Assembly approves
resolution on Israel/Palestine
after committee softens, balances its language
By Paula R.
Kincaid
The Layman
Online
Thursday,
May 29, 2003
DENVER – The 215th General Assembly has voted to approve a
resolution on Israel and Palestine titled "End the Occupation Now,"
written by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.
The Rev. Sue Westfall, chairperson of the Assembly Committee on
Peacemaking, presented the report to commissioners Wednesday afternoon.
She said several amendments were made by the committee that were "aimed
at softening and balancing the language of the report." The changes
included:
- Amending Item E from saying "… Categorically rejects
theological interpretations that confuse biblical prophesies …"
to saying "Challenges and encourages discussion of theological
interpretations that confuse biblical prophesies …"
- Amending Item F by deleting "once again" following "Urges
the government of Israel to hasten to end the occupation …"
and adding a sentence to the end that reads, "and urges the
League of the Arab Nations to commit to doing everything in their
power to eliminate funding and support for terrorist acts against
Israeli citizens.
While the 16-page document expresses opposition to violence by both
Palestinians and Jews, it describes Palestinian suicide murders as "desperate
acts of terror," while "innumerable Palestinian civilians have
experienced pain, suffering, degradation, and death under the yoke of
Israel's heavy-handed occupation."
It calls on the Israeli government to end the occupation of the West
Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
There was no discussion on the issue during the plenary session and,
during the voice vote, only a few "no's" were heard.
In other business presented to the assembly by the Peacemaking
Committee, commissioners:
- Approved a study paper titled "Iraq and Beyond." Three
paragraphs of comments from the Worldwide Ministry Division of the
PCUSA's General Assembly Council were added to the original report.
- Approved overture 03-30, calling on all nations to fulfill their
commitments under the nonproliferation treaty. The overture
originally called on the United States and Russia to fulfill their
commitments. Vice moderator of the peacemaking committee Kevin
Porter said the committee made the change to "broaden the focus"
of the overture.
- Approved overture 03-31 on strengthening "our Chrstian
peacemaking vision and witness in wartime." The assembly's
approval included the committee's addition of a third
recommendation, which reads, "Reaffirming the PCUSA's historic
commitment for the right of individual conscience by expressing
concern for conscientious objectors in the military and the dilemmas
they often encounter, and by urging the Presbyterian Council for
Chaplains and Military Personnel to ensure that all Presbyterian
chaplains are educated in both the PCUSA's policy in support of
conscientious objectors and the appropriate military regulations and
procedures for reclassifying and discharging conscientious
objectors."
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