Churches voice support for Mideast 'road map'

Christian Century, June 14, 2003

An alliance of Catholics and mainline Protestants has written to President Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas voicing support for the "road map" for Middle East peace. Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of the National Council of Churches, mainline denominations and male Catholic religious orders, said the Bush plan offers the best chance for peace after 31 months of violence that have killed more than 760 Israelis and 2,300 Palestinians. "Your bold leadership is required, now more than ever, for this to happen," the churches told Sharon and Abbas in a joint May 14 letter.

The plan, unveiled April 30, lays out a series of steps by both sides that would eventually lead to an independent Palestinian state in 2005. The process, if successful, would be overseen by the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia. For its part, Israel must dismantle new settlements and cease military invasions in Palestinian territories. The Palestinians are called to effect an immediate cease-fire, renounce violence against Israel and introduce democratic reforms.

The churches called for "nothing short of a transformation" in both Israeli and Palestinian societies and said that "the rejection of violence by both sides--in word and in deed--is essential." Some have criticized the plan as unworkable, and Israeli officials have voiced some skepticism about the Palestinians' abilities to cease violence. The churches urged both Bush and members of Congress not to be dissuaded by the plan's critics.

Despite a rash of violence in Israel that included five suicide bombings in 48 hours, many American Jewish organizations say they remain committed to President Bush's "road map" for achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians--under specific conditions.

In a related issue, Christian leaders in the Holy Land have called on the Palestinian Authority not to make Islam the official religion of a future independent Palestinian state. The church leaders oppose Article Six of a draft constitution prepared by the Constitution Committee of the Palestinian Authority. According to the article, "Islam shall be the official religion of the state. The monotheistic religions shall be respected."

The Anglican bishop in Jerusalem, Riah Abu Al-Assal, said he has already taken up the matter with Palestinian President Yasir Arafat. The bishop said he would also be discussing the issue with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, who headed the committee that produced the draft constitution.

The bishop went on to say: "There is a way out of this. I know that the majority are Muslims in Palestine, but it does not mean that Islam [should] be the religion of Palestine. Palestine needs to be the most democratic state in the Middle East."