PRESS ADVISORY                                                                   for information, contact: Corinne Whitlatch, 202-543-1222

(Washington, DC, September 13, 2005)

Yesterday, on September 12, a delegation from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) met with Michael Doran, Senior Director for Near East and North Africa Affairs and Tim Pounds at the National Security Council.  The delegation urged the Bush Administration to publicly put forward a vision of a shared Jerusalem that could serve as the capital of both Israel and a future state of Palestine.

Mr. Doran said the Administration is focused on encouraging positive development of the Palestinian polity and economy following Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Significant progress on other aspects of the peace process are not anticipated until upcoming Palestinian and Israeli elections are concluded. Rev. J. Daryl Byler, chair of CMEP’s Board and director of the Mennonite Central Committee’s Washington Office, talked to Mr. Doran about the damage being done by Israel’s building of a separation barrier and expanding settlements near Jerusalem.

“While commending the statements by the President and Secretary of State regarding the need for Israel to not take actions that would prejudge final status negotiations on borders and Jerusalem, we called for action to back up those words,”  said Rev. Byler.

Corinne Whitlatch, CMEP’s Executive Director, said after the meeting, “Mr. Doran was clearly very interested to learn of CMEP’s educational work with Congressional offices about various proposals and recommendations for Jerusalem’s future.”

The profound significance of Jerusalem, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, throughout the Middle East was discussed. James Winkler and Mr. Doran exchanged anecdotes about the situation of the Christian minorities in numerous countries in the region and their bridge-building role. Mr. Winkler, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, commented after the meeting, “I appreciated the opportunity for CMEP to once again meet with Administration officials in order to share our deeply held beliefs and serious concerns for a just and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is in the best interests of Israelis, Palestinians, and the United States to ensure that Jerusalem will be a city shared by all and not solely under the control of Israel.”

The Churches for Middle East Peace delegation represented the twenty-one churches and church-related organizations – Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant - that take part in the Washington-based coalition.