- Palestinian Americans, Dismayed by Violence, Say Historical Context Is Being Overlooked, The New York Times
“Rabbi Nancy Kasten, who leads an interfaith group in Dallas, said she sympathized with the challenges facing Palestinians and believed Israel’s government had long committed human rights violations. But she rejected the idea that Israel’s policies justified or prompted Hamas to attack and kill last weekend.
‘I don’t think that the occupation caused Hamas to do this,’ said Rabbi Kasten, who said she visited Palestinian territories regularly. ‘I don’t think Hamas has Palestinian liberation in mind at all.’”
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- Dallas pastor, delegation including Texans, among those stuck in Israel amid conflict, Texas Standard
“So I just believe that this is another lesson that we will have to learn, about how violence is not the answer, of how war does not solve the problems we have with one another or bring peace. We have to find creative ways on the ground of learning to care for one another, listen to one another’s stories, and live together in peace.” – Rev. Dr. George Mason, Faith Commons Founder & President
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- ‘Eyewitnesses to history’: Dallas pastor, interfaith group flee Israel after Hamas attack, The Dallas Morning News
“On the ground, there are people who are creating the conditions for future coexistence and peace. And we need to promote their work. We need to learn from them, and we need more people to follow the example,” Mason said. “And of course, we didn’t get to take [the tour] because the usual suspects have risen with their violent intentions and decided that the those ways of being are never going to work.”
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