BEYOND THE BRINK: Joint Arab/ Muslim/ Jewish Call for Peace in Middle East

Dear Friends,

We have initiated a statement on the present violence in the Middle East.

We intend it to be signed by American Jews, American Muslims, and Arab-Americans, including those of Christian faith.

And then we intend it to be published as an ad in the New York Times or (if that costs too much) another leading American paper.

So far as we know, such a joint statement at the national level is unprecedented. We therefore especially bless the Compassionate One Who has brought us to this moment.

The content of the statement follows, below.

We hope that you yourself will join in this statement, and thus help to bring nearer the blessings of peace.

Please also forward this letter, with your encouragement, to others whom you know.

At the end of this message is a coupon for you to sign, and return to one of the addresses listed there.

To publish the ad will obviously take money. We will need all signers to contribute at least a modest amount, and will be seeking larger sums as well.

Our suggestion is that unless someone has an extremely restricted income, every signer contribute at least $40.

We hope, of course, that many will contribute much more than that.

If you receive more than one copy of this message, please forgive us; we are responding to a sense of urgency.

Blessings of shalom and salaam,

Muslim Peace Fellowship:
Rabia Harris, Coordinator
Ibrahim Abdil-Muid Ramey, Board Member

The Coordinating Council of Muslim Organization
Muslim Advocacy Commission of Howard University
Association of Latin American Muslims/Sociedad Islamica Latino-Americana Muslim Student Link

Latifah Ahmad, President, National Muslim Women's Association, Pennsylvania chapter
Abdul-Rahman Lomax

Break the Silence, Steering Committee:
Cherie Brown, director, National Coalition-Building Institute;
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, The Shefa Fund
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center

Rabbi Philip J. Bentley
Reena Bernard
Rabbi Neil Comess- Daniel
Susan Freundlich
Rabbi Arthur Green
Rabbi Daniel Isaak
Prof. Henry A, Landsberger
Cantor David Shneyer
Lionel & Libby Traubman
Rabbi Brian Walt
Rabbi Bridget Wynne

Checks should be made out to "Am Kolel" or "Muslim Peace Fellowship" and must be marked "Mid-East Peace." These are religious 501c3 organizations, so tax deductions are available for donors.

Mail to: Emergency Middle East Peace Effort,

c/o Am Kolel, 15 W Montgomery Ave, Rockville MD 20850

or
c/o Muslim Peace Fellowship, Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960.

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BEYOND THE BRINK, TOWARD A TRUE PEACE

As the heirs and descendants of Abraham, we are deeply saddened by the renewed violence in the Land where he lived. We deplore the provocation for this violence as much as we do the killings of the innocent. With every stone hurled and every bullet fired, we are inviting more violence. This is not the road to peace we so deeply yearn for.

We mourn the latest victims of this conflict. Neither our faiths nor our scriptures teach us hatred and violence. The time has come to say "enough is enough." Our prayers and heartfelt sympathies are with the victims and their families. We hope and pray that these colossal losses of life unite forces of reason for a just and lasting peace for the people of Palestine and Israel.

We call upon all the people of faith to return to conversation and not confrontation. We ask the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to act with restraint and responsibility. We ask the President to redouble American efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table for a final settlement of this conflict.

Specifically,

1) We call upon all parties to act with vigor to prevent any desecration or provocation based on the sacred sites of any of the communities involved. We urge the governmental bodies to publicly apologize for assaults on sacred places carried on by their own citizens,and to make restitution for them.

2) We urge all parties and citizens who believe they have grievances to express them with the deepest commitment to nonviolence. Only through peaceful means can a peaceful goal be achieved. Nonviolent protest is rooted deep in all religious traditions, and because it speaks most deeply to the Image of God in every human being, is often successful in bringing change when violence is not.

3. We urge that dialogue be opened at the grass roots among Muslims, Jews, and Arabs, including Palestinian Christians.

4. We urge that the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority return at once to the negotiating table to seek not only an end to outright violence but a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

5. We urge Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, including its policies of demolishing Palestinian homes, driving "bypass roads" through Palestinian farmland, increasing the number of Israeli settlers in Palestinian neighborhoods and areas, and taking similar actions likely to prevent the emergence of a viable Palestinian state.

6. We urge that Israel move quickly to achieve full equality for Israeli citizens of Palestinian culture.

7. We urge the Palestinian Authority to eliminate from its school curricula and other literature all hate-inducing attacks on Judaism, the Jewish people, the historical ties of the Jewish people to the Land, and the present legitimacy of the State of Israel among the nations — as distinct from specific criticisms of the history and behavior of Israel and its government.

8. We urge that all parties make clear that Jerusalem must and will be shared.

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Please use this coupon to send your contribution and info by postal mail.

Checks should be made out to "Am Kolel" or "Muslim Peace Fellowship" and must be marked "Mid-East Peace." These are religious 501c3 organizations, so tax deductions are available for donors.

Mail to: Emergency Middle East Peace Effort,

c/o Am Kolel, 15 W Montgomery Ave, Rockville MD 20850

or

c/o Muslim Peace Fellowship, Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960.

_____ I support the 10/27 statement called "Beyond the Brink toward a True Peace." Please add my signature.To help it get published, I enclose a contribution of —

____ $5,000; ___ $1,000; ___ $500; ___ $100; ___ $40; ___ Other.

Name/s ____________________________________________

Address/ City/ State/ Zip

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Email address ______________________________________

Phone/s ____________________________________________