Author Archives: wallwritings

About wallwritings

From 1972 through 1999, James M. Wall was editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine, based in Chicago, lllinois. He was a Contributing Editor of the Century from 1999 until July, 2017. He has written this blog, wall writings.me, since it was launched April 27, 2008. If you would like to receive Wall Writings alerts when new postings are added to this site, send a note, saying, Please Add Me, to jameswall8@gmail.com Biography: Journalism was Jim's undergraduate college major at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned two MA degrees, one from Emory, and one from the University of Chicago, both in religion. He is an ordained United Methodist clergy person. He served for two years in the US Air Force, and three additional years in the USAF reserve. While serving on active duty with the Alaskan Command, he reached the rank of first lieutenant. He has worked as a sports writer for both the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, was editor of the United Methodist magazine, Christian Advocate for ten years, and editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine for 27 years. James M Wall died March 22, 2021 at age 92. His family appreciates all of his readers, even those who may have disagreed with his well-informed writings.

Palestine Enters UNESCO in 107 to 14 Vote

Posted on November 1, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall To mounting excitement and wild applause, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), voted 107-14 with 52 abstentions, to approve full Palestinian membership in the international body. The vote came on Monday. Fully aware … Continue reading →

Ahlam and Nezar, A Palestinian Couple Released in The Prisoner Exchange

Posted on October 29, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall Two young Palestinians, Ahlam (left) and Nezar (right) Tammimi, were among the 477 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli prisons, October 18. They were in the first contingent of what is supposed to become more than one … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics | 2 Comments

Palestinian Prisoners Are Not “Unpeople”; They Are Children of God

Posted on October 22, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall In a talk at New York City’s Barnard College the night the Hamas-Israeli prisoner exchange was announced, Noam Chomsky anticipated the one-sided media coverage of the exchange. He charged the media with treating Israeli Jews as … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | 13 Comments

Obama and the “Terror Plot Thriller”

Posted on October 15, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall There are so many doubts and questions surrounding the alleged Iranian-sponsored assassination plot against the Saudi ambassador, that for Barack Obama to take a prominent role in announcing the case may prove to be a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics, Movies | 14 Comments

This Occupation is Brought to You by A Pattern of Racial Bigotry

Posted on October 8, 2011 by wallwritings

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Nicholas Kristof Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 12 Comments

Palestinians Are “Marching To Freedom Land”

Posted on October 1, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall A warning to the United States and Israel is embedded in a New York Times analysis entitled, “Arab Debate Pits Islamists Against Themselves”. The warning lies in the reality that the Palestinian people are on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 8 Comments

“Obama’s performance was pathetic,” But How Does President Perry Sound To You?

Posted on September 24, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M Wall Let us be perfectly clear about this. It is true, as Robert Fisk wrote, “Obama’s performance was pathetic”. It was that, and much more. President Obama’s speech to the United Nations this week was also embarrassing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections, Religion and politics | 15 Comments

Erdogan: “Israel is the West’s Spoiled Child”

Posted on September 17, 2011 by wallwritings

[Wasn’t Dennis Ross one of the team of persuaders, rather than Dennis Blair (not to be confused with Tony Blair?]

The Hale-Blair [if so, this would be Hale-Ross] effort was a failure from the start. The two envoys returned to the region two times, knowing full well that Netanyahu would not budge from his rejection of two Palestinian preconditions for talks: Stop building settlements and start negotiations along the 1967 Green Line border, both positions advocated in previous statements by President Obama.

In his Friday, September 16, televised address from Ramallah, President Abbas ended speculation that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (both of which he heads) might yield to US-Israeli pressure and go directly to the General Assembly, by passing [should this be “bypassing”?] the Security Council where the Obama veto was waiting. That will not happen. Abbas is going for broke. He will present his request to the UN Security Council, fully aware that the US will veto the request.

This means that the two most recent Hale-Ross [Yes!] missions have failed, “forcing” President Obama to cast his Israel-lobby dictated, pro-Israel veto, [This comma should be a period.] It will not be the first veto President Obama has ordered to reject policies which Obama was on record supporting. The first Obama pro-Israel veto came February 18, blocking a resolution that condemned “Israeli settlements as an illegal obstacle to peace”.
an ICJ agent Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics | 18 Comments

The Day The Bush War on Terror Began

Posted on September 10, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M . Wall President George Bush’s War on Terror began ten years ago, September 11, 2001. Murderous crime scenes in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, became spiritual staging grounds for an international war against what Time’s Tony Karon … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | 7 Comments

Israel Makes Mahmoud Abu Samra A Shaheed

Posted on August 27, 2011 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall Mahmoud Abu Samra was killed August 19 in an Israeli air raid near Gaza City. He was 13 years old. The Palestinian news service, Ma’an, tells the story of Mahmoud’s death: Renewed air strikes across the … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | Tagged Eliat bus attack, Mahmoud Abu Samra, shaheeds | 8 Comments