Urgent Action on Gaza Crisis

Corinne Whitlatch, Executive Director June 29, 2006

CMEP's Executive Committee signed a letter today urging immediate US intervention in the Gaza crisis. Letters were faxed to Ambassador C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and to Michael Doran at the National Security Council, both of whom recently met with members of the CMEP Leadership Council. Copies of the letter were also distributed to other key people in the Administration, Israeli embassy and PLO mission office. A press release was distributed to newspapers in the United States and to DC correspondents for Middle East newspapers.

TAKE ACTION

Call the White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111. Your advocacy toward the Administration will boost CMEP's appeal. Your Message: Ask President Bush for U.S. intervention, at the highest level, to calm the current crisis in Gaza. Request that the US work with Israeli and Palestinian officials to find a diplomatic resolution. Express your hope that the kidnapped Israeli soldier be released and that the US work with Israel to insist on a restrained military response.

Your message will be most effective if it is succinct and consistent with the CMEP letter. CMEP advises you to stay focused on the narrow agenda of this particular message – calling for US intervention - and to refrain from also addressing the other topics in the news (Israel's arrest of Hamas officials, killing of a settler youth near Ramallah, the Palestinian conciliation document, etc).

CMEP Letter on Gaza Crisis

June 29, 2006 C. David Welch Assistant Secretary of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs US Department of State

Dear Ambassador Welch,

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) appeals to you to encourage the Administration to do everything possible to calm the crisis in Gaza. CMEP condemns the capture by Palestinian militants of Cpl. Gilad Shalit and prays that he will be released by Hamas without further delay and returned safely to his family.

CMEP urges the immediate intervention of the United States at the highest level with both Israeli and Palestinian officials. The mediating efforts of President Mubarak and the call by the foreign ministers, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, of the Group of Eight nations are important and appreciated, but this is not adequate. The United States, as Israel's closest ally, must work closely with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz and insist that they restrain their military response and work with President Abbas to find a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

The CMEP coalition of 21 Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches and church-related organizations receives reports from Palestinian partner churches and agencies. The Middle East Council of Churches' Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees, in a June 29 update of the situation in Gaza, reports on the horrible impact of the military campaign on the people of Gaza. Israel's attack on civilian infrastructure in Gaza including disabling the only power plant in Gaza and destroying bridges are acts of collective punishment that have resulted in tremendous suffering by ordinary Palestinian people.

We appreciate you meeting with CMEP's director and Leadership Council members on June 20 and thank you for your attention to this appeal.

Sincerely,

The Executive Committee of Churches for Middle East Peace

Maureen Shea Catherine Gordon Jeanette Holt Fr. Ted Keating, SM

(Similar letter sent to Michael Doran, National Security Council)

Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace is a Washington-based program of the Alliance of Baptists, American Friends Service Committee, Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Church World Service, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Franciscan Friars OFM (English Speaking Conference, JPIC Council), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Maryknoll Missioners, Mennonite Central Committee, National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, Unitarian Universalist Association, United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church (GBCS & GBGM).

Contributions to CMEP are tax deductible and can be made by check or online by secure, on-line credit card service.

Corinne Whitlatch, Executive Director Churches for Middle East Peace Email: info@cmep.org Phone: 202-543-1222 Web: http://www.cmep.org

[This email is also available online at: www.cmep.org/Alerts/2006June29.htm]