wfn.org | Episcopalians: Mideast church leaders express cautious optimism over road map for peace

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

July 3, 2003

2003-156

Episcopalians: Mideast church leaders express cautious optimism 
over road map for peace

by James Solheim

(ENS) As both Israelis and Palestinians take the first faltering 
steps to implement the international peace effort known as "the 
road map," Mideast church leaders are expressing cautious 
optimism that, with strong U.S. support, their hopes for peace 
might finally be realized.

President George W. Bush formally launched the road 
map--endorsed by a Quartet comprised of the U.S., the European 
Union, the United Nations and Russia--at a June 4 summit in 
Jordan in an effort to end 33 months of fighting that has 
escalated the violence and destroyed trust and cooperation on 
both sides of the conflict.

The road map offers a potential path out of the quagmire of 
violence. It calls for a series of reciprocal measures: a 
Palestinian crackdown on terrorism and a halt to Israeli land 
confiscation and demolition of houses; democratization of the 
Palestinian government and a progressive withdrawal of Israeli 
military forces; and creation of a viable Palestinian state by 
2005. Hopes were bolstered with a ceasefire adopted by the four 
Palestinian groups responsible for armed resistance to the 
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the withdrawal of 
Israeli military forces from northern Gaza and the West Bank 
city of Bethlehem.

A glimmer of hope?

"Generally, people are ready but they are fearful--and there is 
not much trust," said the Rev. Naim Ateek, director of the 
Sabeel Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem in an interview. 
"It's part of the climate here--but that could change if things 
move in a new direction." The only way the road map can succeed 
is for the Americans to get guarantees from the Israelis that 
they will comply. 

"Sabeel's position is that, if there is honest monitoring, it 
has a chance of leading to a just peace and Palestinians will 
accept it, except perhaps the extremists," he said. "But both 
sides must see a change of life on the ground, some clear signs 
of progress."

The three-month ceasefire, which could be expanded, means "no 
incursions, everything stops," Ateek said. "If the U.S. pushes 
both sides to do that honestly, we have a chance but there is a 
deep fear among the Palestinians that Israel won't abide by the 
ceasefire because basically they don't buy the road map." 

He said that his fear is that "if we lose this opportunity, if 
it is not implemented for any reason, I don't know what will 
happen. Things will get worse and the violence will increase. 
The road map is a glimmer of hope--but only if the U.S. stands 
firm against any changes. It's our chance--and the Palestinians 
are ready. If people tomorrow see change, an end to the 
demolitions and assassinations, some freedom of movement, then 
they will support it."

A golden opportunity?

That optimism is shared by Bishop Munib Younan of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jerusalem and Jordan, who called 
the road map "a golden opportunity," citing the new level of 
involvement by the Americans. "This makes a difference," he said 
in an interview in his office around the corner from Church of 
the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City.  And the endorsement by the 
Quartet "means that we have the whole world involved. For the 
first time they are endorsing a two-state solution with specific 
dates for implementation. That gives us hope--but of course 
there are also doubts. The test comes with implementations with 
big and painful responsibilities for both sides."

Describing himself as "an official refugee, as defined by the 
United Nations, with a card to prove it," Munib said that the 
right of return for Palestinian refugees will be a thorny issue 
"but it can be solved if someone will admit that there was an 
injustice in 1948" with the expulsion of over 700,00 
Palestinians from their homes. "Both sides are exhausted," he 
said. "In their inner hearts the occupation is a pain for the 
Israelis who wonder why their children are being sent into the 
Army to be killed."

Leadership in such difficult times is also an issue, Munib said. 
"Unfortunately God has not sent us charismatic leaders to solve 
the issues-quite the opposite."

Lack of clarity

"The Palestinians are ready, they want peace," said Latin (Roman 
Catholic) Patriarch Michel Sabbah in an interview in his office 
in the Old City of Jerusalem. But he sees two major weak points 
in the road map.

Despite all his declarations, Sabbah is not convinced that Prime 
Minister Ariel Sharon wants peace so he will find ways to 
provoke Palestinians into violence, ending the ceasefire and 
implementation of the road map. "If they want peace they can 
make it now," he said. While somewhat encouraged by the new role 
for the U.S. and President Bush, "We must wait and see how 
serious they are, wait to see if they will be as bold as they 
were in Iraq." 

Sabbah is convinced that the road map doesn't have a 
destination, that its endpoints are not clear enough, leaving 
open such important issues as the status of Jerusalem, borders 
of the Palestinian state, and the return of refugees. "They are 
the same weaknesses as the Oslo Accords--a lack of clarity," he 
said. The only solution is a shared Jerusalem and, on the issue 
of refugees, he said that it would be necessary to distinguish 
between the principle and the implementation since Israelis see 
it as a direct threat to the Jewishness of the state of Israel.

"I say to Israelis, we love you, we want your security but you 
are in a bad situation. Why all the killing?" Sabbah said. He 
suspects that today's leaders in Israel were around when the 
nation was formed in 1948 and that they may share the same dream 
"to have it all," a nation from the Jordan River to the 
Mediterranean. "We need new leaders, new dreams. We need a newer 
generation of Palestinians who can act and react with Israelis, 
seeing what brings both sides together," he said.

Sabbah has consistently condemned the violence, the suicide 
bombers, the killing of innocent people on both sides. "Bombing 
night clubs and buses is not the answer and cannot be accepted. 
But condemnation is not enough to stop the violence. Ending the 
occupation would stop the suicide bombers," he said.

Wait and see

"What we need is not another feel-good plan, but a serious 
effort on the part of all players to seek peace and justice for 
all people who live in this land--Christian, Muslim, and Jew 
alike," said Bishop Riah Abu el-Assal of the Episcopal Diocese 
of Jerusalem and the Middle East in a May statement following 
release of the road map. "This will require making political 
sacrifices," he said, wondering whether both sides are ready to 
make those sacrifices. "Just as Christ sacrificed his life for 
us to reconcile the world to himself, those who claim to follow 
him must make sacrifices as they carry out the work of 
reconciliation."

The return of refugees, the Israeli settlements on the West Bank 
and Gaza, and borders for a viable and independent state are 
serious obstacles, even though the road map "goes further than 
the Oslo agreement, laying out a firm Declaration of 
Principles." He said that "we must wait and see" what will 
happen in the coming months.

Riah said that Israeli politicians are finally beginning to 
realize that "settlements are the mistake of all mistakes" and 
there are three options: dismantle them, use them as 
compensation for refugees, or invite the settlers to remain as 
citizens of a Palestinian state.

"If Bush can force the issues, something could happen," added 
Dean Ross Jones of St. George's College in Jerusalem. He agrees 
with those who think that "this might be the last chance for the 
Palestinians," but he said that continuing U.S. aid for Israel 
could undercut implementation of the road map. "Economics is 
driving Israel to the table now but aid bails them out and 
removes the necessity of negotiating."

Hawaida Arraf of the International Solidarity Movement said, 
however, that the road map is "troublesome because nothing has 
stopped, the wall Israel is building is destroying some of the 
most fertile Palestinian land and, as the talk continues, the 
facts on the ground" are leading in a different direction. "Talk 
led to a fake hope in Oslo and the new intifada," she said. 
"It's Oslo recycled--a disaster."

Until the dream is fulfilled

"You are among those bearing the occupation so we wanted to come 
and say thank you for your witness and faithfulness in the midst 
of your suffering," said the Rev. Brian Grieves, director of the 
church's Peace and Justice Ministries in a homily at St. 
Andrew's Church in Ramallah. During his five-day visit, he met 
with Israelis and Palestinians who had been featured in a film 
produced by his office, "Voices from the Holy Land."

"We are committed to stand with you until justice comes to this 
place," Grieves said. The church's Office of Government 
Relations, he reported, has taken a message to Congress and the 
president that "this occupation must end, settlements must end, 
and there must be a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the 
capital of an independent, viable state. We will stand by you 
until that dream is fulfilled. Ultimately there will be justice" 
in this land where Abraham is the father of three faiths.

During his conversations, Grieves reported on efforts by the 
Episcopal Church to promote peace. In May, for example, 
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold joined other church leaders 
in an urgent appeal to Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers 
to take bold steps for peace. "Your bold leadership is required, 
now more than ever," said the letter expressing encouragement 
with release of the road map. 

In letters to the president and members of Congress, coordinated 
through Churches for Middle East Peace, the church leaders 
expressed hope for the kind of strong leadership that will be 
necessary to "bring an end to the occupation and build peace and 
security." At the same time the letter warned, "It would be a 
mistake of historic dimensions if the Congress of the United 
States were to thwart progress toward peace by placing 
conditions on the implementation of the Road Map."

------

The film, "Voices from the Holy Land" can be ordered from 
Episcopal Parish Services.

A text of the road map and United Nations resolutions are 
available on the web site of Churches for Middle East Peace:  
"www.cmep.org/documents

--James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service.