The Patriarchs and Heads of the Christian Communities in Jerusalem on
September 14, 1994, "On The Significance of Jerusalem for Christians"
"We
call upon all parties concerned to comprehend and accept the nature and
deep significance of Jerusalem, City of God. None can appropriate it in
exclusivist ways. We invite each party to go beyond exclusivist visions or
actions, and without discrimination, to consider the religious and national
aspirations of others, in order to give back to Jerusalem its true
universal character and to make of the city a holy place of reconciliation
for humankind."
In 1995, many U.S. heads of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Episcopal
and Historic Peace communions endorsed a March 6 message
"It is our
conviction, Mr. President, that a resolution 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.
On June 16, 1996 Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah addressed the Middle East
Council of Churches
"We ask our Lord to guide all those responsible to
find for the holy city of Jerusalem the status which is at once in accord
with justice and charity, capable of making it a city of reconciliation and
of salvation for all peoples."
" Jerusalem is a singular city. That is why Jerusalem requires a special
statue which corresponds to its five constituent parties: two peoples and
three religions. The exclusion or preference of one peoples over another,
or of one religion over another, is contrary to the city's nature and
diminishes its peace. It belongs to the citizens themselves to define and
to administer this special status without intervention of other nations.
But this status ought to be strengthened by international guarantees."
From The Future of Jerusalem, in the Vatican publication, La Civilta'
Cattolica on June 15, 1996
"It [Jerusalem] is a reality bigger than the
people who live in it and larger than their most intimate personal,
communitarian, political, cultural and religious expectations. The Holy
City belongs at one and the same time to its inhabitants and to all
humanity. The local and international vocation of Jerusalem ultimately
influences the possibility for peoples and believers to live together in
the city itself, in the region, and in the world, in peace, justice,
reciprocal knowledge, respect and trust."
From City of Holiness and Hope, A Message on Jerusalem, passed on Nov. 11,
1996 by the CWSW Unit Committee and National Council of the Churches of
Christ of the USA Executive Board
"A Jerusalem that is called holy by
Christians, a place where every Christian can feel at home, cannot reflect
values that are at odds with fundamental tenets of our faith. This, too, is
our stake in Jerusalem: not a territorial claim, not a political design,
but rather a steady insistence that the city we call `holy' and `home'
reflects common values of love, sharing and justice. The peace of
Jerusalem for which we, with the Psalmist pray, is a peace for all its
people: Muslims, Jews and Christians alike." It is a peace grounded in the
thirst for justice. For us, this is not a peripheral concern, a passing
cause. It lies at the heart of who we are and who we want to be. We join
our brothers and sisters in the Abrahamic tradition in striving together,
in hope and love, for a Jerusalem that remains holy for all."
General Conference of The United Methodist Church, on April 1996
"Jerusalem is sacred to all the children of Abraham: Jews, Muslims and
Christians. We have a vision of Jerusalem as a city of peace and
reconciliation, where indigenous Palestinians and Israelis can live as
neighbors and, along with visitors and tourists, have access to holy sites
and exercise freedom of religious expression. The peaceful resolution of
the Jerusalem issue is crucial to the success of the whole process of
making peace between the Palestinians and Israelis."
Middle East Council of Churches, Nov. 2, 1995
"Whatever their religion, the people of Jerusalem must enjoy the right of
free access, the right to exercise civic responsibilities, the right to
settle down and live, and the right to worship God according to their own
traditions. It breaks the city's unique and living covenant when the
followers of one impose restrictions upon the believers of other religions,
place impediments in their path, and threaten their communities with
dissolution."
A Statement by the Clergy and People of the Christian Churches of
Jerusalem, Sept. 29, 1996
"`Jerusalem First' is now a priority. It is the heart of the conflict and
the key to peace. When the closure of Jerusalem is lifted and the two
parties share sovereignty over it, Jerusalem will become the city of
peace.....We therefore insist on an open Jerusalem, the capital of two
states; a city that will be a model for the peaceful coexistence between
two peoples, Palestinian and Israeli. Thus, Jerusalem will become a
genuine symbol of authentic brotherhood and tolerance between the three
faiths, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity."
June 11, 1996 letter to President Clinton from Churches for
Middle East Peace
"The continued closure of Jerusalem violates the rights and livelihood of
the entire Palestinian community. Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza
must be allowed free access to Jerusalem including its religious, cultural,
service, commercial and political institutions. The discriminatory
practices of the Jerusalem municipality regarding infrastructure and
housing, both by the building of Jewish-only settlements and the denial of
building permits for Palestinians, must be challenged by the U.S.
government." |
