Israel releases Palestinian prisoners
-02/06/05
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners boarded buses early today at a prison in southern Israel on their way to freedom, the last phase of an Israeli pledge to release 900 prisoners as part of a ceasefire deal.
The move comes after church leaders met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington last week, and affirmed their support for a two-state solution. Their meeting took place after a joint press conference between Presidents Bush and Abbas, during which the US president urged Israel to continue to take steps “toward a peaceful future”, and work with the Palestinian leadership.
The 398 prisoners were being taken to different crossing points in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be released later today.
In the past, Israel has refused to release prisoners who have not served two-thirds of their terms, but yesterday 93 of the detainees had only completed a fraction of their sentences.
Israel pledged at a summit in February at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik to release 900 prisoners.
Immediately after the regional summit, 500 prisoners were freed, but Palestinians complained that most had already completed nearly their entire sentence and were set to be released within a short time.
Last week Episcopal Bishop John Bryson Chane of Washington joined Roman Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and other religious leaders at a meeting with Abbas, the first democratically elected Palestinian leader.
Abbas was in Washington to meet with President Bush, his administration, and members of Congress, as well as Jewish and Christian groups.
The group met soon after Presidents Bush and Abbas concluded a joint press conference, during which Bush stated: “We will stand with you, Mr. President, as you combat corruption, reform the Palestinian security services and your justice system, and revive your economy.
“Mr. President, you have made a new start on a difficult journey, requiring courage and leadership each day — and we will take that journey together… Israel must continue to take steps toward a peaceful future, and work with the Palestinian leadership to improve the daily lives of Palestinians, especially their humanitarian situation. Israel should not undertake any activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudice final status negotiations with regard to Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Therefore, Israel must remove unauthorized outposts and stop settlement expansion.”
Corinne Whitlatch, director of Churches for Middle East Peace, served as moderator of the meeting and welcomed the Palestinian leader.
Churches for Middle East Peace is a coalition of 21 Orthodox churches, Roman Catholic agencies and Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal Church, that for 20 years has advocated for U.S. policies that are conducive to peacemaking between Israel and the future state of Palestine.
Cardinal McCarrick of the Diocese of Washington remarked upon the important steps being taken by both Israelis and Palestinians, recognizing the many challenges that each face, and assuring Abbas that they “do not walk the road to peace alone.”
Serge Duss, director for public policy and advocacy for the relief and development organization World Vision, noted the “bond evangelicals have formed with the Palestinian people in the search for justice,” and the important role of NGOs and civil society groups operating in the Holy Land. The Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, echoed support for the peace process, quoting Abbas himself that “time is the greatest enemy of peace.”
Chane, in his remarks, commended Abbas for his “strong position taken and comments made regarding the importance of non-violence and the role it must play in the process … to seek a secure, two state solution between Palestine and Israel.”
Chane also praised Bush for his announcement earlier in the day of 50 million US dollars in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to fund housing and infrastructure projects in the Gaza area. The Episcopal Church, along with Churches for Middle East Peace, Americans for Peace Now, and the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, have been strong advocates for 350 million US dollars in aid to the Palestinians requested by the Bush administration.
In later comments, Chane remarked: “The renewed emphasis and vigor with which President Bush and his administration are pursuing the Road Map, putting appropriate pressure on both Israelis and Palestinians to address difficult but necessary challenges, gives us hope that a two state solution could, in fact, become a reality. It is particularly important that issues such as borders and Jerusalem be part of final status negotiations involving all sides. We must always remember that Israelis and Palestinians – Christians, Jews, and Muslims – are all children of God and deserve the blessings of peace, justice, equality and human rights.”
Chane concluded: “The Episcopal Church, ever mindful of our sister and brother Anglicans in the Holy Land, will continue to press our government to do all in its power to ensure a just peace that guarantees Israel’s security and Palestinian aspirations for a viable state with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both Israel and Palestine.”
Israel releases Palestinian prisoners
-02/06/05
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners boarded buses early today at a prison in southern Israel on their way to freedom, the last phase of an Israeli pledge to release 900 prisoners as part of a ceasefire deal.
The move comes after church leaders met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington last week, and affirmed their support for a two-state solution. Their meeting took place after a joint press conference between Presidents Bush and Abbas, during which the US president urged Israel to continue to take steps “toward a peaceful future”, and work with the Palestinian leadership.
The 398 prisoners were being taken to different crossing points in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be released later today.
In the past, Israel has refused to release prisoners who have not served two-thirds of their terms, but yesterday 93 of the detainees had only completed a fraction of their sentences.
Israel pledged at a summit in February at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik to release 900 prisoners.
Immediately after the regional summit, 500 prisoners were freed, but Palestinians complained that most had already completed nearly their entire sentence and were set to be released within a short time.
Last week Episcopal Bishop John Bryson Chane of Washington joined Roman Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and other religious leaders at a meeting with Abbas, the first democratically elected Palestinian leader.
Abbas was in Washington to meet with President Bush, his administration, and members of Congress, as well as Jewish and Christian groups.
The group met soon after Presidents Bush and Abbas concluded a joint press conference, during which Bush stated: “We will stand with you, Mr. President, as you combat corruption, reform the Palestinian security services and your justice system, and revive your economy.
“Mr. President, you have made a new start on a difficult journey, requiring courage and leadership each day — and we will take that journey together… Israel must continue to take steps toward a peaceful future, and work with the Palestinian leadership to improve the daily lives of Palestinians, especially their humanitarian situation. Israel should not undertake any activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudice final status negotiations with regard to Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Therefore, Israel must remove unauthorized outposts and stop settlement expansion.”
Corinne Whitlatch, director of Churches for Middle East Peace, served as moderator of the meeting and welcomed the Palestinian leader.
Churches for Middle East Peace is a coalition of 21 Orthodox churches, Roman Catholic agencies and Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal Church, that for 20 years has advocated for U.S. policies that are conducive to peacemaking between Israel and the future state of Palestine.
Cardinal McCarrick of the Diocese of Washington remarked upon the important steps being taken by both Israelis and Palestinians, recognizing the many challenges that each face, and assuring Abbas that they “do not walk the road to peace alone.”
Serge Duss, director for public policy and advocacy for the relief and development organization World Vision, noted the “bond evangelicals have formed with the Palestinian people in the search for justice,” and the important role of NGOs and civil society groups operating in the Holy Land. The Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, echoed support for the peace process, quoting Abbas himself that “time is the greatest enemy of peace.”
Chane, in his remarks, commended Abbas for his “strong position taken and comments made regarding the importance of non-violence and the role it must play in the process … to seek a secure, two state solution between Palestine and Israel.”
Chane also praised Bush for his announcement earlier in the day of 50 million US dollars in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority to fund housing and infrastructure projects in the Gaza area. The Episcopal Church, along with Churches for Middle East Peace, Americans for Peace Now, and the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, have been strong advocates for 350 million US dollars in aid to the Palestinians requested by the Bush administration.
In later comments, Chane remarked: “The renewed emphasis and vigor with which President Bush and his administration are pursuing the Road Map, putting appropriate pressure on both Israelis and Palestinians to address difficult but necessary challenges, gives us hope that a two state solution could, in fact, become a reality. It is particularly important that issues such as borders and Jerusalem be part of final status negotiations involving all sides. We must always remember that Israelis and Palestinians – Christians, Jews, and Muslims – are all children of God and deserve the blessings of peace, justice, equality and human rights.”
Chane concluded: “The Episcopal Church, ever mindful of our sister and brother Anglicans in the Holy Land, will continue to press our government to do all in its power to ensure a just peace that guarantees Israel’s security and Palestinian aspirations for a viable state with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both Israel and Palestine.”