By Munir K. Nasser
Washington, DC
American church leaders criticized President Bill Clinton for siding with Israel on the issue of Jerusalem and accused him of ignoring the American churches’ interests in the Holy City.
In a strongly-worded letter sent to Clinton on September 6, 15 church leaders representing the major Christian denominations in the United States urged him to recognize the constructive advisory and consultative role that the churches in the US and in Jerusalem can bring to the political negotiations. “At this time, we do not view the administration's attention to the American churches' interests, concerns and recommendations, or those of the Jerusalem churches' interests and rights to be adequate,” the letter said.
The church leaders stressed that “representatives of the three Abrahamic religions must have a role in shaping the ultimate resolution of issues affecting Jerusalem and the commitment of the international community to guaranteeing the living presence of the three religious communities in the Holy City."
They also emphasized that international law relevant to Jerusalem in United Nations resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention can neither be cast aside nor negated by the Oslo Accords. “Israel's occupation of east Jerusalem is illegal according to international law,” the letter said. “Furthermore, the resolution of Jerusalem's future and status should not be a matter to be determined solely by the governing officials of Israel and the PLO under the auspices of the United States government. The significance of Jerusalem to the international community must receive higher consideration if a political agreement is to be broadly endorsed and enduring.”
The church leaders blasted Clinton and the Congress on their stated intention to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. “The destructive effort by the US Congress to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem prior to an agreement is extremely provocative,” the letter said.” We are sorely disappointed by recent statements indicating that you might take the unilateral action of authorizing the movement of the embassy before an agreement is reached on Jerusalem's final status.”
The church leaders called Clinton’s attention to the illegal Israeli policies of closures and confiscation of Palestinian land. “The current situation of the closure of Jerusalem to Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza unless they obtain a permit for entry from Israel is a totally unacceptable and discriminatory practice,” noted the letter. “Despite international criticism, and your appeals to avoid unilateral actions, Israel has continued to expand its settlements on Palestinian land in and near Jerusalem. We are distressed that these, and other Israeli practices, intended to weaken the Palestinian community in Jerusalem and the integral relationship of Jerusalem to the West Bank, have continued during your leadership of the peace process.”
The church leaders’ letter said the churches' campaign to promote the principle of sharing Jerusalem between the two ethic groups and three religions “is based on their steadfast commitment to an equitable solution for Jerusalem that respects the human and political rights of Israelis and Palestinians as well as the three religious communities. The churches' interest extends to the living communities of believers as well as to the holy sites.”
The church leaders wrote to Clinton: “We have followed with great interest and concern the reports of the discussions related to Jerusalem and its final status. As you know, the unique status of Jerusalem - sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims - has long been a high priority issue for our churches. Some of our American churches - Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Episcopal - are directly engaged with partner churches in Jerusalem. But for all, the ties to the Jerusalem churches and the Christian community are deep and strong. Our concern about Jerusalem and its status extends far beyond our connections with the Jerusalem churches because we recognize, as do you, the profound significance of the Holy City for the whole of humankind, especially for the Abrahamic family, as well as its centrality in peacemaking between Israel, the Palestinians and other Arab states.”
They also appealed to Clinton to accord Jerusalem a special statute for its governance with international guarantees to ensure its implementation. In November 1994, the twelve Patriarchs and Bishops of Jerusalem wrote, "It is necessary to accord Jerusalem a special statute which will allow Jerusalem not to be victimized by laws imposed as a result of hostilities or wars and which will allow Jerusalem to be an open city which transcends local, regional or world political troubles."
At the end of their letter, the church leaders called on Clinton to use his good offices to see that the position of the United States fully reflects the concerns expressed in their letter and that the perspectives of American churches be taken into consideration.
The letter was signed by the heads of the following churches:
The Rev. H. George Anderson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
John A. Buehrens
President
Unitarian Universalist Association
C. Wayne Carter
General Secretary
Friends United Meeting
Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza
President
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
Stephen Glodek, SM
President
Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Mens' Institutes
The Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary
Reformed Church in America
The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
The Rev. Richard L. Hamm
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the United States and Canada
The Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Ronald J. R. Mathies
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee
The Rev. Judy Mills Reimer
Executive Director
Church of the Brethren
Metropolitan Phillip Saliba
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert
Ecumenical Officer
United Methodist Council of Bishops
The Rev. John H. Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
The Hon. Andrew Young
President
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
