wfn.org | Middle East: Peace is possible, Israeli envoy responds to LWF

[FRANK.IMHOFF@ecunet.org]

GENEVA, 6 October 2000 (LWI) - The Israeli envoy to Geneva, responding to a
letter from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has said his country will
continue efforts to reach a settlement with "our Palestinian neighbors."
"We will not allow radicals, who would like to exacerbate the situation, to
veto the process," he said.

In the letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian
Authority President Yasser Arafat, LWF general Secretary, Rev. Dr.  Ishmael
Noko, described as tragic the violence at this point in the peace process
"when small steps towards the resolution of the most delicate issues
surrounding the status of Jerusalem" were being discussed.

Ambassador Yaakov Levy, the Permanent Representative of Israel's Mission to
the United Nations in Geneva responded to the letter that LWF general
Secretary wrote to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, expressing great
concern over the present violence.

The recent fighting was reportedly sparked by a controversial visit of
Ariel Sharon, leader of Israel's opposition Likud Party, to a Jerusalem
site holy to Muslims and Jews. Sharon was accompanied by a large contingent
of Israeli riot police.

Ambassador Levy denied accusations that the unrest stemmed from the entry
of police forces in the Mosque area. Levy stated that the police deployed
outside Temple Mount "and used force only gradually, as the situation
deteriorated, using rubber bullets and not live ammunition, as it was
alleged."

The LWF general secretary wrote that he was "deeply disturbed" by the
reports of the use by the Israeli forces of live ammunition against unarmed
civilians including children. He also expressed concern over the Israeli
use of helicopters to bomb and fire upon Palestinian targets and the
provocatively high level of armed response to protest. At the same time
Noko urged Palestinian protestors to refrain from violent acts "which must
inevitably lead to bloodshed."

Noko had earlier written to the Israeli authorities protesting the
occupation by Israeli security forces of the LWF-run Augusta Victoria
Hospital, which primarily serves Palestinian refugees. The soldiers used
the hospital premises as a vantage point to fire on Palestinian protestors.

Ambassador Levy responded that the unforeseen outbreak of violence "has
deeply affected the conscience of many in Israel and around the world,"
especially in this significant period of the Jewish New Year.

The Israeli envoy said, "we have reason to believe that some of the
disturbances and riots throughout the territories were orchestrated by the
Palestinian Authority." He cited consultations held at various levels
between Israeli and Palestinian authorities on ways to control the
situation.

The LWF general secretary wrote, "In trying to keep the feeble flame of
peace from being extinguished, I implore you to ensure restraint - on the
part of the Palestinian community, in refraining from violent acts which
invite a violent response - and on the part of the Israeli security forces,
in responding to the protests of the Palestinian people in a proportionate
way."

(The LWF is a global communion of 131 member churches in 72 countries
representing over 59 million of the world's 63 million Lutherans.  Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven
years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council which
meets annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat is located
in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material
presented does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its
various units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation
(LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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