Pax Christi Austria in Barta’a
Since 1998 Mag. Andreas Paul from Linz, Austria has led 6 groups of fellow Austrian members of Pax Christi to Israel and the Palestinian areas.
In the past and as with the latest group, Andreas attached great importance to spending some time visiting a kibbutz and also the village of Barta’a and therefore Pax Christi came to call once more at Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek, the co-operative community of International Department staff member Lydia Aisenberg – who then also took them on a tour of Wadi Ara.
Coming from Linz and Innsbruck in the main, all of the group members are involved in peace and church work and also included Dr. Manfred Scheuer, the Cathloic Bishop of the Diocese of Innsbruck and current president of Pax Christi Austria.
Pax Christi began at the end of the Second World War when a group of French and German people came together to pray, to seek reconciliation and to work for a peaceful new beginning after years of bitter conflict.
The same spirit continues to inspire the international Pax Christi movement today, bringing together ordinary people from many different backgrounds and cultures, as they shape and act upon their shared vision of peace, reconciliation and justice for all.
In present times Pax Christi can be found in over 50 countries with tens of thousands of individual members who give their time and resources to build a more peaceable and secure world.
All share the conviction that peace is possible and that vicious cycles of violence and injustice can be broken.
Working for peace implies working against violence. The organization researches into the root causes of violence. Seminars, publications, fact-finding missions (such as the recent visit of the Austrian group to Israel-Palestinian areas) and networking provide valuable information for members and others working on issues of justice and peace.
Giving priority to nonviolent means of resolving conflict and working toward creating a culture of peace is the main goal as well as promoting working relations with other organizations with likewise objectives such as the Givat Haviva Center for Peace Education.
“It is important for our people to meet and speak with people in the field of peace work here in Israel and in Palestine and that is why we see it imperative to have the opportunity of showing the people what is means for you,” Mag. Andreas Paul told Lydia.
Following a short visit to the kibbutz, the Austrian visitors headed for Route 65 – Wadi Ara – with first stop being the Mei Ami vantage point looking over the city of Umm el-Fahm, the Jezreel Valley and the Shaked bloc of West Bank settlements just over the Green Line.
FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR – Austrian Pax Christi buying fruit in Barta’a
Travelling through Area C and passing the Palestinian village of Umm Reichan, the group heard about the local population, relationships between them and took in the scenery of both Jewish settlements and Palestinian villages in close proximity to each other in the most northern corner of the West Bank.
Leaving Area C and returning once more to Israel, the group saw Barta’a village from above as well as a good portion of the West Bank area of the Dotan Valley before entering the divided village of Barta’a.
Returning to Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek to drop of their guide and have a picnic lunch on Lydia and neighbour’s verandas, the Austrian visitors said that they had learned a great deal and one said he had learned just how much more he needed to learn about the complex situation in the Middle East!
Group member Gerhilde Merz has in the past translated from the English to German articles penned by Lydia for the Pax Christi and other websites and it was the first time that the women had the opportunity to meet – and hopefully not the last.
NOT LOST IN TRANSLATION – Journalist and Givat Haviva staff member Lydia Aisenberg with Gerhilde Merz of Linz, her unofficial translator!
August 2008
