wfn.org | Griswold joins church leaders pleading with Arafat and Sharon

[ENS@ecunet.org]

2001-168

Griswold joins church leaders pleading with Arafat and Sharon to end violence

by James Solheim
jsolheim@episcopalchurch.org

     (ENS) Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold joined Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran 
and Methodist church leaders in an urgent plea for an end to violence in the Middle 
East.

     In an open letter released today, the church leaders wrote to Prime Minister Ariel 
Sharon of Israel and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat for "continuing 
public statements and actions from both of you to end the bloodshed and urge you to act 
and speak in the spirit of reconciliation."

     Ending the violence, the letter asserted, would mean no more "disproportional 
responses" from the Israelis, especially the use of attack helicopters and fighter 
jets, as well as no further destruction of Palestinian homes or restrictions on travel. 
"We further implore you to end the single most provocative behavior of all--settlement 
building and expansion," the church leaders said, asking the Israelis to also "contain 
provocative settler behavior."

     Arafat's contribution to ending the violence would mean employing "the strongest 
measures within the confines of human rights, to contain whose who encourage and resort 
to terrorist actions such as suicide bombings and the use of mortars to attack 
civilians."

     Acknowledging "the rage of the Palestinian people," the church leaders said they 
were "also aware that many Jews live in fear of these terror tactics as well as the 
inflammatory rhetoric that comes from some Arab sources. These heinous acts of violence 
are counter-productive to any hope for a just peace."

     The letter pleaded for Arafat to "emulate other great leaders who used nonviolent 
action to bring about change," adding that "we know such leadership requires great 
courage and statesmanship and see in you the qualities necessary to succeed." The 
church leaders said that they were prepared to accompany those "who stand for an end to 
the Occupation but who also embrace the principle of non-violence."

     Concluding that their plea to stop the violence is "but a cry to stop the 
suffering and end the siege of fear and anger that now grips both of your communities," 
the church leaders said that they were looking to Arafat and Sharon "to take courageous 
steps forward to negotiations that can promptly establish a sovereign Palestine free 
from Occupation and an Israel at peace and security with her neighbors."

--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal News Service.