UCC and Disciples address Administration on Settlements-Updated

The national leadership of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have joined ecumenical colleagues in urging the US Administration to support a proposed UN Security Council resolution on Israel settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories.  The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, joined 11 other churches and church related organizations, stating, “In the interest of a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace, we ask that you support this resolution being brought to the UN Security Council for debate and that the U.S. vote affirmatively when it is considered.”  The letter was transmitted yesterday afternoon to the White House, the State Department and the US Mission to the UN in New York.

Click here to read the full text of the letter.

On the resolution, Churches for Middle East Peace also issued a statement yesterday afternoon, in the name of CMEP’s Executive Director, Amb. Warren Clark, and the chair of CMEP’s Board, Mr. Martin Shupack.  The statement reads, in part, “The language of this resolution reflects language that the United States has historically used to describe settlement construction activity: illegal, an obstacle to peace, and not legitimate.  CMEP calls on the Obama Administration not to stand in the way of this resolution in a Security Council vote.  Furthermore, in the context of the resolution’s consideration, CMEP urges the U.S. government to take this opportunity to spur both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to take decisive new steps toward a comprehensive peace agreement.”

Click here to read the CMEP statement.

Update (2/10): Discussion on this proposed resolution has been postponed until after the meeting of the Quartet (UN, US, EU, and Russia) meets this week.