wfn.org | Faith groups call for new Israeli policies toward Gaza

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

Faith groups call for new Israeli policies toward Gaza that include meeting 
human needs and ending the blockade

See: www.ncccusa.org/news/100603flotillaattack.html

New York, June 3, 2010 -- The National Council of Churches and other  faith 
groups have expressed alarm and concern over the Israeli action  May 31 against 
an international flotilla on the high seas that led to  the deaths of nine 
persons and the wounding of many others.

"The National Council of Churches has strongly supported Israel's right  to 
exist with peace and security, but this attack on an aid convoy  contributes to 
neither," said the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC General  Secretary.  "In 
fact, it undermines Israel's standing in the community  of nations."

Kinnamon supported a statement released Wednesday by Churches for Middle  East 
Peace (CMEP) that said "the incident highlights the need for the  United States 
to work for new, constructive Israeli policies toward Gaza  that end the 
blockade and provide for the humanitarian need of those  living there without 
diminishing Israel's own security."

Kinnamon is a member of the board of CMEP, which is a coalition of 23  public 
policy offices of national churches and agencies -- Orthodox,  Catholic and 
Protestant.  CMEP began its work in 1984 out of the  conviction that the policy 
perspectives and long Middle East experience  of our member bodies should be 
more widely known in the public policy  arena.  It maintains an on-going 
dialogue with Congress, the  Administration and the diplomatic community, to 
advance such concerns,  assessments, and advocacy positions.

Less than three months ago, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and  the 
heads of many of CMEP's sponsoring organizations wrote to President  Obama 
urging him to use America's unique relationship with Israel to  persuade it to 
open its borders with Gaza now.  CMEP said then, "We  believe this policy is 
strategically unsound, harms Israel's security,  and exacts an unacceptable 
toll on innocent Palestinians."

The letter also said, "The perception of U.S. support for or  acquiescence in 
the closure challenges our reputation for upholding  humanitarian values. It 
deprives 1.4 million Palestinians of a decent,  minimum standard of welfare. It 
restricts the use of the $300 million  the United States has committed to 
rebuild Gaza, is a serious obstacle  to restoring hope and making peace, and 
undermines long term Israeli  security."   Over 6,000 endorsements of this 
letter from CMEP  supporters have been received and sent by CMEP to the White 
House.
   The current Israeli restrictions on trade and movement of persons in and  
out of Gaza have been in place since Hamas took over Gaza by force in  2007. 
 They have limited trade in food and medicines and led to  worsening 
unemployment and poverty among Gaza's population of 1.4  million. Restrictions 
on imports of building materials have limited  reconstruction of housing and 
utilities destroyed during the war. Travel  restrictions have limited 
opportunities for education.
  
The restrictions were aimed in part at ending rocket attacks from Gaza  and 
securing the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit.  They also had the  political 
goal of undermining Hamas' control in Gaza.

"The blockade has not had the desired results," CMEP said." Hamas  remains in 
power.  Rocket attacks have not completely stopped.  Smuggling of goods through 
tunnels under Gaza's border with Egypt has  become an economy of its own. 
Paradoxically this underground trade is  controlled and taxed by Hamas.   
President Obama has said that "the  continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does 
not serve Israel's security  interests."

The Gaza flotilla incident also underlines the necessity of pressing  without 
delay for a comprehensive agreement for peace between Israel and  the 
Palestinians, beginning with the indirect talks now being brokered  by the 
United States, CMEP said.
 
"This crisis and its tragic consequences must not be allowed to  undermine 
peace efforts.  The United States should seize this  opportunity to push hard 
now for an end to the conflict between Israel  and Palestinians. The 
Palestinian Authority has already said it plans to  continue the proximity 
talks with Israel brokered by the United  States.  The United States should 
help Israel find better ways to  enhance its security through negotiation and a 
comprehensive agreement  for peace."

Other ecumenical organizations and communions also issued statements in  
response to the Israeli attack on the flotilla.

>World Council of Churches:

"It is with great distress that the World Council of Churches received  the 
news that the Israeli naval forces stormed a Gaza-bound vessel  carrying 
humanitarian aid in international waters before dawn on   Monday, killing at 
least 10 civilians and injuring many more. We  condemn  the assault and killing 
of innocent people who were  attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance to 
the people of Gaza, who  have been under a crippling Israeli blockade since 
2007. We further  condemn the flagrant violation of international law by Israel 
in  attacking and boarding  a humanitarian convoy in international waters.  We 
pray for all those  who are affected by the attack, especially the  bereaved 
families."

-- Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary

>Episcopal Church:

On behalf of the Episcopal Church, I write to express deep concern for  the 
circumstances surrounding Israeli forces' interception of a flotilla  of ships 
bound for the Gaza Strip earlier this week. The deaths of at  least ten persons 
aboard one of the ships and the injury of many more,  including four Israeli 
soldiers, represent a grave tragedy and  underscore the urgency of renewed 
political leadership toward ending the  blockade of Gaza. As we pray for those 
killed and wounded, and for their  families, I urge your renewed attention to 
the status of Gaza as part of  your Administration's leadership toward a 
two-state solution.

The full details of this week's incident are not clear. As Secretary  Clinton 
has noted, we do not yet know the specific sequence of events  that led to the 
outbreak of violence, and therefore our responses must  be measured and 
thoughtful. It is clear, however, that the deaths of  civilians working to 
deliver humanitarian aid could not have happened  absent the counterproductive 
Israeli blockade of Gaza. The Episcopal  Church strongly supports American 
leadership toward ending the blockade.  There are far better ways to protect 
Israel's security and promote  moderate political leadership in Gaza than a 
blockade that intensifies  human suffering and perpetuates regional insecurity.

-- The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop

>Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

On behalf of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran  World 
Federation, organizations that are deeply engaged with and  committed to the 
Lutheran Christians and all persons living in Palestine  and Israel, I express 
my deep sadness regarding events surrounding the  flotilla seeking to deliver 
humanitarian goods to Gaza. We deeply regret  the deaths and injuries that 
resulted when Israeli forces intercepted  the boats. Our thoughts and prayers 
are with the wounded and the  families of those killed or otherwise harmed 
during this incident. We  note that this tragic incident occurred on the first 
day of the World  Council of Churches' World Week for Peace in Palestine and 
Israel.

This incident raises many questions that must be answered. We therefore  call 
for a full, international, and independent investigation into this  matter.

While we condemn all violence in the resolution of political disputes,  this 
incident raises a number of questions related to the just use of  force. It is 
not clear that, in this incident, all alternatives were  explored prior to the 
use of military force. One tenet of the just use  of force is proportionality, 
a principle I raised during my meeting with  the chief rabbis of the State of 
Israel during Operation Cast Lead, the  Israeli incursion into Gaza which 
lasted from December 2008 to January  2009. This incident provides an example 
of how proportionality is an  ongoing concern related to Israeli military 
action against civilians,  both Palestinians and internationals.

This tragic event demonstrates the urgency of achieving a just peace.  One role 
of religious leaders, including the churches, is to strengthen  those voices 
working for peace, rather than yielding to the clamor of  extremism, as we seek 
a just peace beneficial for all persons in the  region.

We urge that this incident not interrupt the proximity talks now being  
conducted through the Obama administration. Instead, we expect that this  
incident will intensify on all sides the commitment to serious  negotiations 
that will lead to a just resolution of the  Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

-- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran  Church in 
America

United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

As the World Council of Churches commemorates its World Week for Peace  in 
Palestine and Israel, the co-executive of Global Ministries, the  joint world 
mission organization of the UCC and Christian Church  (Disciples of Christ), 
have asked that their member churches join in  prayer for peace in the region. 
 
Coming on the heels of an Israeli raid on an aid flotilla headed for  Gaza in 
which 12 Turkish activists were killed and more than 10,000 tons  of food and 
medicine seized, the Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte, executive  minister of the UCC's 
Wider Church Ministries, and the Rev. David  Vargas, president of the Christian 
Church (Disciples of Christ) Division  of Overseas Ministries, said they "join 
those the world over who have  responded in indignation" to the raid and made 
continued calls for  lifting the embargo on Gaza and the inclusion of Gaza in a 
two-state  Israeli/Palestinian resolution. 
 
Calling Gaza a "virtual prison" due to the air, land and sea embargo  imposed 
by the Israeli government, the letter expresses compassion for  the 
humanitarian crisis that has resulted. 
 
Quoting a prayer from the heads of Jerusalem's Christian churches, the  letter 
offers solidarity for the words, "In the land you made holy, free  us all from 
the sin of indifference, contempt and violence which only  brings hatred and 
killing. Free the souls and hearts of Israelis and  Palestinians.

>United Methodist Church:

The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) condemns  the 
deadly interception Monday in international waters by Israeli troops  that led 
to the deaths of nine persons on a humanitarian aid mission to  Gaza. The nine 
persons were part of an international "Freedom Flotilla"  of six vessels 
carrying nearly 10,000 tons of food and medicine to Gaza,  which has been under 
an Israeli blockade for three years. 
"We grieve the loss of life and injuries sustained in what became a  tragic 
confrontation between the forces of peace and those of armed  aggression," said 
Jim Winkler, chief executive of the United Methodist  social justice agency.

Winkler called the Israeli troops' boarding of the "Freedom Flotilla" in  
international waters more than just an act of high-seas piracy. "It is  
symptomatic of a broader, hopelessly flawed policy by Israel to  subjugate the 
Palestinian people, allegedly to protect its own  security," he said, adding 
that the United States has been "complicit in  this flawed policy."

Israel should end the blockade of Gaza, which has created a humanitarian  
crisis affecting 1.4 million Palestinians, according to Winkler. He  pointed 
out that The United Methodist Church has long advocated for a  peaceful 
settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict. "The violence must  stop on both 
sides," he said. "The time for decisive action to impose a  just, peaceful 
resolution has never been more evident that in this  tragic assault on persons 
whose sole purpose was to achieve peace and  bring aid to an oppressed

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of  Christ in 
the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical cooperation  among Christians 
in the United States. The NCC's member faith groups --  from a wide spectrum of 
Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical,  historic African American and 
Living Peace churches -- include 45  million persons in more than 100,000 local 
congregations in communities  across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 
(cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org