Religious Leaders Commend Obama's Middle East Diplomacy, Recommend Next Steps for Peace
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visited and met with President Obama as well other member of the Administration, Congress, and Jewish community, including RAC Director David Saperstein. Ahead of this visit, a group of Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, including heads of more than 25 national religious organizations, wrote a letter to President Obama. Their letter commends Obama's commitment to making Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace a high priority of his Presidency, strongly supports his appointment of George Mitchell as Special Middle East Envoy, and recommends next steps for peace.
These leaders, organized by the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace (NILI), urge Jews, Christians and Muslims in communities across the country to utilize the steps in the religious leaders' letter to the President as guidelines for communicating with members of Congress.
The letter is anything but a lowest-common-denominator "everyone wants peace" feel-good piece, offering concrete policy steps and recommendations to help achieve an effective, comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire covering Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, leading toward further negotiations and a comprehensive peace between Israel and all her Arab neighbors.
The Union for Reform Judaism is a strong supporter of diplomatic initiatives to achieve peace, and has applauded President Obama for his early diplomatic efforts and appointment of Special Envoy Mitchell.
As President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and Special Envoy Mitchell press ahead with U.S. leadership for Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace they will need active, broad, public support. To help you and/or your local religious leader build this support, NILI has some great ways to get involved in your community on behalf of Middle East Peace.