Presbyterians For Middle East Peace
Pastors and elders for responsible and effective Middle East peacemaking policies
Must See VideosAs a resource to commissioners at the last several Presbyterian general assemblies, Presbyterians for Middle East Peace invited a number of distinguished speakers to address commissioners on Middle East Peacemaking issues. These videos remain a valuable resource for understanding the key issues, and we are pleased to provide access to them. Addressing the IssuesAt the 2012 Presbyterian General Assembly commissioners will be asked to declare Israel an apartheid state. We believe this overture is wrong, is unjust, and will not advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. The Middle East “Road Map to Peace”calls for a two state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It is the path that our Church should follow.
Two Essential Principles for Presbyterian peacemaking in the Middle East
Promotion of the Kairos Palestine document has become a major focus of the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) Movement. We believe the document is seriously flawed, and should be approached carefully.
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Presbyterians Disagree with Gingrich Characterization of Palestinians
December 15, 2011
Presbyterians Disagree with Gingrich Characterization of Palestinians
Presbyterians for Middle East Peace (PFMEP), a group committed to a just peace-making process, disagree with the recent comment by U.S. presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in which he declared the Palestinian people to be “invented.” In fact, Palestinians and their forebears, like the Jewish people, have been on the land in that part of the world for as long as anyone can remember. Dismissing the legitimacy of the Palestinian people is the kind of comment/attitude that keeps this tragic conflict alive.
Peace cannot advance without each party respecting the rights of the other. The refusal of Palestinian leadership to clearly and openly recognize the right of the Jewish people to a homeland and the legitimacy of the Jewish state does nothing but foment distrust and hinder the peace process. Similarly, statements by American leaders that reject recognition of Palestinian aspirations and rights are counterproductive and in opposition with U.S. policy, which is to work toward a two-state solution.
PFMEP calls on the leaders of both Israel and Palestine to sit down at the negotiating table and work out a reasonable, just solution to this conflict that has hurt so many innocent people. No one will be totally satisfied at the end of such a negotiation. But children will no longer suffer; economies can grow; and hope for the future will be renewed. The members of PFMEP continue to pray and work for a just peace so that the peoples of Palestine and Israel will have to study war no more. |
Insights from our partners in peacemakingPresbyterians for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Relations (PCJCMR) responds to "Steadfast Hope: The Palestinian Quest for Just Peace" Read More |
Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem - October 2, 2011
We joined with fellow Christians across the globe as we took time on October 2, 2011 to pray for the peace of
Pray for peace in Psalm 122:6 Read More |
Additional ResourcesFor more information on effective peacemaking in the Middle East, we provide several links to resources we think will be helpful |