Church leaders in the CMEP coalition sent a letter to President Bush today, appealing to him to “work with other world leaders to secure an immediate cease-fire in the violent conflict raging now between Hezbollah and Israel.”  The letter was faxed to key officials at the National Security Council, the State Department, Israeli embassy and Lebanese embassy.  To reinforce your advocacy toward Congress, CMEP also sent the letter to all Senate and House offices, along with a cover message entitled, “CMEP Urges US Leadership to Achieve Mideast Ceasefire.”  Below is the CMEP letter urging a cease-fire and a press release that addresses both the Gaza and Lebanon crises. 

TAKE ACTION

CMEP encourages you to continue your advocacy directed toward Congress and the Administration, using the July 20^th email alert.  Additionally, CMEP urges you to get involved with or organize activities in your community or at your church now while people are alarmed by the violence in the Middle East.  It is vital that you raise awareness of the human costs of the conflict, the urgent need for an immediate cease-fire and the overarching necessity of working for a comprehensive Middle East peace.   

Media: 

The media is saturated with news about the Middle East crisis.  Call in to talk radio shows and write letters to the editor.  It is important that a voice of compassion and peacemaking be heard during this difficult time.  Urge a cease-fire and intensive US diplomacy.  You can draw on CMEP letters, letters from CMEP churches and statements from humanitarian agencies that are posted on CMEP’s website.

Humanitarian Response: 

As the church leaders wrote, “This violent conflict has created a grave humanitarian crisis, and no hoped-for benefit should outweigh the cause of saving innocent lives.”  Many of your churches and church-related organizations are responding to the humanitarian crises in Lebanon and Gaza.  You might contribute individually or organize a church-wide offering that brings attention to the conflict.  On CMEP’s website, you can find links to some church-related humanitarian NGOs. 

Church Activities:

As the violence escalates, it is important to find a way to channel your frustration and sadness over the Mideast crisis.  Organize a discussion group in your church or with other local churches.  Suggest that prayers be offered for the suffering peoples caught in the conflict.  The “Church Toolkit for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking” offers a variety of ideas and resources that can be adapted for this current situation. 

 U.S. Church Leaders Appeal for Greater Presidential Leadership

to End Violence and Secure Middle East Peace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        

CONTACT: Corinne Whitlatch                                                                                  

Churches for Middle East Peace                                                                                                                  

202-543-1222; cell 202-306-3187;

cmep@cmep.org

(WASHINGTON, July 21, 2006)

The Heads of U.S. Churches, in two letters to President Bush this week, have appealed to him to exercise stronger leadership in support of peace and to halt violence that has created humanitarian crises in Gaza and throughout Lebanon. The overarching concern of the religious leaders is for lives lost and for the suffering and displaced people caught in these conflicts.  They call upon the United States government to work cooperatively with the international community to achieve an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel and a diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that can pave the way for a comprehensive Middle East peace.  

In the July 20 letter, the Christian leaders condemn the provocative capture of an Israeli soldier by Gaza militants and ask the President to work with Prime Minister Olmert toward a “diplomatic solution which will not further impoverish and burden ordinary Palestinians.” They endorse the call by church-related aid organizations “for the urgent protection of Gaza’s civilians, as specified by the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as immediate and unobstructed access for the delivery of critical humanitarian aid and supplies necessary for basic human needs.”

The letter writers brought to the President’s attention a statement from the Bishops and Patriarchs of Jerusalem. These leaders of the Palestinian Christian community condemned the abduction of the soldier and killing of the young settler, but consider Israel’s response – the destruction of bridges and a power station, the deprivation and deaths of civilians and arrests of Palestinian officials – as without proportion. “Things have gone too far.  We call upon the International community to intervene and insist on a diplomatic solution to this conflict.”

In a July 21 letter, the leaders of US churches and church-related organizations urge the President “to work with other world leaders to secure an immediate cease-fire in the violent conflict raging now between Hezbollah and Israel.”  They write that “no hoped-for benefit could outweigh the cause of saving innocent lives” and cite the 34 Israelis and at least 335 Lebanese who have been killed along with the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced.

They assert that “in the face of such a humanitarian crisis, calls for the fighting parties to be restrained in their actions fall short of what is needed.  Your presidential leadership and the full weight of the United States, acting in concert with the international community, must be applied now to achieve an immediate cease-fire and to launch an intense diplomatic initiative for the cessation of hostilities.”

The letter concludes, “This is a necessary first step toward the diplomatic resolution of this crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the way toward a comprehensive Middle East peace.”

July 20 Letter on Gaza Crisis: http://www.cmep.org/letters/7-20-06_Heads_Letter_Gaza.pdf

July 21 Letter Urging a Cease-Fire: http://www.cmep.org/letters/7-21-06_Heads_Letter_Hezbollah-Israel.pdf

July 21, 2006

The Honorable George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC  20500

Dear President Bush:

We urge you to work with other world leaders to secure an immediate cease- fire in the violent conflict raging now between Hezbollah and Israel.

We are deeply concerned for the innocent victims of the attacks and reprisals between non-state parties in Lebanon and the government of Israel.  This violent conflict has created a grave humanitarian crisis, and no hoped-for benefit should outweigh the cause of saving innocent lives. 

If this conflict continues, the current humanitarian crisis could escalate toward a catastrophe.  Already in the first days of attacks and reprisals, reports say that 34 Israelis have been killed, including 15 civilians, others injured, and thousands have been made to leave their homes, and, in Lebanon, at least 335 people, most of them civilians, are reported killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced or sought refuge in other countries.

In the face of such a humanitarian crisis, calls for the fighting parties to be restrained in their actions fall short of what is needed.  Your presidential leadership and the full weight of the United States, acting in concert with the international community, must be applied now to achieve an immediate cease-fire and to launch an intensive diplomatic initiative for the cessation of hostilities. This is a necessary first step toward the diplomatic resolution of this crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the way toward a comprehensive Middle East peace. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Robb Davis                                                  
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee

Marie Dennis

Director

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Rev. Robert Edgar

General Secretary

National Council of Churches USA

Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary
Reformed Church in America

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold

Presiding Bishop

The Episcopal Church in America

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Rev. Dr. Stan Hastey

Executive Director

Alliance of Baptists

Very Rev. Dominic Izzo, OP
President

Roman Catholic Conference of

    Major  Superiors of Men's Institutes

Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

Presbyterian Church, (USA)

Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director & CEO
Church World Service

Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba

Archbishop of New York and

Metropolitan of North America

Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese

    of North America 

Rev. William G. Sinkford

President

Unitarian Universalist Association of

  Congregations

Rev. John H. Thomas

General Minister and President

United Church of Christ

Joe Volk

Executive Secretary

Friends Committee on National

    Legislation

The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
General Minister and President                 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 

James W. Winkler

General Secretary

General Board of Church and Society

United Methodist Church