Secularization of Government

The Palestine and Israelite conflict is like having three kids. While this is a strange analogy, it is one that I find quite accurate. There is always going to be one kid or religion that feels left out.

In Mark Ellis’s article Out of the Ashes he theorizes that the conflict in Israel can be solved by having a secular government come in and act without religious ties (Ellis). He gets to this conclusion by discussing the indigenous people of Israel. He considers the original people to be this from Palestine. However, he does clarify that this is a complicated subject. Both sides would claim that they are the rightful owners of the land in Jerusalem (Ellis). Ellis also points out that the Palestine people have included some Jewish people in the past (Ellis). But, he raises the good question of how do you deal with the complexities of an ethnic identity under the control of a different ethnicity. Ellis says that you do this by instituting a secular government (Ellis). This government would ideally have no ties to any religion and serve as a unbiased ruler. I disagree with Ellis’s argument. While I think ideally this would work out in Jerusalem there are three major religions at odds with one another. Based on the previous cycle of destruction, rebuilding, and destruction again I find it hard to accept Ellis’s premise that a secular government would solve the fighting in Jerusalem. Hypothetically, if the government could remain unbiased I am doubtful the citizens within the community could. People believe hole heartedly in their religion which makes it difficult to compromise with other theologies. For example, during Yom Yerushalayim Israelites went through the Muslim Quarter and Damascus Gate an area that they would previously avoid (Green). Because they felt they had enough power to celebrate through this sector of Jerusalem they disturbed the relationship between Muslims and Jewish communities in Jerusalem (Green). Given the chance people will choose to demonstrate for their religion rather than protect the overall good of the Jerusalem community. 

It is also hard for me to believe that the government would be able to remain unbiased. For example, America is supposed to be a place of religious freedom and stands as an example for secularization. However, the United States does not do such a great job of remaining religiously unbiased. Even in Jerusalem the US embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem had religious connotations (For Some, the US Embassy's Move to Jerusalem Fulfills Divine Prophecy). It showed the US siding with Israelites and the bias toward Jews and Christians compared to Muslims.  

Work Cited

Ellis, Marc H. “Israel and Palestine - Out of the Ashes.” 2015, doi:10.2307/j.ctt18fscjk.

Green, Emma. “Celebration in Jerusalem, Bloodshed in Gaza.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 15 May 2018, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/05/jerusalem-embassy-gaza/560300/.

“For Some, the US Embassy's Move to Jerusalem Fulfills Divine Prophecy.” Religion News Service, 16 May 2018, religionnews.com/2018/05/14/some-christians-and-jews-hail-embassy-move-to-jerusalem-as-key-to-a-biblical-plan/.