 |
Religious leaders back President's Israeli-Palestinian peace pledge
Presiding Bishop joins NILI leaders in writing to Bush
[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has joined other Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders, including heads of more than 20 national organizations, in writing to President George W. Bush supporting his pledge to provide active U.S. leadership for Israeli-Palestinian peace in 2008.In their January 28 letter, the leaders, acting as the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative (NILI) for Peace in the Middle East, are advocating "urgent U.S. engagement to achieve an effective comprehensive ceasefire covering Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, and other simultaneous steps by Israel and the Palestinian Authority to improve conditions on the ground and restore people's hopes that a peace agreement is possible."
The Episcopal Church "continues to actively advocate for a just solution for Palestinians and Israelis," the Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, director of the Church's Advocacy Center, said on January 31. "The situation in Gaza underscores the need for the United States and other key players in the Middle East to continue to pursue an agreement that establishes a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.
"Until that happens, there are those who will seek to derail the process through acts of violence. We continue to work with those pushing for a negotiated settlement of final status issues, and we invite the engagement of interested Episcopalians."
The NILI leaders express their support for Bush's "active leadership for Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace as witnessed in the Annapolis meeting, the donors' conference for aid to the Palestinian Authority, and your recent trip to the Middle East, including your commitment to make one or more additional visits later this year."
Founded in 2003, NILI represents more than 30 Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and the heads of 25 national organizations. The Initiative has stressed that the United States has "an inescapable responsibility and an indispensable role to play in achieving peace and that achieving Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace will have very important positive reverberations in the region and worldwide."
NILI members, including Jefferts Schori, Vermont Bishops Thomas Ely, and retired Washington Assisting Bishop Allen Bartlett, have represented the Episcopal Church in key State Department meetings, including those with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Under Secretary Nicholas Burns.
The January 28 letter outlined specific steps "to improve conditions on the ground and help restore people's hopes that a peace agreement is possible" including:
- A comprehensive, effective ceasefire covering Israel, the West Bank and Gaza;
- The Palestinian Authority developing coordinated security and increased capacity for governance, blocking illegal arms shipments and disarming militias;
- Israel freezing expansion of settlements, withdrawing "illegal outposts," releasing more Palestinian prisoners, and easing movement for Palestinians by reducing the number of military check points;
- Effective public monitoring of international aid and of implementation of these reciprocal steps.
The full text of the letter is available here.
Grieves noted that Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), a coalition of 22 Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant organizations, is holding a conference in April that will provide "an excellent opportunity for those who want to learn about and/or further their knowledge of Middle East issues."
The "Calming the Storm -- Middle East Peace Making in a Turbulent Time" conference will feature several Middle East experts including the keynote speaker, Hanan Ashwari, Palestinian educator and legislator, and an Episcopalian. The conference is set for April 20-22 in Washington, D.C., with the last day devoted to visits to Congressional offices.
The Episcopal Church is a member of CMEP and its new executive director, former Ambassador Warren Clark, is an Episcopalian. Further information about the conference is available here.
"The long involvement of the Episcopal Church in the Middle East, our concerns for the safety and welfare of Palestinians and Israelis, and for the Episcopalians and our institutions there, will always make this issue a high priority," Maureen Shea, director of Government Relations for the Episcopal Church and chair of CMEP, said. "We are grateful for the many Episcopalians who have served as such effective public policy advocates on these important issues and hope many more will join us in this important work."