Palestinian Memories

Palestinian Memories is a book written by a friend of my wife's family. Alex Awad tells the story of his family beginning in the war of 1948 which is called by Israel as the War of Independence, this same war is described by the entire Arab world as the day of the catastrophe. During this war Alex's father was shot and killed right outside of his own home as he was venturing out to get some food during break in the shooting. Although Alex openly blames Jews for shooting his father he does admit that Christian Arabs were targeted by Jordanian Soldiers for their "Western and Jewish" style clothes, and that no one is sure who killed his father. His mother was left a widow along with seven children. The first part of this book is the life testimony of his mother and an incredible testimony it is. The second and much larger part of this book is a history of Israel as told by someone who thinks Israel should be pushed into the Mediterranean and replaced by another Muslim country. His problem is one that plagues the Christians in the Middle East. Arab Christians have been economically plundered by the Israeli Government, they're entrapped in their towns, and humiliated by Israeli Soldiers. On top of all of this they're culturally oppressed and persecuted by the Muslims surrounding them. While Alex Awad has no problem detailing many instances of injustice committed by Israelis against Christians, he completely denies that there are any injustices committed by Muslims. Alex Awad has allowed his hate of Israelis to affect biblical worldview. He denies a millenial kingdom, he denies any form of dispensationalism, and he denies any problems that come with Islam. He has cowardly denied recent persecution of Palestinian Christians because he's afraid of Muslim reprisals against the Bible College he works at. His Bible College, located in Bethlehem, is surrounded by two Palestinian Refugee camps. Toward the end of the book he attempts to confront dispensationalist Christianity and Zionism. While I'm against overly political movements within Christianity such as Zionism, I do take the Bible literally, especially concerning end times. Alex Awad does a horrible job of trying to disprove any end times prophecies and trying to nullify the promises made by God. Overall this book was an interesting read even though it frequently left my wife and I wondering, "what the heck is wrong with this guy?"