The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on National and International Concerns presented its Report #27 on Resolution B019 (Israeli-Palestinian Peace and Support for the Diocese of Jerusalem) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution

(B019)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 77th General Convention, notes with regret the lack of progress in negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians toward a just and peaceful resolution of the longstanding conflict between the two peoples, and reaffirms this Church’s commitment to a negotiated two-state solution in which a secure and universally recognized State of Israel lives alongside a free, viable, and secure state for the Palestinian people, with a shared Jerusalem as the capital of both; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commends the leadership of the Presiding Bishop in calling all Episcopalians to advocacy for an end to the conflict and support for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the other Christian communities of the Holy Land, particularly through her 2011 Pastoral Letter on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention encourages all dioceses, as well as the Executive Council and the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns, to engage actively in the discipline of advocacy, study, and prayer for peace between Israelis and Palestinians; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention affirms the importance of interfaith dialogue in the resolution of the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both in the Holy Land itself in in other contexts around the world; and urges all bishops, dioceses, and congregations in The Episcopal Church, as well as the Executive Council and the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns, to include interfaith dialogue and relationship-building as part of their own engagement in working for a just peace; and be it further

Resolved, That all Episcopalians be encouraged to travel to the Holy Land as pilgrims and witnesses, and to provide various forms of support for the Christian communities of the Holy Land, particularly the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and its institutions; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention affirms the importance of economic measures designed to support a negotiated two-state solution: (1) Positive investment of public and private resources in the Palestinian territories in order to affirm and enable the leadership of the Palestinian Authority in its desire to create the economic effects of a future state; and (2) Shareholder dialogue aimed at persuading companies to refrain from business practices that perpetuate the Conflict in any way, including (but not limited to), those practices that support violence of any sort or that provide material support for the occupation of the Palestinian territories; and be it further

Resolved, That in seeking to encourage positive investment in the Palestinian territories, Episcopalians give priority to investment in the institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which provide healthcare, education, and social services without discrimination on the basis of religion, political ideology, gender or socioeconomic standing, or national identity; and be it further

Resolved, That the work of the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Good Friday Offering be commended to all Episcopalians as faithful vehicles for providing economic and other support to the Diocese of Jerusalem and its institutions; and be it further

Resolved, That, consistent with this Church’s support for positive financial investment in the occupied territories, the General Convention directs the Economic Justice Loan Committee to consider a loan of at least $200,000 to strengthen the economic infrastructure of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Committee Substitute

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 77th General Convention express its regret at the lack of progress in negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians toward a just and peaceful resolution of the longstanding conflict between the two peoples, and call for the cessation of violence by all parties, and reaffirm this Church’s commitment to a negotiated two-state solution in which a secure and universally recognized State of Israel lives alongside a free, viable, and secure state for the Palestinian people, with a shared Jerusalem as the capital of both; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commend the leadership of the Presiding Bishop in calling all Episcopalians to advocacy for an end to the conflict and support for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the other Christian communities of the Holy Land, particularly through her 2011 Pastoral Letter on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (accessible on the website of The Episcopal Church); and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention encourage all dioceses, as well as the Executive Council and the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns, to engage actively in the discipline of advocacy, education, and prayer for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid that promotes peace and reconciliation; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention affirm the importance of interfaith dialogue in the resolution of the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both in the Holy Land itself and in other contexts around the world; and decry religious extremism and fundamentalism in all their forms and the violence that arises from their expression; and be it further

Resolved, That the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church affirm the truth that some mission is best enacted at the local level, and therefore urges all congregations to seek, over the next Triennium, to engage with local Jewish and Muslim congregations to study peace with justice in the Middle East, and urges that the narratives and theologies that inform the conversation on peace with justice in the Middle East be particular focuses of attention; and be it further

Resolved, That the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops, the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns, the resources of the Episcopal seminaries, and the Advocacy and Networking Committee of the Executive Council be called upon the support, through the triennium, the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian study on peace with justice in the Middle East, and produce and annotated bibliography of resources to be posted on the website of The Episcopal Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the triennial study groups on Middle East peace with justice prepare report sharing what they learned about a constructive path to peace with justice, and that these reports be collected and shared with the Church by the Standing Commission on Anglican and International Peace with Justice Concerns; and be it further

Resolved, That the Presiding Bishop develop an interfaith model pilgrimage composed equally of Episcopalians, Jews, and Muslims in order to further encourage the travel of pilgrims and witnesses to the Holy Land in order to experience the multiple narratives of the diverse peoples who call the land their home; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention affirm positive investment as a necessary means to create a sound economy and a sustainable infrastructure in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip because without these measures there can and will be no viable Palestinian state and no enduring peace; and be it further

Resolved, That in seeking to encourage such positive investment in the Palestinian territories, Episcopalians give priority to investment in the institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which provide healthcare, education, and social services without discrimination on the basis of religion, political ideology, gender, socioeconomic standing, or national identity; and be it further

Resolved, That the work of the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Good Friday Offering be commended to all Episcopalians as faithful vehicles for providing economic and other support to the Diocese of Jerusalem and its institutions; and be it further

Resolved, That, as a component of this Church’s support for positive financial investment in the Palestinian territories, the General Convention urge the Economic Justice Loan Committee to consider a loan of at least $200,000 to strengthen the economic infrastructure of the Palestinian territories.

Deputy Miron of Central Pennsylvania moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment

Following “affirm the truth that some mission is best enacted at the”, add “that in this situation it is best to support activities at the” before the word “local”; add “Episcopal” after “urges all”. Add “And honest historical perspectives” after the word “theologies”; add “make available” after “to”; add in loans for the ____ing of” before “the economic”; deleting “the” following “affirm” and preceding “truth”; deleting “Truth that some mission is best enacted”; deleting “and” after “narratives” and before “theologies”; and deleting “consider a loan of”.

The President announced that she was mistaken in letting the amendment go forward at this time, as it went against the Special Order. The President ruled that the amendment would be taken up after the time allotted for debate.

After the allotted time for debate had passed, the President ask the House to consider the Miron amendment.

Deputy Dyer of Connecticut moved the previous question on the amendment and the main motion.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

Deputy O’Brien of Southeast Florida moved to divide the question on the amendment.

A vote was taken on the first portion of the amendment.

Motion defeated

A vote was taken on the second portion of the amendment.

Motion defeated

Deputy Hart of Pennsylvania reminded the President that the vote on Resolution B019 was to be taken after the House voted on Resolution C060.

House of Deputies

The President announced that the vote on Resolution B019 would now be taken according to the Special Order.

Deputy Bradford of Nebraska moved to divide the question.

Motion defeated

A vote was taken on Resolution B019.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #157)