Minute 2009-05

January 2009

Friends Meeting Cambridge MA

 

Worship sharing on our witness to peace in Israel and Palestine

 

In view of the extended warfare in and around Gaza, which has attracted broad concern, the meeting devoted a period of worship sharing to peace in Israel and Palestine. In preparation for this sharing, Nancy Ruggiero described an interfaith declaration of peace being circulated by Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries under the leadership of our member Alexander Levering Kern.

 

Strong support for the declaration was expressed. Particular attention we directed to the children involved. The importance of expressing political support for peace was stressed. Concern was expressed for other regions of conflict in the world as well that deserve our concern. The opportunity presented by the Yearly Meetings called meeting for worship in April concerning our peace testimony, which Linda Jenkins will be addressing in the first March forum, was noted.

 

The meeting approved signing the declaration. The meeting asked for a qaery in the Bulletin asking for information on worthy childrenŐs relief organizations, The meeting suggested that the following steps be considered:  1) Peace and Social Concerns Committee to take a special collection for children in the region of conflict; 2)  Grants Committee to provide information on worthy organizations; 3) The Avison Fund committee to recommend a grant; 4) The high school group to undertake a related project, and 5) Peace and Social Concerns to bring forward  a proposal for $10000 to provide direct aid to children affected by the war in Gaza.

 

 

AN INTERFAITH DECLARATION FOR PEACE

 

We, members and leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities in Greater Boston - all having deep and symbolic ties to the land and peoples of the Middle East - are anguished by the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza.  Recognizing the legitimate needs of all peoples, including all those living in the Middle East, for dignity, peace, safety and security –- regardless of religion, race, or national origin -- we issue this joint statement with the hope and belief that our interfaith voices will be heard clearly, above the din of war.

 

As guiding principles,

 

We acknowledge the long, complex, and painful history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

We acknowledge the wide range of deeply-held beliefs, and intensely-felt narratives on all sides

We acknowledge that all sides are capable of assigning blame to others, and asserting justification for their cause

We observe that violence by any side begets more violence, hatred, and retaliation

We deplore any invocation of religion as a justification for violence against others, or the deprivation of the rights of others

We decry any use of inflammatory rhetoric that demonizes the other and is intended, or is likely, to promote hatred and disrespect

We believe the conflict can be resolved only through a political and diplomatic solution and not a military one.

 

In the face of many competing narratives, we recognize that the overriding common need of the peoples of the region is the prompt implementation of a just and lasting peace. Toward that end, and particularly in response to the current hostilities,

 

We call upon the United States and the international community immediately to intercede to help reestablish a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, toward the goal of a permanent cessation of hostilities

We call upon Hamas immediately to end all rocket attacks on Israel, and upon Israel immediately to end its military campaign in Gaza

We call for an immediate end to all strikes on civilian centers and citizens, both Israeli and Palestinian

We call for lifting of the blockade on Gaza as to all non-military goods, for an immediate and significant increase in humanitarian aid to address the needs of the people of Gaza, and for all parties involved to join in taking responsibility to address those human needs

We call on all parties involved in the conflict to work sincerely and vigorously toward a just and lasting peace that addresses and promotes the national aspirations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples

We call on President-elect Obama to make clear that as President he will urgently assert US leadership to achieve a comprehensive diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts

 

Through this joint statement we affirm our commitment to engage with one another, even, and especially, during times of great stress.  We also affirm our common humanity and our common belief – as Jews, Muslims and Christians - that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must cease, that there is no military or violent solution, that all human life is valued, and that all parties must cooperate to make the peace – a just and lasting peace desperately needed and deserved by all the peoples of the region.

 

Alexander Levering Kern

Executive Director

Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries (CMM)

474 Centre St.

Newton, MA  02458

tel: 617-244-3650

<akern@coopmet.org>

www.coopmet.org