[WASHINGTON, November 19, 2007] Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) applauds Representatives Gary Ackerman (D- NY) and Charles Boustany (R-LA), and the 133 House Members who joined them, for sending a letter to Secretary of State Rice today in support of the Annapolis conference. Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 22 Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant national church bodies, has been urging all House Members to sign the Ackerman-Boustany letter and show their commitment to U.S. efforts to achieve peace in the Holy Land.

The Ackerman-Boustany letter supports robust U.S. diplomacy before and after the Annapolis meeting and suggests further measures to ensure success, including a restructuring and expansion of U.S. assistance to the Palestinians to improve daily governance and living conditions and create a climate conducive to peacemaking. The House Members warn of the consequences of a failed effort, stating that, "a still-born initiative could set back prospects for peace, destabilize regional allies, and exacerbate an already volatile situation in the Middle East." They conclude, "With aggressive multilateral diplomacy led by the United States, we believe the meeting in November could mark an important turning point. We look forward to working with you to ensure that it is a success."

Corinne Whitlatch, CMEP's Executive Director, said of the letter, "The 135 House Members who signed the Ackerman- Boustany letter to Secretary Rice have sent an important signal of Congressional support for U.S. engagement in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. The strong response to this letter reflects the support of American Christians, as well as Jews and Muslims, for U.S. efforts to help resolve the conflict. We join with Reps. Ackerman and Boustany and their colleagues in lending our support for a successful meeting in Annapolis that can be a serious turning point in Israeli- Arab relations and a springboard for real progress toward a two-state solution." 

Churches for Middle East Peace has been actively mobilizing church members and clergy nationwide in prayer and advocacy in support of the Annapolis meeting. In October, CMEP sent resources to over 1500 congregations around the country and today has sent out a message to its church advocates encouraging them to pray for peace this Sunday, November 25th in anticipation of the conference in Annapolis.

In addition to CMEP, the Ackerman-Boustany letter has been strongly supported from the outset by several Jewish-American and Arab- American organizations, including Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Israel Policy Forum, the Arab American Institute, and the American Task Force on Palestine.

The signers of the letter, comprised of both Democrats and Republicans, include: Representatives Ackerman, Boustany, Alexander, Allen, Altmire, Arcuri, Baird, Baker, Baldwin, Berman, Sanford Bishop, Blumenauer, Bonner, Bordallo, Boswell, Boyd, Braley, Corinne Brown, Capps, Capuano, Cardoza, Carnahan, Carney, Carson, Coble, Cohen, Conaway, Conyers, Costa, Courtney, Crowley, Geoff Davis, Susan Davis, Delahunt, DeLauro, Dicks, Dingell, Doggett, Doyle, Ellison, Faleomavaega, Farr, Fattah, Ferguson, Filner, Fortenberry, Frank, Garrett, Gilchrest, Gillibrand, Gonzalez,
Grijalva, Gutierrez, John Hall, Alcee Hastings, Hill, Hinojosa, Hodes, Holt, Honda, Inslee, Issa, Jackson, Jackson Lee, Jefferson, Hank Johnson, Kaptur, Kennedy, Kildee, Kucinich, Kuhl, LaHood, Langevin, Lantos, Larsen, Larson, Lee, Lewis, LoBiondo, Loebsack, Lynch, Maloney, Markey, Matheson, Carolyn McCarthy, McCollum, McDermott, McGovern, McNerney, McNulty, Meeks, Melancon, Michaud, Brad Miller, George Miller, Dennis Moore, Gwen Moore, Moran, Christopher Murphy, Neal, Norton, Olver, Pascrell, Pastor, Payne, David Price, Putnam, Rahall, Rangel, Rodriguez, Sarbanes,
Schakowsky, Schiff, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, David Scott, Sestak, Sires, Adam Smith, Christopher Smith, Solis, Stark, Sutton, Mike Thompson, Tierney, Tsongas, Tubbs Jones, Van Hollen, Velazquez, Wasserman Schultz, Watson, Waxman, Welch, Woolsey, Wynn.