Religious leaders urge Obama to take lead on Mideast peace

April 18, 2011

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany have joined other Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders in calling upon President Barack Obama to take a more active role in Mideast peace negotiations.

The religious letters called for the “creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, based on the 1967 borders with possible limited land swaps as mutually agreed; a fair negotiated resolution of the issue of refugees that does not threaten the demography of Israel; the sharing of Jerusalem by Israel and the Palestinian state with both having their capitals in the city; and Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights as part of a peace agreement with Syria.”

“We encourage you to visit Jerusalem and the region soon to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss next steps toward achieving peace based on the principles and ideas in these peace initiatives,” the religious leaders added. “We pledge our prayers and public support for active, fair and firm US leadership in this urgent endeavor.”

 

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Further information:

• U.S. Bishops, Interreligious Leaders Call on President to Take Lead on Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace (USCCB)