Omar of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre is leading us on the Contemporary Way of the Cross around Jerusalem. He tells us of this village of Lifta below us which was one of over 500 depopulated and destroyed in July 1947 at the time of ‘an-Nabka’ (the catastrophe) with the advance of Jewish Militants. As we look down on the ruins we see a crocodile of Palestinian children winding their way to the village to learn about their history. We remember with them the pain experienced then and today of losing community, family networks and a sense of belonging.
