|
Printed on CMEP letterhead
April 1, 2005
The Honorable First LastName
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator LastName,
Churches for Middle East Peace
encourages you to support, without adding new conditions, the President’s
request for $200 million in aid for the Palestinians in the '05 Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Congressional support for the historic
changes being taken by Prime Minister Sharon and Palestinian Authority
President Abbas is crucial. As the President has said, the goal of two
states living side by side in peace and security is within reach; we are
at a moment of opportunity and we must seize it.
Churches for Middle East Peace
supports transparency and accountability of aid provided to the
Palestinians, and to any other group or country. But, progress toward
peace has been undermined by the excessive conditions placed by the House
Appropriations committee in its consideration of this aid, including the
removal of the President’s national security waiver. The President should
have the flexibility to direct U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority as he
has before.
Expedited provision of U.S. aid will
provide much needed evidence to the Palestinian people that working
nonviolently within a political process can improve their lives and
restore their hope for a viable state of Palestine. As well as
institutional reform, the Palestinian people need the basic infrastructure
development, home construction, agricultural and business development and
job creation that will be funded by the ’05 Emergency Supplemental.
We hope that you and the majority of
the Senate will support the President’s request and, in conference with
the House, give back to the President the flexibility he needs to promote
U.S. security interests in the region.
Sincerely,
Executive Committee of Churches for
Middle East Peace
J. Daryl Byler, Chair
Stan DeBoe, OSST
Catherine Gordon
Jeanette Holt
Maureen Shea |
