Executive Council to receive Synod action on Israel, Palestine
Written by J. Martin Bailey June 25, 2007
A resolution on the conflict in Israel and Palestine, calling for "ongoing balanced study, commentary and critique" has been sent to the denomination's Executive Council for implementation.
The resolution, including its implementation, was proposed by 11 persons from seven Conferences and one member of the board of the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries.
The action "condemns media programs, publications, advertising campaigns, textbooks, and groups that perpetuate violence instead of peace."
In addition, the resolution directs the Executive Council to establish a task force "to engage in ongoing and balanced study of the causes, history and context of the conflict," including responses that "may or may not lead to further support of economic leverage and removal of the security barrier."
Because the resolution was submitted on June 1, after the official deadline, and because the action items were judged to be consistent with policies established by earlier Synods, the resolution was accepted and referred without the necessity of further debate.
The Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and president, said long-standing and common parliamentary practice dictates that only "be it resolved" paragraphs be considered part of Synod actions. Several of the "whereas" clauses were controversial, he said, but would not have been debatable if the resolution had been sent to the Synod floor.