Episcopal Press and News
MIDDLE EAST: Council of Religious Institutions calls for ceasefire, condemns Bible burnings
Episcopal News Service. May 29, 2008 [052908-03]
Members of the Council of the Religious Institutions of the Holy Land (CRIHL) met May 27 with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to talk about the role of religious leaders in resolving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
The religious leaders released two statements, one calling for an end to the violence in the Holy Land and the other denouncing the recent Bible burnings in Or Yehudah.
The council also met with former President Sampaio, High Commissioner of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations, who proposed working together with the CRIHL to advance interfaith dialogue.
"The three main religions for whom this land is holy -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam -- teach that shedding innocent blood is the most heinous crime," the council said in its statement on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. "Accordingly, we religious leaders and representatives of the principle Israeli and Palestinian religious communities seek an end to the cycle of tragic bloodshed that continues to afflict this land and call for a cessation of all acts of violence and reprisals."
The council is a new interfaith group constituted of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel; the Supreme Shaaria Courts and Ministry of Waqf of the Palestinian Authority; and the Patriarchates and Bishoprics of the Holy Land, including Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani and Lutheran Bishop Mounib Younan.
"We urge our respective political leaders to sit down together in such a spirit -- without being under pressure and threat of violence and death -- in order to strive to find an appropriate resolution of the conflict; and thereby to protect all human life that is so precious to the Creator and Master of the Universe, so that all our communities may live in this land in peace and dignity," the statement said.
Condemning the Bible burnings, the council said, "No provocation can justify the burning of texts that people consider sacred."
The religious leaders welcomed the apology of Deputy Mayor of Or Yehudah, Uzi Aharon, and expressed hope that the strong reaction in Israel and abroad will deter extremist behavior.
The council called for general respect for the religious attachments of others and condemned all acts of disrespect against other religions, including any and all attempts to proselytize and persuade people to abandon their respective traditions.