Resolution Number: 2015-B013
Title: Reaffirm a Policy of Reconciliation and Restorative Justice in the Middle East
Legislative Action Taken: Concurred as Substituted
Final Text:

Resolved, That The 78th General Convention reaffirm the vocation of the Church as an agent of reconciliation and restorative justice, and recognize that meaningful reconciliation can help to engender sustainable, long-lasting peace and that such reconciliation must incorporate both political action and locally driven grassroots efforts; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention, lamenting the diplomatic and political stalemate following recent elections in Israel, reaffirm this Church’s commitment to a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated settlement between the parties resulting in two states for two peoples: a secure and universally recognized Israel living alongside a secure and viable state for the Palestinian people; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church commend the United States government for its efforts during the past triennium to broker negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, but express grave sorrow at the collapse of those negotiations in 2014 and the subsequent deterioration of political relations between the parties; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church, recognizing that simple calls for the parties to return to the negotiating table are no longer sufficient to address the urgency of the situation, challenge the United States government, in coordination with global partners , to develop and offer a new, comprehensive, and time-bound framework to the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority for the conclusive negotiation of a two-state peace agreement and the resolution of all final-status issues; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urge all national governments represented in The Episcopal Church to invest substantial diplomatic capital in support of such a framework; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urge the Presiding Bishop and the staff of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to continue its exemplary work to enhance understanding, build political consensus, and organize grassroots support within The Episcopal Church for this political action; and be it further

Resolved, That Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: (1) convene a collaborative group of experts and interfaith partners to collect a wide range of resources designed to inform and enliven a conversation among those holding differing convictions; (2) encourage early travel of the 27th Presiding Bishop to the Holy Land, in the spirit of interfaith fellowship, to establish and build relationships with leaders of the communities of the Children of Abraham working for peace, justice, and reconciliation; and (3) continue its commendable efforts to assist Episcopalians to learn about and understand the traumas, hurt, suffering, fears, pain, aspirations, and hopes that shape the daily lives of all living in Israel and the Palestinian Territories; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commend the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s investment of $500,000 during the last triennium in the infrastructure of the Palestinian economy as a tangible step toward building a viable Palestinian state and strengthening the economic well-being of Palestinian communities; and to urge Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to expand this loan investment at least twofold in the next triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention encourage The Episcopal Church to (1) embrace the principles of restorative justice in its advocacy and engagement for the just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and (2) engage and support the voices of both Israelis and Palestinians — especially those who are themselves victims of violence and injustice—who seek peace with justice through nonviolent and restorative responses to the conflict; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention support existing efforts toward restorative justice by urging the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to identify and find creative ways to commend, support, and elevate the work of local peace-building and economic development initiatives, including those of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East and grassroots organizations jointly led by Israelis and Palestinians; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $675,000 for the implementation of this resolution to be used as follows: (1) a total of $60,000 over the course of the triennium to each of five existing local, grassroots peace-building initiatives jointly led by Israelis and Palestinians to support and expand their work; (2) $300,000 to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East to support and expand its sustainable peace-building efforts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories through its ministries of health care and education; and (3) $75,000 to cover other costs associated with the implementation of this resolution.

Citation: General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Salt Lake City, 2015 (New York: General Convention, 2015), pp. 913-915.

Legislative History

Author: The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely
Originating House: House of Bishops
Originating Committee: Social Justice and International Policy

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Social Justice and International Policy presented its Report #12 on Resolution B013 (Peacemaking through Political Action) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(B013)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 78th General Convention affirm this Church’s commitment to a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated settlement between the parties that involves two states for two peoples: a secure and universally recognized Israel living alongside a secure and viable state for the Palestinian people; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church commend the United States government for its efforts during the present triennium to broker negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, but express grave sorrow at the collapse of those negotiations in 2014 and the subsequent deterioration of political relations between the parties; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church, recognizing that simple calls for the parties to return to the negotiating table are no longer sufficient to the urgency of the situation, challenge the United States government – in coordination with global partners, including the Quartet for Middle East Peace – to offer a new, comprehensive, and time-bound framework to the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, (based on dialogue and partnership with both parties), for the conclusive negotiation of a two-state peace agreement and the resolution of all final-status issues; and be it further

Resolved, That the comprehensive framework, should (1) recognize a sovereign and viable Palestinian State living alongside a secure and universally recognized State of Israel; (2) define borders; and (3) and resolve all cores issues such as status of Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, and security arrangements; and be it further

Resolved, That such a peace plan should include strong, built-in incentives – including economic, commercial, diplomatic, and travel-related incentives – to encourage both parties to adopt this as the framework for a final status agreement; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urges all national governments, including those of the sovereign nations in which The Episcopal Church exists, to invest substantial diplomatic capital in support of such a framework; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urges the Presiding Bishop and the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to work to build political consensus within the Episcopal Church for this sort of new and muscular government action and to organize grassroots support toward that end; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention commend The Episcopal Church’s investment of $500,000/$1,000,000 this triennium in the infrastructure of the Palestinian economy as a tangible step toward building a viable Palestinian state and helping restore all parties in this conflict to right relationship in an atmosphere of trust, peace and justice; and urge The Episcopal Church to expand this investment at least twofold in the next triennium and develop a plan to support joint economic ventures between Israelis and Palestinians so they can begin the work towards building trust and reconciliation.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That The 78th General Convention reaffirm the vocation of the Church as an agent of reconciliation and restorative justice, and recognize that meaningful reconciliation can help to engender sustainable, long-lasting peace and that such reconciliation must incorporate both political action and locally driven grassroots efforts; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention, lamenting the diplomatic and political stalemate following recent elections in Israel, reaffirm this Church’s commitment to a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated settlement between the parties resulting in two states for two peoples: a secure and universally recognized Israel living alongside a secure and viable state for the Palestinian people; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church commend the United States government for its efforts during the past triennium to broker negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, but express grave sorrow at the collapse of those negotiations in 2014 and the subsequent deterioration of political relations between the parties; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church, recognizing that simple calls for the parties to return to the negotiating table are no longer sufficient to address the urgency of the situation, challenge the United States government, in coordination with global partners, to develop and offer a new, comprehensive, and time-bound framework to the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority for the conclusive negotiation of a two-state peace agreement and the resolution of all final-status issues; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urge all national governments represented in The Episcopal Church to invest substantial diplomatic capital in support of such a framework; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention urge the Presiding Bishop and the staff of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to continue its exemplary work to enhance understanding, build political consensus, and organize grassroots support within The Episcopal Church for this political action; and be it further

Resolved, That Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: (1) convene a collaborative group of experts and interfaith partners to collect a wide range of resources designed to inform and enliven a conversation among those holding differing convictions; (2) encourage early travel of the 27th Presiding Bishop to the Holy Land, in the spirit of interfaith fellowship, to establish and build relationships with leaders of the communities of the Children of Abraham working for peace, justice, and reconciliation; and (3) continue its commendable efforts to assist Episcopalians to learn about and understand the traumas, hurt, suffering, fears, pain, aspirations, and hopes that shape the daily lives of all living in Israel and the Palestinian Territories; and be it further

Resolved, that the General Convention commend the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s investment of $500,000 during the last triennium in the infrastructure of the Palestinian economy as a tangible step toward building a viable Palestinian state and strengthening the economic well-being of Palestinian communities; and to urge Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to expand this loan investment at least twofold in the next triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention encourage The Episcopal Church to (1) embrace the principles of restorative justice in its advocacy and engagement for the just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and (2) engage and support the voices of both Israelis and Palestinians—especially those who are themselves victims of violence and injustice—who seek peace with justice through nonviolent and restorative responses to the conflict; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention support existing efforts toward restorative justice by urging the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society to identify and find creative ways to commend, support, and elevate the work of local peace-building and economic development initiatives, including those of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East and grassroots organizations jointly led by Israelis and Palestinians; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $675,000 for the implementation of this resolution to be used as follows: (1) a total of $60,000 over the course of the triennium to each of five existing local, grassroots peace-building initiatives jointly led by Israelis and Palestinians to support and expand their work; (2) $300,000 to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East to support and expand its sustainable peace-building efforts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories through its ministries of health care and education; and (3) $75,000 to cover other costs associated with the implementation of this resolution.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #177)

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Social Justice and International Policy presented its Report #14 on HB Message #177 on Resolution B013 (Peacemaking through Political Action) and moved concurrence.

Point of Order

Deputy Lloyd of Virginia requested that votes on this resolution be conducted electronically. The President assented.

Deputy Seitz of West Virginia moved to end debate on the resolution.

Motion defeated

A Deputy moved to end debate.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

An electronic vote was taken on the resolution.

Motion carried

The House concurred

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #341)

Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, July 3.

Abstract:   The 78th General Convention reaffirms the Church's vocation as an agent of reconciliation and restorative justice in the Holy Land by promoting conversation and by funding infrastructure and peace-building ministries in Palestine and Israel through the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Notes:  

The Committee was discharged of B012 in favor of Resolution 2015-B013.