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Christian leaders urge Obama for Mideast solution

June 8, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- More than 50 U.S. Christian leaders signed a letter urging President Obama to "lay out a just and equitable solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

The solution, they said in a letter organized by Churches for Middle East Peace, should provide "dignity, security and sovereignty for both peoples."

Signatories included leaders from the Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox and African American traditions. Among them were the prominent evangelical minister Joel Hunter from Northland Church in Orlando, Fla.; Theodore McCarrick, the Washington Archbishop cardinal emeritus; the Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Episcopal Church's presiding bishop; and Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

The letter writers said they are "particularly concerned with the plight of the Palestinian Christian community."

"It is apparent that unless there is an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, Christians in the Holy Land may cease to exist as a viable community," the missive said.

"As you embark on peace efforts, we ask you to provide a clear framework for an end to the conflict, help Israelis and Palestinians make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve lasting peace, and hold both parties to account when they fail to honor their commitments."

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