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The United Methodist Church GBGM’s “From Palestine To Seattle”

Teaches Children to Fear and Dislike Israelis

As part of its study program focusing on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church, has published a children’s storybook entitled “From Palestine to Seattle” with an accompanying teacher’s guide. Just like the GBGM’s 223 page volume “Israel-Palestine: A Mission Study,” this “storybook” is filled with material omissions and distortions and does not present the situation in Israel/Palestine in a balanced or evenhanded manner. Rather than promoting a sense of peace, justice and brotherhood amongst Methodist children, it portrays Israelis as dangerous people to fear. This is especially disturbing in light of the fact that this material is intended for children.

• “From Palestine to Seattle” starts as a seemingly innocent and friendly children’s storybook.

Pastor John Rogers has just returned from a trip to Palestine to his home in Seattle. In a cheerful and colorful picture, he is seen happily driving along in a car with his children Allison and Matt. When they get home he shows his children gifts he was given, including a wood carving of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. (pp. 1-2)

• The storybook encourages brotherhood between American Christians and Palestinians.

Mr. Rogers gives his children a letter from a young Palestinian boy named Tarek. Tarek asks the children to visit him and eat falafel that his mother will cook for them. There are cheerful, brightly colored pictures of presents and happy American and Palestinian children. (pp. 2-5)

• The friendly tone becomes dark and foreboding when the topic of Israel is introduced.

Tarek explains in a letter to the children that he is not able to travel to Jerusalem anymore and that his father was allowed to go once when he got a special pass. Tarek alludes to “trouble,” but it “just didn’t sound right” to Allison and Matt to ask him about the “trouble.” (pp. 3-6) Then the storybook shows a picture of an Israeli soldier with a rifle checking what seem to be passports. The Israeli’s face is not like the other faces in the storybook. The other faces are friendly looking and have clearly depicted human features. The Israeli face looks grim, and the features are stickfigure-like and less human with only straight lines for eyes. (p. 7)

Tarek writes that there are checkpoints in many places and that Israeli soldiers make Palestinians without passes go back and don’t allow them into Jerusalem. (p. 7)

Matt asks his father, “How can people be so unfair”? (p. 7) Instead of explaining that the restrictions are related to the need to protect Israelis from Palestinian terrorism, Pastor Rogers allows his son’s question to go unanswered.

• The dark and foreboding tone continues as Israelis are depicted placing unfair restrictions on Palestinians and threatening both Americans and Palestinians with guns.

Pastor Rogers and his family decide to go and visit their new Palestinian friends. But first they have to cross an Israeli checkpoint. The family is “shocked” at what they see. “Looking up, they saw a soldier with a gun sitting in a watchtower!” (p. 12)

The Rogers family is then pictured passing through the checkpoint. They have on colorful clothes and are driving a pink station wagon with license plates that read “Peace on Earth.” There are six grim looking Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint pointing rifles and checking passports. The Roger’s children look at the Israelis with faces filled with fear and loathing. (pp. 12-13)

Nowhere in this “storybook” is there an explanation for the Israeli restrictions on Palestinians. Nowhere in this “storybook” is the Israeli struggle to defend against suicide bombing shown.

American children are shown only the Palestinian perspective -- travel restrictions, road blocks and checkpoints. But the reason for these restrictions, road blocks and checkpoints is hidden from them.

Americans and Palestinians are depicted as bright, friendly and peaceful. Only Israelis are shown in a negative light.

How does the United Methodist Church explain its decision to disseminate this sort of unwholesome propaganda to children?