Dear Friends,
Greetings of love and peace.
Acting as the interim External Affairs Committee, the Standing Committee has approved the following statement for Israeli-Palestinian peace:
As leaders of the United Religions Initiative, we raise our voices in solidarity with the innocent civilians, Palestinians and Israelis, suffering from the latest outbreak of deadly violence between Israeli and Palestinian political leaders and armed forces. We believe there is no military solution, by either side, to this prolonged conflict, and that peace will only come through good faith negotiations that hold as the highest value the well being of innocent civilians.
Therefore, in solidarity with these innocent civilians, we demand:
An immediate end to all violence that puts innocent civilians at risk.
An immediate resumption of a meaningful peace process that does not stop short of a negotiated and implemented settlement meeting the legitimate needs of the peoples of both sides in this conflict to live in peace and security, with the power to determine their own destinies, while respecting the inherent rights and dignities of one another.
That the international community take all actions necessary, collectively through the UN and as individual nations, to suspend any actions that help fuel this violence, to take all necessary actions to address the suffering of innocent civilians, and to support a meaningful peace process and an enduring peace.
It is past time to stop feeding the engines of war and violent conflict and dedicate our collective resources to building a peaceful and just future.
Consistent with URI’s purpose, which calls us to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing, we pledge our every effort to help achieve this end.
Faithfully,
Charles
