Author Archives: wallwritings

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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.

Why Are Palestinians Losing Faith in Obama? Ask Rahm Emanuel

Posted on October 14, 2009 by wallwritings

Why Are Palestinians Losing Faith in Obama? Ask Rahm Emanuel

By James M. Wall

I read an online report on Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ)’s latest issue, and discovered why Palestinians are losing faith in President Obama.

There at the top of a list of the 50 Most Important People in Washington, DC, was my old political colleague from Chicago, Rahm Emanuel. (Click on the line above, it has 50 pictures, like the one at left.)

I quickly scrolled the entire list of the MIPs in DC and discovered folks who are close to Obama, or who are engaged in running his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or who are advising the president on how to rescue the economy.

There are even some Republicans, in or out of office, who are dedicated to seeing Obama fail. There is even a media heavyweight, former Bill Clinton White House aide, George Stephanopous.

But there is no one who really knows and feels the Palestinian narrative. (To continue, click here.)

https://wallwritings.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/why-are-palestinians-losing-faith-in-obama-ask-rahm-emanuel/ Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics | 14 Comments

Leipzig 10/9/89: The Day Prayers and Candles Ended an Occupation

Posted on October 11, 2009 by wallwritings

By James M. Wall Twenty years ago, October 9, 1989, East German citizens marched to a prayer service at Leipzig’s St. Nicholas (Lutheran) Church. In a ritual they had repeated many nights before, they marched  to the church holding lighted … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, -Movies and Religion, Middle East Politics | 4 Comments

After Public Outrage, PA Says Blocking Report Was a “Mistake”

Posted on October 7, 2009 by wallwritings

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre – Jerusalem
September 30, 2009

The situation in the Occupied Territories, including the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, is dire and desperate. Israel continues to jeopardize any opportunity for a peaceful negotiated settlement by creating facts on the ground in defiance of the international community.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Israel has already finalized its intended objectives in the Occupied Territories and has a blueprint for a final resolution of the conflict, which it aims to achieve unilaterally.

Sabeel strongly denounces the postponement of the discussion of the Goldstone Report on Israel’s war on Gaza, at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The report must be followed up, Justice must take its course and the guilty must not get away with impunity. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 4 Comments

US Churches Must Stop Following Israel Down the Trauma Trail

Posted on October 5, 2009 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall Avraham Burg , former Israeli Chairman of the Jewish Agency and former Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, has written a book with the provacative title, The Holocaust is Over; We must Rise from Its Ashes. In a … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Religious Faith | 15 Comments

Bibi Spins Obama Again; Pushes Iran as a Nuclear Threat to Israel

Posted on September 29, 2009 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall IMPORTANT TUESDAY 3 P.M UPDATE BELOW Haggai Ram teaches the history of the Middle East at Israel’s Ben Gurion (Negev) University. The most recent book to emerge from his research and teaching is Iranophobia: The Logic … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | 3 Comments

Stand up to Bibi, Mr. President; The World is Watching

Posted on September 22, 2009 by wallwritings

Updated three times below by James M. Wall The UN Report on Israel’s attack on Gaza, December 27, 2008-January, 18, 2009, found that the attack was “directed at the people of Gaza as a whole,” not just at Hamas militants. … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | 10 Comments

Jimmy Carter Explains Racism to the White House; It is Not Pretty

Posted on September 16, 2009 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall     President Obama’s health care hopes are floundering. So are his dreams for a Middle East agreement. Remember that triumphant election night victory, celebrated by a cheering, weeping, crowd in Chicago’s Grant Park? That one … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics and Elections | 5 Comments

Obama Regrets, Bibi Fights, Fayyad Has a Program

Posted on September 9, 2009 by wallwritings

Bibi Netanyahu seems to totally ignore these discussions. They don’t fit his vision of reality. Instead, he tells the American president Israel will enlarge its settlements as long as it wants to. And, oh yes, he will agree only to a brief hiatus in construction.

Bibi wants to change the language of the discussion. The Jerusalem Post reported Monday morning that “freeze” is to be dropped by Israeli ministers and media:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu instructed his aides and Likud ministers over the weekend to stop referring to Israel’s commitments in a deal with US President Barack Obama as a “settlement freeze.”

Instead of a freeze (hakpa’ah in Hebrew), it will be referred to as a suspension (hash’ayah), a waiting period (hamtana), or even a cutback (tzimtzum) of Jewish construction in the West Bank.

In English, the word freeze that Netanyahu used just two weeks ago in Europe will be replaced by the sanitized word “moratorium.”

While Bibi fiddles with language, his country’s is under an economic threat. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East | 6 Comments

At the Montreal World Film Festival: A 24-Hour “Ceasefire” in Fallajuh

Posted on September 2, 2009 by wallwritings

(Tuesday Update: Ceasefire was honored with the Ecumenical Jury prize as the best competition film in the Montreal World Festival at ceremonies, Monday, September 7.   The prize was presented to Director Lancelot von Naso by Jury chair Julia Laggner, … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, Movies | 4 Comments

MLK: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”; Time to Embrace BDS

Posted on August 26, 2009 by wallwritings

By James M. Wall This is not the time for U.S. denominations to keep debating inadequate, diluted, compromised resolutions on “peace in the Holy Land”. It is rather, kairos time, the moment to move against Israel’s apartheid dominance over four … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 18 Comments