Affirmation of Resolutions of the 12th Anglican Consultative Council Relating to Conflict in the Middle East
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official8283
- Date
- 2002 November 8-10
- Type
- Resolution 34-11-02
- Mover
- Mr. Matthew Kett
- Seconder
- Rev. Canon Dr. Bill Prentice
- Text of motion
- That this Council of General Synod:
- Affirm the following resolutions of the 12th Anglican Consultative Council relating to conflict in the Middle East, numbered F1, F2, and F3 below:
- F.1. Israel/Palestine.
- This Anglican Consultative Council notes with increasing concern the continuing instability and violence in Israel/Palestine and the resulting economic and social disadvantage in vulnerable groups and communities, as well as the widespread destruction, fear, injury and loss of life in the area;
- a) believes that the best way to achieve longer-term security and a lasting basis for peace is for each side to recognize the legitimate aspirations, rights and needs of the other;
- b) condemns all violence against civilians;
- c) while recognising the legitimate right to its own defence, believes that the present conduct of the State of Israel has raised the level of threat to Palestinians and thus escalated the violence, with its consequent threat to the security of all families and individuals within the State of Israel;
- d) calls upon the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, as well as individual politicians, religious groups and community leaders, to find a way of breaking the spiral of revenge violence by entering into a new joint formal process of negotiation, based on international, religious and humane values of truth, forgiveness and reconciliation, in order to move towards genuine peace, justice and stability in the area;
- e) calls upon the Israeli Government to implement UN resolutions 242, 338 and 194; and supports resolution V.20 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference;
- f) urges the member churches of the Anglican Communion and associated agencies to find new ways of supporting collaborative projects between Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish, Muslim and Christian individuals and groups;
- g) assures the people of Israel/Palestine of its prayers for peace; that its prayers will be offered in the name of God who calls us all to a greater love for each other, our neighbours, those who are strangers to us and our enemies.
- F.2. Iraq
- This Anglican Consultative Council:
- 1. Welcomes the proposed return of UN Weapons Inspectors to Iraq;
- 2. Calls on the government of Iraq to comply fully with UN resolution 687;
- 3. Believes that, on present evidence, military action against Iraq is not morally justified;
- 4. Calls, subject to reports from UN Weapons Inspectors, for sanctions, except for materials that could be used for Weapons of mass destruction, to be lifted.
- F.3. Solidarity with ECUSA Position on Iraq
- This Anglican Consultative Council affirms its solidarity with the position taken by the Episcopal Church, USA, in June 2002, in opposing unilateral military action against Iraq by the United States, and with the view expressed by the Presiding Bishop in his statement of 6 September 2002, that:
- 1. war holds the prospect of destabilizing the Middle East and we will all be better served to see our national energies and resources expended in resolving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, such that Israel finds security and peace with its neighbours and Palestinians achieve statehood;
- 2. military action would surely inflame the passions of millions, particularly in the Arab world, setting in motion cycles of violence and retaliation, further straining tenuous relationships that exist between the United States and other nations;
- 3. the United States has the opportunity to express leadership in the world by forging a foreign policy that seeks to reconcile and heal the world's divisions and reflect its values and ideals by focusing upon issues of poverty, disease and despair, not only within the US but throughout the global community of which it is a part. CARRIED #34-11-02
- Notes
- Note re F2.2 It was noted that there has been a United Nations' resolution subsequent to 687.
- Subjects
- Anglican Consultative Council. Meeting (12th : 2002 : Hong Kong, China) - Resolutions
- Middle East - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Israel - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Jewish-Arab relations - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Palestinian Arabs - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Iraq - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Economic sanctions - Iraq
- Economic sanctions - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Iraq - Religious aspects - Episcopal Church
- Iraq War, 2003 - Religious aspects - Anglican Communion
- United States - Foreign relations - Iraq
- United States - Foreign relations - Religious aspects - Episcopal Church