ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 3, 2004

Colin Powell Meets ELCA Presiding Bishop, Others On Mideast
04-114-JB

Colin Powell Meets ELCA Presiding Bishop, Others On Mideast
04-114-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and more than 30 other
prominent religious leaders met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
June 1, urging immediate U.S. government action to jump start the "Road
Map" for peace in the Middle East.
     The 45-minute meeting with Powell concluded with a news conference at
the State Department in Washington, D.C., Hanson told the ELCA News
Service in an interview. The delegation of religious leaders, gathered as
the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle
East, included representatives of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith
groups.  Combined, they represent about 100 million members.
     The Road Map is a Middle East peace plan proposed in 2003 by the
United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations, also known
as the "Quartet."
     In their meeting with Powell, the religious leaders expressed grave
concern about the recent violence in Gaza and the dangers for both
Israelis and Palestinians if the cycle of violence there continues, said
Hanson, who is also president of the 62-million member Lutheran World
Federation, Geneva, Switzerland.
     Unless the United States makes the Road Map an urgent priority, the
continuing Middle East violence jeopardizes prospects for a two-state
solution, further alienates European and Mideast Arab allies, exacerbates
the conflict in Iraq and increases the terrorist threat to the United
States, the religious leaders told Powell.
     The leaders stressed that it is important that the United States not
delay peace efforts with Israelis and Palestinians until after the
presidential election this year, Hanson said.  Powell responded that the
Bush Administration's actions on the Road Map are not related to
elections, Hanson said.
     The religious leaders specifically asked for the United States to
send an envoy now to the Middle East in an effort to restart peace
negotiations, Hanson said.  They asked Powell not to wait for "signs of
peace" from either the Israelis or Palestinians to send an envoy, he said.
     The leaders asked that the U.S. government "lead the way to find a
neutral agency, such as the World Bank" to infuse humanitarian and
economic aid in the region for the benefit of the Palestinians, who need
it most, Hanson said.
     The meeting also included discussion of how Israeli and Palestinian
leaders can take concrete steps for peace.  Peace actions and commitments
"must be simultaneous," Hanson said.  The leaders suggested the United
States act to negotiate a timetable for specific reciprocal, simultaneous
steps to be taken by leaders of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli
government.
     Hanson said the religious leaders told Powell that the key to peace
in the Middle East is a just and stable situation between Israelis and
Palestinians, and not necessarily a democratic and free Iraq, as some in
the Bush Administration have said.
     Hanson thought the meeting with Powell was worthwhile. "He heard our
appreciation for the leadership he has given," Hanson said.  "He heard
that these broadly diverse, actively united religious communities have
high expectations that the U.S. government will move the Israelis and
Palestinians to bilateral negotiations."
     "I am …convinced there will be no peace until both parties negotiate
for themselves," Hanson said.
     The leaders also made clear that they all have relationships with
churches "on the ground" in the Middle East.  For example, the ELCA has a
relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and
Palestine), as do most Lutheran churches throughout the world.
     In the meeting the leaders reiterated their call for "Twelve Urgent
Steps for Peace," which they formulated and made public in 2003.  They
said the document closely reflects steps called for in a May 4 statement
by the Quartet.
     The National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the
Middle East was formed in December 2003.  Its goal is to advocate for
direct U.S. leadership in the pursuit of peace between Israelis and
Palestinians.
     "It's amazing that this breadth of leadership has come together
around this issue," Hanson said, noting the presence of key leaders
representing many faiths, some of whom have specific but divergent
interests in the Middle East.
     The religious leaders committed themselves to communicate to their
constituents what they are doing to promote peace in the Middle East,
Hanson said.  They hope to build "coalitions" in some eight to 10 cities
in the United States to carry the message of Middle East peace to "the
grass roots," he said.
     The religious leaders also want to meet with President Bush to
discuss progress on the Road Map and told Powell of their desire, Hanson
said.
---
     "The Twelve Urgent Steps for Peace" and other documents related to
the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle
East are at http://www.loga.org/interfaithdelegation.htm on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news