February 5, 2002-- One-million member United Methodist Women is calling for peace in the Middle East as members begin circulating petitions, advocating with the U.S. administration and Congressional leaders, and acting in solidarity with churches in the Middle East.
The petition comes from Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 16 national churches and church-based organizations - both Catholic and Protestant.- of which the Women’s Division is a member.
A recent letter from Churches for Middle East Peace to President Bush, his administration, and Congressional members says that Israeli-Palestinian violence threatens to make a volatile situation even worse. Smuggled weapons, intended for use by Palestinians, increases the doubt of Israelis about the credibility and peaceful intentions of Palestinian Chairman Arafat.
At the same time, Churches for Middle East Peace urges President Bush and Secretary of State Powell "to reconsider the tactic of focusing blame and demands upon Mr. Arafat while ignoring the provocative policies of Israeli Prime Minister Sharon."
"It is evident to our churches, as well as the international community, that the allowance granted Israel by the United States for the destruction of the
infrastructure of Palestinian self-rule, through targeted assassinations, reoccupation of land, and other measures, is a serious policy error," says the letter.The petition condemns all acts of violence on both sides of the conflict. Then, it asks President Bush, the administration, and Congress to convince Mr. Sharon to cease actions that enflame violence and to encourage meetings between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
"American interests and international objectives require more from your
administration than even-handed criticism and pressure," says the letter to President Bush. "There should be clarity that the United States intends to take steps that will end Israel’s military occupation and fulfill the explicit goal of your administration to reach a two-state settlement based on the pre-1967 boundaries as directed by UNSC 242."United Nations Security Council resolution 242 notes the "inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force," and calls for Israeli withdrawal from lands seized in the 1967 war. It also recognizes the right of all states in the area to peaceful existence within secure and recognized boundaries.
The United Methodist Church and the Women’s Division have long supported the implementation of this resolution for bringing this conflict to a just and permanent end. "The United Methodist Church calls upon the United States, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to accept the authority of Security Council resolutions and abide by Resolution 242," says the United Methodist Book of Resolutions.
Discussion and strategies that offer hope for peace and a common good is the goal for the two peoples and three faiths. "To deny this vision to the suffering and angry Israeli and Palestinian people is cruel and dangerous," says the Churches for Middle East Peace letter.
On January 21, senior Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders from the Holy Land met in Alexandria, Egypt and approved an unprecedented joint declaration pledging themselves to work for a just and lasting peace. As a first step
now, they called "for a religiously sanctioned cease-fire, respected and observed on all sides, and for implementation of the Mitchell and Tenet recommendations, including the lifting of restrictions and a return to negotiations."United Methodist Women, who are circulating the petition, will turn the petitions over to Churches for Middle East Peace. During meetings in their geographic area, religious leaders will give petitions to their Congressional members. A copy of the petition can be found at
http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/cmep.html .# # #