Given the news from Gaza and Lebanon, this might sound like a strange time to push for peace between Israel, the Palestinians, and even the Syrians. Yet, as various pundits offer various perspectives on 40 years since the Six Day War, positive signs abound. Most significantly, we, as American citizens, may be the key to making peace real. We can now work for peace, while avoiding those hostile debates, the trading of talking points, which have soured so many of us on even talking about peace for Israel and the Palestinians.
Our American government happens to be the only one with the clout to get the various parties to work out compromises. Recently, our government is showing a willingness to engage, actively enough, to make progress. Pressure from us, the American public, is the best way to assure that our government remains engaged. If we are ready to do our part, then we should contact our representatives in Congress and the Senate. We do not need to advocate for one particular plan or another. We simply need to tell our leaders that we expect them to do all they can for peace. We can also join an initiative by many Christians, Jews and Muslims.
We, the writers of this column, are ministers in Snohomish County, from various faith traditions. We support the work of a remarkable group, the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace, which includes heads of 25 national faith organizations, Christian (including Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and Greek Orthodox), Jewish (including Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist) and Muslim (including major national groups).
These faith leaders work from a consensus statement, confirmed last December, titled “Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace: From Crisis to Hope,” available at www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/nilistatement.shtml. Their delegation recently met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and encouraged her to pursue an Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace process as a national priority. Since then, she has been engaged in new diplomatic efforts that make Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace a top priority of U.S. policy for the remaining 19 months of this administration. With a sufficient concerted effort, the reassertion of our nation’s leadership role in peacemaking for the sake of Israelis and Palestinians will do more than anything else the United States can do to contribute toward stability in the region, reduce support for extremism and help restore U.S. credibility.
Our hope is not simply an expression of faith, but based on recent developments. Israeli leaders, Palestinian leaders and Syrian leaders have all made statements and taken action recently, indicating that they are ready to move toward peace. The Arab League, led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, has revised its own initiative, which we believe forms a basis for progress.
Our media rarely mention that compromise solutions already have been developed by mainstream Israelis and Palestinians to resolve what sound like stumbling blocks to peace. One example is the unofficial Geneva Accord, which affirms the deep conviction that “the logic of peace requires compromise, and that the only viable solution is a two-state solution … ” The Geneva Accord asserts that both Israel and the Palestinian people must “recognize and respect the other’s right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threat or acts of war, terrorism, and violence.” Polls show that the ideas for compromise in the Geneva Accord would be accepted by a majority of both Israeli citizens and Palestinians. A summary of the Geneva Accord is available via e-mail by requesting it from usicpme@aol.com.
That e-mail address belongs to Ron Young, a pioneer international peace activist who happens to live in Snohomish County. If you want to join with millions of Christians, Jews and Muslims throughout America whose congregations work with Ron, please send him an e-mail or call. His group is the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative For Peace in the Middle East, 360-652-4285.
All of us in Snohomish County, whether or not we belong to any organized faith group, can join this effort for peace. We grieve the ongoing loss of life to Israelis and Palestinians. We desire to go beyond blame and work toward the implementation of solutions that will bring justice and security, reconciliation and peace. As Rabbi Hillel taught 2,000 years ago, “if not now, when?”
L’shalom (towards peace),
Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman, Temple Beth Or, Everett
Rev. Charlie Lewis, First Presbyterian Church, Snohomish
Rev. Jeff Russell, Central Lutheran Church, Everett
Father Larry Perry, Trinity Episcopal Church, Everett
Rev. John Oerter, First Presbyterian Church, Everett
Rev. Bruce Davis, Evergreen Unitarian Universalist, Marysville
(congregation shown for identification purposes only).
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