D041 Protecting Jerusalem
Moving the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018 was an action in contradiction and opposition to 70 years of international practice and US policy. The Episcopal Church should add its voice to a near universal international disapproval of the move. Moreover, the Patriarchs and heads of Christian communities of Jerusalem unanimously objected to the move as an endorsement of the inevitable claim of sole sovereignty over the entirety of the City of Jerusalem, which would be inimical to the Christian and Muslim residents of the city. The Episcopal Church has always rejected unilateral assertion of Israel’s claim to sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, including by making formal statements of General Convention dating back to at least 1979, as well as in positions taken by Executive Council. Further, moving the Embassy adds to the growing sense of endangerment and threatened displacement of non-Jewish residents of the city, already apparent in revocation of residency rights of thousands of Palestinians, appropriation of Palestinian homes, establishing additional Jewish-only settlements in the city, and frequent restriction of Muslim and Christian access to holy sites. Since the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947, maintaining Jerusalem as an international city belonging to all faiths has been a lynchpin of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The move of the US Embassy and the aforementioned hostile actions by the state of Israel threaten that status and further reduce the already fragile prospects of a just and peaceful resolution. An additional paramount concern is the damage that could be done to the prophetic character of Jerusalem as God’s Holy City, the unique physical, social and spiritual expression of divine will for peace and harmony among all God’s children - Jewish, Christian, Muslim and all others, including secular men and women. Essential to making the resolution effective is that it be understood and embraced by Episcopalians generally as an issue of deep concern. To that end the Resolution urges the House of Bishops to issue a Pastoral Letter explaining the prophetic nature of the position of the Church on Jerusalem and encouraging study, reflection and action on the part of all Episcopalians to support Jerusalem’s prophetic identity as the Holy City of Peace.
Explanation
Moving the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018 was an action in contradiction and opposition to 70 years of international practice and US policy. The Episcopal Church should add its voice to a near universal international disapproval of the move. Moreover, the Patriarchs and heads of Christian communities of Jerusalem unanimously objected to the move as an endorsement of the inevitable claim of sole sovereignty over the entirety of the City of Jerusalem, which would be inimical to the Christian and Muslim residents of the city. The Episcopal Church has always rejected unilateral assertion of Israel’s claim to sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, including by making formal statements of General Convention dating back to at least 1979, as well as in positions taken by Executive Council. Further, moving the Embassy adds to the growing sense of endangerment and threatened displacement of non-Jewish residents of the city, already apparent in revocation of residency rights of thousands of Palestinians, appropriation of Palestinian homes, establishing additional Jewish-only settlements in the city, and frequent restriction of Muslim and Christian access to holy sites. Since the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947, maintaining Jerusalem as an international city belonging to all faiths has been a lynchpin of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The move of the US Embassy and the aforementioned hostile actions by the state of Israel threaten that status and further reduce the already fragile prospects of a just and peaceful resolution. An additional paramount concern is the damage that could be done to the prophetic character of Jerusalem as God’s Holy City, the unique physical, social and spiritual expression of divine will for peace and harmony among all God’s children - Jewish, Christian, Muslim and all others, including secular men and women. Essential to making the resolution effective is that it be understood and embraced by Episcopalians generally as an issue of deep concern. To that end the Resolution urges the House of Bishops to issue a Pastoral Letter explaining the prophetic nature of the position of the Church on Jerusalem and encouraging study, reflection and action on the part of all Episcopalians to support Jerusalem’s prophetic identity as the Holy City of Peace.