(Washington, DC, January 21, 2005)  In a full-page ad in the New York Times on January 21, leaders of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical Churches and institutions urge President Bush to have the courage to seize the opportunity and end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  In an open letter to the newly inaugurated President, the leaders ask: “Will Palestinians finally be free? Will Israelis be secure at last? As people of faith and hope, we say yes!”

The 57 signers of the open letter to the President represent the broad spectrum of Christians in the United States. Among the signers are Rev. Robert Edgar, head of the National Council of Churches; Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Rev. John L. McCullough, head of Church World Service; Metropolitan Philip Saliba of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese; Ronald J. Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action; James W. Skillen, president of the Center for Public Justice; Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, national coordinator of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby; and Bishop Gabino Zavala, president of Pax Christi USA. They noted that the commitment to defeat terror and make the United States more secure was a hallmark of the Bush re-election campaign. Their letter states:  “We believe that the promise of peace in Jerusalem is the best defense against terrorism.” 

Former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Robert Seiple, a leader in the evangelical community, said the message of the letter and those who signed it is clear:  “Peacemaking is difficult, the ultimate challenge.  But it is here where we find out how good we really are.  Do we have the courage and the commitment worthy of good people?  In the end, this will determine how relevant we will be." 

One of the Catholic signers, Sr. Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, President of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious said, “The ancient, unfulfilled vision of justice for all is now within our reach. It is time for us – citizens and elected officials –

to disarm our hearts, speak a word of hope and bring the blessing of peace to the people in the holy land. “Let us, then, make it our aim to work for peace and to strengthen one another.” (Romans 14:19)

             Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold of the Episcopal Church had this comment:  “Having recommitted himself to a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, President Bush has a unique opportunity to make that vision real – to, as we urged, ‘follow the examples of the great prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, who declared that God calls all nations and all people to do justice to one another.’”