President
George W. Bush
The White
House
1600
Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington,
DC 20500
Dear
President Bush:
Mennonite
Central Committee (MCC) is a relief, development and peacebuilding agency
of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in the United States and
Canada. For almost 60 years, MCC has worked in the Middle East, walking
with refugees; partnering with local Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups;
and seeking to encourage local peace initiatives.
We are
gravely concerned about the current crisis in the Middle East. The
humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza and Lebanon could easily escalate
into a broader regional conflict. This will not serve U.S. interests or
those of its allies.
As a
Christian agency committed to principles of nonviolence, we renounce all
acts of violence -- be they acts of terror or the excessive use of
military force. As followers of Jesus, we do not believe that violence is
a viable strategy for building peace and security.
In a
post-September 11 world, it seems that some have elevated “terrorism” to a
special category of evil, thus justifying the use of excessive military
force in seeking to eradicate it. In the past five years, innocent
civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, Gaza and now Lebanon have paid the price
of this militarized “war on terror.” The evidence suggests that this
strategy is not working. As military might has been unleashed without
mercy, acts of terror have risen dramatically and anti-American and
anti-Israeli sentiments have increased.
We call for a
new approach.
First, we
urge you to use the influence of your Office to help negotiate an
immediate cease-fire and to promote direct talks between Israel and Hamas,
and Israel and Hezbollah. Talking to groups who have used terror as a
tactic is not rewarding them. Rather, it offers an opportunity to
understand their concerns, to directly challenge their tactics and to work
for mutually agreeable outcomes.
Second, we
urge you to take an even-handed approach. We are dismayed by the recent
U.S. decision to speed a shipment of precision-guided bombs to Israel for
use in their military campaign in Lebanon. How can the United States play
a constructive role in helping to defuse the conflict while supplying arms
to one of the parties? The United States and Israel have been long-term
allies, but it is not helpful to place all the blame on Hezbollah and
Hamas. While the United States and Israel label Hezbollah and Hamas as
terrorist groups, many in the region receive social services from these
organizations and see them as legitimate resistance movements to Israel’s
occupation. And, of course, Hamas is the democratically-elected
government for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Finally, we
urge you to return the U.S. ambassador to Syria and to work toward
normalization of relationships with Iran. If the United States hopes to be
a helpful player in the region, it must build mutually respectful
face-to-face relationships with all parties.
A favorite
hymn in our faith tradition appeals: “Cure thy children’s warring madness;
bend our pride to they control. . . Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal...” This is our prayer for the church,
our nation and for the entire global family.
We realize
that the burdens of your Office are many. May God’s wisdom and courage be
yours in these troubled days.
Sincerely,
Harriet Sider
Bicksler, Board Chair
Mennonite
Central Committee U.S.
