wfn.org | Church Leaders Meet U.S. Secretary of State on Middle East Peace

[Carol Fouke <carolf@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2252; news@ncccusa.org; www.ncccusa.org
NCC6/7/2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Letter to Secretary of State Powell at: www.loga.org

CHURCH LEADERS MEET SECRETARY OF STATE ON MIDDLE EAST PEACE

	June 7, 2001, WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. church leaders took their deep 
concern about escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians to 
Secretary of State Colin Powell today, delivering a letter in which they 
said, "There is no higher priority for peacemaking in the world today."

	During their nearly one-hour meeting, they urged the Secretary of State 
"to use his influence to encourage both sides to hold back from use of arms 
and terrorism so we might enter a cooling down period and more rational 
discussion leading to a lasting resolution of the problem," reported the 
Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director of Church World Service, a 
delegation member.

	Led by Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold, the delegation also 
included Pittsburgh Bishop Donald J. McCoid, Chair of the Conference of 
Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Dallas Bishop 
William Oden, past president of the Council of Bishops of the United 
Methodist Church.

	They were among 26 Protestant, Orthodox and Roman Catholic church leaders 
who signed the strongly worded appeal to Secretary of State Powell to use 
"considerable diplomatic pressure and possibly economic pressure" to 
require Israel to cease its use of F-16 fighter jets and other heavy 
weapons against civilians and to halt its "unrelenting settlement 
activity."

	They urged the United States to "place a hold on any pending delivery of 
attack helicopters or fighter jets to Israel and to reconsider the promise 
made by the Clinton Administration that the United States will increase 
military aid to Israel for each of the next eight years."

The letter to Secretary of State Powell appeals to the Palestinians "to 
abandon violence as a means to end the occupation" and, while acknowledging 
"Israel's quest for security," condemns "the disproportionate violent and 
destructive means it is using."

	The Rev. McCullough said group members expressed their deep concern for 
both Palestinians and Israelis victimized by the violence.  In their 
letter, the church leaders share their particular worry for "our 
Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters.  Facing daily threats from 
violence and economic deprivation and lacking hope for peace and a viable 
Palestinian state, many feel the pressure to emigrate."

	"For their sake, and for the sake of all, we seek a restoration of hope 
for a negotiated sharing of the Holy Land and the city of Jerusalem, holy 
to Jews, Christians and Muslims," they said.  "We tremble to consider the 
destructive consequences that would follow the premature moving, as called 
for by Congress, of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem."

	The Rev. McCullough said that Secretary of State Powell "received our 
delegation very warmly and was very gracious.  He took the time to listen 
to the concerns we brought and engaged us in the discussion."  The 
Secretary of State urged church people to shout their concern for Middle 
East peace "from the tops of our steeples," he said.

	Compelled by the "sobering current reality," church leaders already are 
taking "a higher profile in advocacy of U.S. policies conducive to peace," 
affirmed the 26 church leaders who signed the letter to the Secretary of 
State.

	Through groups like Churches for Middle East Peace and Church World 
Service's Middle East Forum, "we are going beyond issuing statements and 
addressing letters to government leaders," said David Weaver, Director of 
CWS's Mission Relationships and Witness Unit.

Their expanded efforts include meetings with high level officials, 
solidarity visits to the region (including last December's U.S. religious 
leaders delegation visit, to which today's meeting with the Secretary of 
State was a follow up), constituency education and other more proactive 
ways of mobilizing the U.S. grassroots and engaging with Palestinians and 
Israelis who are seeking peaceful solutions, Mr. Weaver said.

Church leaders who signed the letter to the Secretary of State included the 
Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, 
and top officials of many of the NCC's 36 Protestant and Orthodox member 
communions.  Church World Service is the NCC's global service and witness 
ministry.

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