation and settlements in the West Bank have contributed to their suffering and oppression. Supported by many Western Christians, Israeli claims to the land rely on a particular exclusivist reading of the Bible. In contrast, a Palestinian theology of liberation responds with a counter-strategy for biblical interpretation, emphasizing the prophetic themes of inclusivity and justice. Ateek concludes by providing principles for achieving security, peace, and justice for all peoples in Israel/Palestine.

Theologies of Liberation in Palestine-Israel is a challenging collection of essays concerned with the development of contextualized theologies of liberation in Palestine and the indigenous Palestinian people's struggle for justice and liberation. The innovation of the work stems from the inclusion of indigenous perspectives within its remit and the introduction of new concepts such as civil liberation theology. The collection offers other ways to look at biblical discourses and their impact on the ongoing conflict, ways to live peacefully, ways to be ethical when visiting these conflicted lands, understandings of resource ethics, and even a new way to understand how we approach our understanding of liberation theology. Contributors includewell-known scholars from Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Palestinian- Israeli, Indian, American and British backgrounds. This work goes beyond typical academic collections; vast in scope, it will be informative not only to scholars and students but also to peace activists and policymakers. It should be of use not only in academic courses but also for practitioners of conflict resolution, peace, and reconciliation.

"From the text: "The background is clear. . . . [Jerusalem] has been conquered and re-conquered more than 37 times. The latest conquest in 1967 was by the Israeli army. After the war Israel 'took in' not only the 5 square kilometers of Arab East Jerusalem - but also 65 square kilometers of surrounding open country and villages, most of which never had any municipal link to Jerusalem. Overnight they became part of Israel's 'eternal and indivisible capital.' The history of Jerusalem has been written with blood."" "The first part of this sequel to Justice and Only Justice focuses on events since the Intifada of 1987, including the violence that has come from Israel's aggression and from the use of suicide bombers by Palestinians. The second part of the book draws on scripture, lifting up biblical figures such as Samson, Jonah, Daniel, and Jesus as it examines issues of ownership of the land. In the final section, Ateek presents a strategy to achieve peace and justice nonviolently that will promote justice for the Palestinians and security for both Israel and Palestine."--BOOK JACKET.

A Palestinian Christian theologian shows how the reality of empire shapes the context of the biblical story, and the ongoing experience of Middle East conflict.