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Jerusalem, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, is the spiritual
heritage of all the children of Abraham, and all believers share the
longing for the time when nations find it truly the City of Peace.
The story of Jerusalem is a tragic one, and in the web of history members
of the three faiths are not innocent of one another's blood. Today,
however, we stand at a special point in history where the future of
Jerusalem is open to peaceful negotiation. The three communities of faith
must have a part in those deliberations.
Mr. President, we appeal to you as representative leaders of Christian
communions and organizations in the United States with strong ties to the
Middle East. We ask that in its role as facilitator to the Middle East
peace process, the United States government place the question of Jerusalem
higher on its agenda.
Above all we ask that the Administration use its influence to prevent this
vital issue from being settled by force of events or the creation of facts
on the ground. We fear that if issues centering on Jerusalem are not dealt
with openly and directly by all affected parties, they have the potential
to derail the peace process.
At the same time, we believe that making Jerusalem a subject for open
negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians is essential for reaching an
accord on the question of Jerusalem. Representatives of the three
Abrahamic religions must also have a role in shaping the ultimate
resolution of issues affecting historic Jerusalem and the commitment of the
international community to guaranteeing the living presence of the three
religious communities in the Holy City.
We come to you because developments on the ground in the Jerusalem area
leave less and less for negotiation in the last phase of the peace process.
- In contravention of international law, more and more land is taken out
of Palestinian
hands and placed under Israeli control by annexation, expropriation,
and private
purchases, often coercive or of questionable legality;
- Israeli planning for "Greater Jerusalem" is an open secret; and
- Israel's assertion that Jerusalem will remain the "eternal and
undivided capital of Israel"
is widely interpreted as a claim of exclusive Israeli sovereignty over
the city that
preempts genuine negotiation.
We are concerned: -
that the Administration is backing away from the long-term United
States policy that
East Jerusalem is subject to UN Security Council Resolution 242
regarding territories
occupied by Israeli armed forces in 1967;
- that the Administration is failing to recognize and support Palestinian
rights and
interests in Jerusalem;
- that the Administration is not using its considerable influence to halt
Israeli construction
in East Jerusalem and continued expansion into Palestinian areas.
It is our conviction, Mr. President, that a resolution of the question of
Jerusalem has the potential for advancing cooperation between the three
Abrahamic faiths or sowing the seeds of new religious conflicts between
Muslims, Jews and Christians. The future of Jerusalem must not be preempted
by the actions of any one party. Only a negotiated agreement that respects
the human and political rights of Palestinians and Israelis as well as the
three religious communities can lead to a lasting peace. The goal of "a
warm peace" between Israel and its Arab neighbors can only be achieved in
the context of a shared city where the interests of all parties are
respected.
In view of the deteriorating conditions on the ground and the central
importance of this issue to the peace process, we urge you to use your good
offices to see that the negotiators take up the question of Jerusalem as
soon as possible and that the position of the United States fully reflects
the concerns expressed in this statement.
Cardinal William H. Keeler
President, National Council of Catholic Bishops
Very Rev. Gerald L. Brown, S.S.
President, Roman Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes
The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning
Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
The Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom
Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Kara Newell
Executive Director, American Friends Service Committee
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Archbishop Iakovos
Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America
Metropolitan Philip Saliba
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Robert A. Seiple
President, World Vision
Corinne Whitlatch
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) |
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