Violence Escalates in Occupied Territories - Observers Needed

October 20, 2001

Heavy exchanges of gunfire between Israelis and Palestinians continued throughout much of the day in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala. Your assistance is needed to help end the cycle of violence and promote a climate where negotiations to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can take place.

Please read the October 19 appeal from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem (below) concerning the escalation of violence in Bethlehem and many locations throughout the West Bank.

1) Call or e-mail President Bush and Vice President Cheney as soon as possible. Ask the White House to support the deployment of multinational observers to promote peace, justice and security in the Occupied Territories. These observers should be charged with monitoring and reporting on Israeli and Palestinian compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law standards. Observers should be deployed in all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip under a framework agreed upon by Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Express your appreciation for the Administration's support for a viable Palestinian state.

The White House call-in line is 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414. The e-mail address for President George W. Bush is president@whitehouse.gov and the e-mail address for Vice President Dick Cheney is vice.president@whitehouse.gov.

2) Ask your Members of Congress to call on the Bush Administration to support the deployment of multinational observers and other confidence building measures that will help to break the cycle of violence. Ask your Members of Congress to back the Administration's support for the creation of a viable Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement with Israel. (See our Issue Network page, Middle East, for more information on the need for international observers.)

The U.S. Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121.

3) Urge the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to do all that they can to end all forms of violence and intimidation, including helicopter, tank, and fighter jet attacks, assassinations, mortar attacks, suicide bombings, house demolitions, destruction of trees and other property, and torture while in detention. Ask both parties to support the deployment of international observers. Insist that the premises of religious, educational, medical and other humanitarian institutions be respected. Let churches, mosques, and synagogues be sanctuaries of peace, not armed strongholds of any side.

Contact the government of Israel by sending an e-mail to interreligious issues staff at comp@israelemb.org or to the general e-mail address for information requests at ask@israelemb.org, or by phoning 202-364-5500.

Contact the Washington office of the Palestinian National Authority by phoning 202-785-8394.

Newspapers from October 23 report that the Bush Administration condemned, in an "unusually tough message," the Israeli military incursion into Palestinian controlled towns in the West Bank. The Washington Post article begins,"By harshly denouncing the actions of one of its closest allies, the United States yesterday implicitly acknowledged that its traditional alliance with Israel could gravely complicate its new war on terrorism." To offset the considerable criticism the Administration will receive, your message to the Administration should include appreciation for their condemnation of Israel's West Bank incursion.

Appeal from Jerusalem on Behalf of Bethlehem: We the Patriarchs and the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem appeal to our Brothers and Sisters around the world to help in a time of urgent need in the Holy Land.

Following the targeted killings, there has been a dramatic intervention, within the last few hours, in the Autonomous Palestinian Territories by the Israeli Armed Forces. Tanks are everywhere; buildings have been sieged; some areas are under curfew and there is extensive shooting.

We are particularly concerned about Bethlehem, with Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, Aida Refugees Camp, AI-Bireh, Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus and Gaza. The restrictions on movement preventing people going to work, attending school and even university, means that charitable institutions, hospitals, etc.. are placed under great strain to care for residents and patient. Children everywhere are being traumatized.

At a time when Western leaders are concerned with fighting terrorism it seems that Palestinian residents (both Moslem and Christian) are subjected to similar acts for which the world takes little notice.

Whilst we deplore all acts of violence, we appeal to World Church Leaders and the International Community to make urgent representation to the Israeli Government to bring this intolerable situation to an immediate end and begin the process of negotiations in order to work towards a peaceful and a just solution.