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Resolution on Calling for an End to the Construction of
a Wall by the State of Israel
The 216th General Assembly (2004) adopted this resolution,
with comment:
"Recognizing that God's love as evidenced in Jesus Christ
is for all God's children, and recognizing the human rights
of all people to God's resources including land and water
and livelihood, the 216th General Assembly (2004) of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) requests the Stated Clerk make
known to the president of the United States, the members
of Congress of the United States, and the State of Israel,
and the Palestinian National Authority its opposition to
the construction of a wall and other barriers by the State
of Israel and further to make known the desire of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) that the United States of America make no
monetary contribution to the 1.3 billion dollar cost of the
construction of this wall, construction of which has already
begun and will continue for several years."
Comment from the General Assembly Mission Council:
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
has approved numerous resolutions on Israel and Palestine,
repeatedly affirming, clearly and unequivocally, Israel's
right to exist within permanent, recognized, and "secure" borders
(for example: 1969, 1974, 1977, 1983, 1989, etc.). It has
deplored the cycle of escalating violence-carried out by
both Palestinians and Israelis-which is rooted in Israel's
continued occupation of Palestinian territories (cf. statements
of successive assemblies since 1967). Presbyterians have
continued to be concerned about the loss of so many innocent
lives of Israelis and Palestinians (see "Resolution on the
Middle East," approved in 1997, and "Resolution on Israel
and Palestine: End the Occupation Now," approved in 2003).
Because of its deep concern for peace in the area, and how
the "Separation Barrier," generally referred to as the "Security
Wall," is impacting the lives of people on both sides, the
GAMC expresses grave alarm at the construction of this barrier.
Further, given the long-standing, deeply rooted spiritual
and programmatic bonds existing between the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) and its partner churches in the Holy Land,
it is particularly concerned that the life and ministry of
the dwindling remnant of the Christian community will be
severely impeded. As it voices these concerns within the
framework of many General Assembly statements over more than
thirty-five years, the GAMC wants to help Presbyterians to
understand some of the aspects of the wall's impact. These
may be summarized as follows:
- The "Separation Barrier," currently under construction,
consists of a twenty-five-foot high concrete wall meandering
through mostly Palestinian lands, plus stretches of electrified
barbed-wire fence extensions of the wall.
- Israel claims it is building the wall between Israel
and the West Bank, but only 10 percent will be on the Green
Line (i.e., Israel's 1967 border).
- Ninety percent of the rest stretches into the West Bank,
isolates significant amounts of land, and affects the lives
of many thousands of Palestinians. This year approximately
210,000 people will be economically and socially cut off
from their neighborhoods, their families, their farmlands,
their employment, their educational and health-care facilities,
and their places of worship.
- A wall built along the Green Line would be half the length
of the current wall and much easier to patrol.
Many believe that the route of the wall has been determined
not by security, but by the political goals of maintaining
the settlements and impacting future peace talks. Palestinian
church partners have expressed the view that they might not
object to the construction of a wall if it were built on
Israeli land. The current wall ghettoizes the Palestinians
and forces them onto what can only be called reservations.
The General Assembly Mission Councilis engaged in various ministries
that support the Christian churches and ecumenical bodies
in their own work of evangelism, outreach and church growth,
health ministries, education, economic and social development,
peacemaking, interfaith dialogue, reconciliation, and cooperation.
Especially following a recent visit by an official PC(USA)
delegation to Israel and Palestine (in February 2004), the
GAMC believes that the best hope for security for both Israelis
and Palestinians may be found in laying down all forms of
aggression on both sides, ending the Israeli occupation,
and finding ways to build bridges of peace rather than walls
of separation. Good neighborly relations, rather than mutual
isolation and suspicion, are urgently needed between Israel
and its neighbors in Palestine and the Middle East. |
2003).
