Letter follows Action Alert plea to block further military aid to Israel
by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service
Photo by E Orlando via Unsplash
LOUISVILLE — The Executive Director and Stated Clerk of the interim unifying agencies, the Rev. Jihyun Oh, joined more than a dozen U.S. Christian faith leaders in signing a letter addressed to both presidential campaigns requesting each “work toward a just and permanent solution that addresses the core issues” in the ongoing violence in Gaza and Israel-Palestine.
The letter outlines five recommendations that must be addressed within the first 100 days of the next president’s administration. They include:
- Protect Palestinian and Israeli civilian life
- Facilitate humanitarian aid
- Halt arms sales and military assistance
- Prioritize regional de-escalation
- Protect Palestinian Christian communities
The letter concludes, “We pray that whoever is elected President of the United States will demonstrate a robust commitment to the American values of promoting human rights and peace with their words and actions on day one.”
To read the entire letter, click here.
Earlier this week, President Biden warned Israel to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza or risk losing weapons funding. On Tuesday, the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness issued an Action Alert that calls on the U.S. Congress to block sales of military aid to Israel. The alert urges people to contact their representatives to no longer supply or support military aid and to ask candidates for elected office about their position on the Middle East conflict.
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Witness)
The message to congressional representatives reads, in part:
“Since last October, the U.S. has spent at least $17.9 billion on military aid for Israel, according to a report from Brown University’s ‘Costs of War’ project. In August, the State Department announced the approval of $20 billion in new arms sales to Israel, including F-15 fighter jets, medium-range, tank ammunition, and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles.”
It references four joint resolutions of disapproval (S.J. Res. 111-114), introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in September that if adopted would block the $20 billion sale. The PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness also recently signed onto a letter, along with dozens of other like-minded organizations, urging senators to vote in favor of the four resolutions that would restrict or eliminate major arms sales to Israel.
It further offers a U.S.-supported campaign to vaccinate Palestinian children in Gaza against polio as a comparable model to provide the safe delivery of nutritional and medical aid into Gaza to help ease the current humanitarian crisis.
The message to U.S. representatives concludes:
“As a person of faith and as a U.S. taxpayer, I do not believe the U.S. should continue to supply military aid and support to Israel. I therefore write to urge you to support S.J. Res. 111-114, the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, or parallel resolutions in the House, to block the most recent $20 billion sale of military equipment and arms to Israel.”
“The people of Gaza are being starved. While the announcement today from the administration was good news, the people of Gaza don’t have 30 days,” said Catherine Gordon, representative for International Issues with PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness. “The U.S. must adhere to international law and its own laws and stop sending arms to Israel as it continues abusing the human rights of innocent Palestinian men, women, and children. Continuing to supply weapons undermines the very international laws and institutions the U.S. worked so hard to create after WW II. All violators of human rights must be held accountable for there to be a future where a just and lasting peace can be secured for all the peoples of the region.”
Pressing candidates on their Middle East position
A secondary goal of the alert urges individuals to query candidates for office in the upcoming election about their position on the Middle East conflict. Three sample questions are provided, asking:
- Will you support a cease fire and an end to U.S. military aid and assistance?
- Will you support robust humanitarian aid, including the restoration of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and press for safe access for its delivery and for medical care for the people in need?
- Will you support an immediate end to this war and a demilitarization of the Middle East region, perhaps the most heavily militarized regions in the world?
The Office of Public Witness, PC(USA)’s public policy information and advocacy office, helps the Church advocate the social witness perspectives and policies of the General Assembly. It has had a ministry presence in Washington, D.C. since 1946. Click here to subscribe to receive OPW Action Alerts.
PC(USA) offers a multitude of resources for study and reflection on Israel-Palestine by congregations and individuals. Click here to visit the page.
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