Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information: Hussein Ibish
September 22, 2009 - 12:00am Washington, DC, Sept. 22 – Ziad J. Asali, President of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), joined over 30 ethnic and religious leaders in a statement supporting President Obama’s initiative to secure a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
The full text of the statement is reproduced below:
Letter in Support of a Comprehensive Middle East Peace:
An American National Interest Imperative
We come from varied ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths that are diverse. We are Democrats and Republicans. We are veterans of war and of the struggle for peace. Together, we are all Americans.
We find common cause in supporting strong U.S. leadership to achieve a negotiated, sustainable resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict - a
fundamental American interest that crosses racial, ethnic and religious lines.
We support President Obama's determination to provide sustained, hands-on diplomatic leadership to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an end through the creation of two viable, secure and independent states living side by side in peace and security.
The President has made resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top priority since his very first day in office, and we commend his leadership. We applaud the vision the President has laid out for peace in the Middle East and the challenge he has laid down to all of us to help work for peace and a more positive future for the people of the region and the world.
This is a moment of great opportunity and urgency. After decades of tragic conflict, many Israelis and Palestinians despair of the possibility of peace. While the international community and majorities of the Israeli and Palestinian people are committed to a two-state solution as the best option for achieving peace and security, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing.
We express our support for U.S. leadership to chart a path to a better future and to the following principles:
- We support both Israel's right to exist in security and the right of the Palestinian people to a viable, sovereign and secure state of their own.
- A peace agreement will need to fulfill UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and resolve critical issues of importance to the parties including refugees, borders, Jerusalem, settlements, and security.
- The Israelis and Palestinians, however, have not - on their own - been able to reach agreement. After nearly two decades of negotiations, we believe bold American leadership can help Israelis and Palestinians make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve lasting peace and hold the parties to account should they fail to honor their commitments.
- We support the sense of real urgency that the President brings to the issue and his determination to reach a negotiated resolution to the conflict during his first term in office.
- At the appropriate time, we will support the Administration if it decides to present proposals for a just and equitable solution that provides dignity, security and sovereignty for both peoples.
- Finally, we believe a peace agreement should be comprehensive - encompassing Syria and Lebanon as well as normalization of relations between Israel and the countries of the Arab world. We support the idea of a comprehensive regional peace that builds on the Arab Peace Initiative, with its offer of recognition and normalization of relations between Israel and all Arab nations in exchange for resolution of all outstanding issues.
Both sides must take steps to move the process forward, and we support the President's efforts to end Israeli settlement growth and to halt Palestinian violence and incitement. It is now time to move to the next stage of diplomacy and to address the tough issues that must be resolved to bring this conflict to an end.
There are many who will attempt to block the path to peace. They may believe that the status quo favors their interests or that time is on their side. The President should know that we understand the status quo is unsustainable and time is of the essence. We will stand with him as he promotes a fair and just resolution to this long-standing conflict and asks all parties to make the difficult but ultimately necessary compromises for peace.
We pledge to work with the President, to forge the path to peace and security for the Middle East. We also pledge to work with those in both societies who seek peace, justice, and security, and to stand up for those who hope for a better future for themselves and for the generations that follow.
Sincerely,
Frank Anderson Former Chief, Southeast Asian Division, CIA
President, Middle East Policy Council
Dr. Ziad Asali President, American Task Force on Palestine
Robert Barkin President; Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Jeremy Ben-Ami Executive Director, J Street
Ambassador Warren Clark Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace
Debra DeLee President, Americans for Peace Now
The Rev. Mark Hanson Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
President, Lutheran World Federation
Father Theodore Hesburgh President Emeritus, Notre Dame University
The Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard Bishop of Albany
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dr. Joel C. Hunter Senior Pastor, Northland Church
Member, Executive Committee of the National Association of Evangelicals
Rev. Bill Hybels Senior PastorWillow Creek Community Church
Lynne Hybels Advocate for Global Engagement, Willow Creek Community Church
Rev. Dr. Michael KinnamonGeneral Secretary, National Council of Churches
Rabbi Peter KnobelFormer President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Charles Kroloff Former President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Imam Mohamed Magid Imam and Executive Director, All Dulles Area Muslim Society, ADAMS Center, in Sterling, Virginia
Salam Al-Marayati Executive Director, Muslim Public Affairs Council
Rev. John McCullough Executive Director and CEO, Church World Service
Rev. Peter Morales President, United Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
David Neff Editor in Chief,
Christianity Today Rev. Gradye Parsons Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Imam of Masjid al-Farah, New York City
Dr. Bob Roberts, Jr. Senior Pastor, NorthWood Church, Dallas, TX
Hon. George R. Salem, Esq. Chairman, Arab-American Institute
Strategic Advisor, DLA Piper LLP
Roland Santiago Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
Ron Sider President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. John Thomas General Minister and President, United Church of Christ Dr.
James Zogby President, Arab American Institute
**This letter reflects the opinions of the individual signatories. Institutions are listed for identification purposes only**
Palestinian labourers are seen at a construction site in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Beitar Illit, near Jerusalem September 23, 2009. From the hills beyond Jerusalem, President Barack Obama might get a different view of Israeli settlements frustrating his ambitious drive to resolve the 60-year-old Middle East conflict. Building work continues as usual on the breezy slopes, regardless of Tuesday's damp squib summit in New York where Obama failed to persuade Israel to stop building so stalled peace talks might resume.REUTERS/Baz Ratner (WEST BANK POLITICS BUSINESS)
http://www.un.org/unrwa/photos/archive/refugees/westbank.html
