(Members of House International Relations and Senate Foreign Relations committees)
U.S. House of Representatives or United States Senate

Dear Representative/Senator:

During this extended session of the 107^th Congress, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) asks for your attention to the repercussions of the provisions related to Jerusalem that were inserted into the Foreign Relations Authorization Act by conferees from the House International Relations Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

An urgent message to President Bush about the legislation from the Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem is enclosed.

Churches for Middle East Peace has consistently supported the long-standing policy of the United States government that the status of Jerusalem must be determined by negotiations by the parties and that the U.S. embassy in Israel remain in Tel Aviv until that time. The issue of Jerusalem’s status has long been a major concern of Churches for Middle East Peace, which advocates for a united city shared by the two peoples and three faiths, and which encourages a negotiated agreement toward that conclusion.

This legislative action, in conjunction with previous legislation to mandate that the President relocate the embassy to Jerusalem, gives the impression that the United States has recognized Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel that therefore negotiations are irrelevant. This has serious damaging effects on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

We urge you and the Congress to recognize the enormous sensitivity related to Jerusalem’s status and to pass legislation that upholds U.S. policy and international law relative to Jerusalem.

Sincerely,

Corinne Whitlatch Stan DeBoe, OSST
Director Chair

CLICK HERE FOR COPY OF LETTER TO BE SENT TO PRESIDENT BUSH

Churches for Middle East Peace as well as the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem charge the responsible members of Congress with provoking religious extremists toward terrorist retaliation against Christians, globally, and the United States at home and its interest abroad.

 Finally, every Senator knows that no bill is possible without many long hours and hard work by staff. I can't tell these young men and women often enough what a great service they do for the Senate and for the country. I am particularly grateful to Patti McNerney, the Committee's Republican Staff Director, Rich Douglas, the Chief Republican Counsel, Senior Staff Members Mark Lagon and Mark Esper, Republican Counsel Jeff Gibbs, and Professional Staff Members Carolyn Leddy and Maurice Perkins. I am grateful for the work of the rest of the Committee's Republican Staff: Skip Fischer, Walter Lohman, Jed Royal, Jose Cardenas, Brian Fox, Susan Williams, David Merkel, Kelly Siekman, Sara Battaglia, Philip Griffin, Lester Munson, Kris Klaich, Hannah Williams, and Sarah Bardinelli.

The cooperative efforts and hard work of the Democratic Committee staff members, especially Brian McKeon, the Committee's Chief Counsel, Ed Levine, and Jofi Joseph, as well as the current and former staff directors, Tony Blinken and Ed Hall.

Last--but by no means least--I note that Art Rynearson, the Deputy Legislative Counsel of the Senate, has done his usual superb job of putting this conference report into proper legislative form. I say thank you to all.

The conference report was agreed to.

-------------------------

Actions taken by Congress represent a reckless provocation of anti-American sentiment that could incite religious extremists inclined toward terrorist acts against the United States and Christians globally. A letter to President Bush from the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem is enclosed.