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New York, November 26, 2007--Leaders of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) are expressing encouragement and
prayers for this week's Mideast peace talks in Annapolis, Maryland.
Writing to President Bush on Nov. 20, the NCC leaders reaffirmed the
ecumenical group's longstanding support to "the goals and principles
that are central to a lasting peace: an end to the Occupation, and a
viable two-state solution; a renunciation of violence by all parties
and an affirmation of the rights and security concerns of both
Israelis and Palestinians; and a shared Jerusalem, which can one day
be a symbol of the peace that is central to the faith of Christians,
Jews, and Muslims."
The letter was written at the urging of the General Assembly of NCC
and Church World Service, the NCC's partner humanitarian ministry. At
the General Assembly's annual gathering last Nov. 6-8, Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel,
moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), proposed that such a
letter be sent to President Bush. The letter was signed on behalf of
NCC's 35 member communions by the Rev. Michael Livingston, president
of the NCC, Ms. Clare J. Chapman, the acting general secretary of the
NCC, and Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC's associate general secretary
for international affairs and peace.
The General Assembly delegates also unanimously reaffirmed their three
decade old commitments to Middle East peace.
"These same commitments lead us today to pray for the success of this
peace conference in Annapolis, as a new beginning in a process that
will one day lead to the realization of a just peace in the Holy
Land," concluded the NCC's Nov. 20 letter to President Bush.
The National Council of Churches USA is the ecumenical voice of 35 of
America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American
and traditional peace churches. These NCC member communions have 45
million faithful members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.
---Latest NCC News at www.councilofchurches.org---
November 20, 2007
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Bush:
On behalf of the churches that comprise the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, we write to you in support of the
international conference you have called, to take place in Annapolis,
Maryland, to reinvigorate the peace process in the Middle East. In the
spirit of the Thanksgiving Season during which this conference is
scheduled, we express our gratitude for this initiative, especially
for the glimmer of hope it brings to a bleak situation.
Indeed, the urgency of such an initiative as this cannot be
overstated. Conditions in the Holy Land, and in the wider Middle East,
have deteriorated precipitously over the last few years. This reality
has been confirmed to us in our many visits to the region, visits
intended to demonstrate our solidarity, not only with Christians
there, but with all people there whose lives are impacted by the
ongoing violence. This conference signals to all--Israelis,
Palestinians, and others in the Middle East and throughout the
world--that the United States is ready to reassert its leadership in
bringing all parties back to the table.
We know that this conference will not be able to address all issues
that pertain to this conflict, such as refugees, settlements, and
final borders. Nevertheless, we do know that this conference can
reaffirm the goals and principles that are central to a lasting peace:
an end to the Occupation, and a viable two-state solution; a
renunciation of violence by all parties and an affirmation of the
rights and security concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians; and a
shared Jerusalem, which can one day be a symbol of the peace that is
central to the faith of Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
The thirty-five churches that come together ecumenically through the
National Council of Churches collectively represent forty-five million
Christians in one hundred thousand congregations across the country.
At the Council's General Assembly held just two weeks ago, the
delegates of these churches reaffirmed our long-held commitments to
peace in the Middle East. Some thirty years ago, these commitments
guided the Council's Track II diplomacy efforts that provided a
backdrop to the Camp David Accords. These same commitments lead us
today to pray for the success of this peace conference in Annapolis,
as a new beginning in a process that will one day lead to the
realization of a just peace in the Holy Land.
Sincerely,
Rev. Michael Livingston
President
Ms. Clare Chapman
Acting General Secretary
Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos
Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace
cc: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
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