wfn.org | Episcopalians: Statement of Anglican Primates on the Middle East

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

April 14, 2002

2002-093

Episcopalians: Statement of Anglican Primates on the Middle 
East

We, the Primates of the Anglican Communion representing 
75,000,000 Anglican Christians in 164 countries of the world, 
gathered in Canterbury, have taken counsel following a message 
concerning the escalating conflict in

Israel/Palestine which we received from the Anglican Bishop in 
Jerusalem the Right Reverend Riah H Abu El-Assal. This was 
delivered to us by the President Bishop of the Province of 
Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Most Reverend Iraj 
Mottahedeh.

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the spiralling violence 
which is creating more widows, orphaned children, mourning 
fathers and mothers, and which is intensifying hatred and 
bitterness on both sides of the conflict.

We pledge our solidarity with all who have suffered loss of 
life, injury, and destruction of property in the area.

We denounce the shelling, suicide bomb attacks, and military 
incursions as both evil and futile. We see no way in which such 
acts can lead to peace with justice and security for the Holy 
Land and its peoples.

We urge the leaders of the Israeli Government and the 
Palestinian Authority to act without delay to break the spiral 
of retaliation on both sides of the conflict. Every death puts 
resolution, reconciliation and justice further off. In 
particular, we urge the Government of Israel to cease activities 
in the occupied territories that threaten the lives of so many 
innocent civilians and put the human rights of so many 
communities at risk. We also call for an end to suicide bombing 
and for a clear condemnation of the morality of such acts from 
leaders of all faiths in the Middle East.

We fully endorse The First Alexandria Declaration of the 
Religious Leaders of the Holy Land (21 January 2002) which 
declares that according to the Muslim, Christian and Jewish 
faith traditions, the killing of innocents in the name of God is 
a desecration of his Holy Name, and unite ourselves to the 
pledges and commitments of the religious leaders contained in 
the statement.

We call upon Anglicans and people of good will everywhere to 
unite in earnest prayer for an end to the violence and 
bloodshed.

We pledge our prayerful support to all Christian people, the 
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches and the leaders of other faiths 
in Jerusalem.

We commit ourselves and our Churches to support the efforts 
of all religious, national and international leaders who are 
seeking a just peace.

Canterbury, England

14 April 2002

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