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Because our Unitarian Universalist principles call us to affirm the
inherent worth and dignity of every person, justice and equity in human
relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and
justice for all; and
Whereas the Reverend William Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist
Association, has spoken out on the Middle East conflict in a pastoral
letter of March 27, 2002, calling for "our congregations to educate
themselves on [the] issues and to engage in honest conversation";
Whereas in 1982 the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly
adopted a General Resolution encouraging a comprehensive peace settlement
of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calling on all parties to respect
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the others;
Whereas Unitarian Universalists have supported and affirmed the rule
of law and the positive role of the United Nations in building a world
community;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 emphasizes "the
inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need
to work for a just and lasting peace," and other United Nations
resolutions have reaffirmed Israel as the "occupying power"
bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention, "which is applicable to
all the Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967";
Whereas the United States government is responsible for a significant
portion of arms sales to this overarmed region, thus furthering its
instability;
Whereas the Middle East situation has been deteriorating with increased
violence on both sides and increased military oppression;
Whereas United States diplomacy has not led to peace or security for
the region; and
Whereas the World Conference of Religions for Peace, an organization
cofounded by the Unitarian Universalist Association, has responded to
requests from the prime minister of Israel and the president of the
Palestinian Authority by calling for a "religiously sanctioned
cease-fire" and recognition of Israel and Palestine as states with
secure, internationally recognized borders;
Therefore, be it resolved that the 2002 General Assembly of the Unitarian
Universalist Association urges the following principles as a basis for
action by the governments of the United States and Canada:
- freedom from occupation and equal rights for all, including
the right to exist in peace and security
- opposition to Israeli settlements, land confiscation, house
demolitions, and other violations of international law
- opposition to all attacks on civilians, whether by suicide
bombers, F-16 or helicopter gunships, or any other means
- support for a central United Nations role in efforts to achieve
a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.
Be it further resolved that the 2002 General Assembly
calls on
- the Israeli government to abide by the Fourth Geneva Con-
vention and international law
- Palestinians to immediately stop suicide bombings and all
attacks on Israeli civilians
- the United States government to
o "suspend all transfers of those types of weapons and
munitions used to commit human rights violations until
Israel is clearly in compliance with the terms for arms
transfers as expressed in United States law and bilateral
agreements," as Amnesty International has called for, and
o work within the United Nations for a just peace that
includes two viable secure states-Israel and Palestine-
based on the 1967 borders, with mutual relations based
on sovereignty and equality; and
- our UUA congregations to
o become educated on Middle East issues and engage in
honest conversation
o redouble their efforts for peace based on the goal of
justice and human rights for all
o support actions of the anti-occupation Israeli peace
activists, including Rabbis for Human Rights and the
Israeli reserve officers who refuse to serve in the
Occupied Territories
o encourage Jewish Americans and others who support
Israel but oppose its occupation of Palestine; and
o condemn and oppose expressions and acts of anti-
Semitism and acts of terror against Jews, Palestinians,
or Arabs and their legitimate institutions wherever they
may occur.
© 2002 by the Unitarian Universalist Association, www.uua.org
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