wfn.org | MESSAGE FROM THE HEADS OF CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM TO PRESIDENT GEORGE

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

BUSH

AN URGENT MESSAGE FROM THE HEADS OF CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM

TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH

07-Oct-02

Your Excellency,

We greet you from Jerusalem in the name of our Lord Jesus Christi - himself 
the Prince of Peace.

We are greatly troubled as we learn of the new legislation you have signed 
in recent days - specifically section 214 of the Foreign Relations 
Authorization Act (HR 1646) relating to Jerusalem.

At a time when so many efforts are being made to end the bloodshed and 
violence of this Land and work for peace it seems provocative to us that 
your Congress should seem to want to pre-empt the careful negotiation and 
legislation which have already been deemed necessary especially under the 
Oslo Agreement and UN Resolutions 242, 338.

East Jerusalem is occupied territory and as such should be currently 
protected by International law.

Areas of the City are sacred to Jews, Moslems and Christians.  As such, 
these areas need to be freely open and access safeguarded to adherents of 
these Faiths.

We fully appreciate the infinite patience, care and goodwill which will be 
necessary to resolve the final status of the Hoy City of Jerusalem and 
there fore appeal to you not to jeopardize future peace efforts otherwise 
there will be increased suffering in an already troubled area.

The Very Revd Michael H. Sellors
C-ordinator for the Heads of Churches
St. George's Cathedral-Jerusalem
P.O. Box 19810 Jerusalem 91190