We, the participants of the Middle East Network of United Methodists (MENUM) representing many areas of the United States and gathered in Washington D.C. for our semi-annual meeting on May 24, 2002, and

• Having heard from United Methodist leaders living in or recently returned from visiting the West Bank and Israel are saddened and aggrieved at the continued violence in the Middle East. We call upon Israel to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and we call upon the Palestinians to pursue their legitimate claims for justice in non-violent ways.
  
  
• Being aware of the impact of U.S. policies on the peoples of the Middle East, call upon Congress and President Bush to immediately enact legislation and implement any administration decisions that support a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We support the official position of the United Methodist Church which calls for the U.S. “stop military assistance and arms exports to the region” (UMC Book of Resolutions 2000, p. 758).
  
  
• Having concerns about the way events in the Middle East are reported in the U.S. media, we call upon the written, spoken and visual press to report the history and the current events fairly. At this time, we especially support and commend the Washington Post for providing a neutral history and series of maps in their May 15 issue. We regret the boycott and pressure exerted upon the Washington Post and other media to present only the views of one side and urge them to continue printing all sides of the issues.
  
  
• Having concerns about the treatment of U.S. citizens and visitors to our country who are treated unjustly, we call upon our law enforcement agencies to treat all persons equally, regardless of a person’s ethnic origin or religious affiliation.
  

We express our solidarity with all those who strive for peace and suffer from injustice. We affirm the value and dignity of all human life. We send our deepest sympathy and prayers to the Palestinian and Israeli people who have suffered from the recent violence and who want to have countries with secure borders, independence, and self-rule.

We see hope in

• Israeli citizens protesting their government’s actions on the West Bank and calling for a Palestinian state.
  
  
• the increasing number of individuals and groups in the Jewish Community in America who are concerned about the policies and practices of the Israeli government.
  
  
• the recent polls in Israel that show a majority of Israeli’s support establishment of a Palestinian state.
  
  
• the Palestinians who are condemning suicide bombing and calling for non-violent responses even in the midst of their suffering.

We are heartened by the leaders of the United Methodist Church who are responding to the Middle East Crisis with calls for United Methodists to become educated about the ongoing crisis, to speak out against all forms of violence whether by persons or states, to send observers to the middle-east to learn and to report back, and to stand in solidarity with the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem and other religious leaders in the area in advocating for a just and lasting peace in the region.

We pledge ourselves to stay informed about the Middle East crisis, to work actively in the pursuit of peace, to speak to others in our churches who want to hear truth and to seek justice, and to let our views be known to public officials.

For more information please contact the National Office of MFSA at 202-546-8806.

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