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ARMENIAN CHURCH SUPPORTS TWO-STATE SOLUTION IN PALESTINE
by Arthur Hagopian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-02-01-armenian-church-supports-two-state-solution-in-palestine
Published: Friday February 01, 2013
Archbishop Aykazian is a member of Pres. Obama's inter-religious
affairs advisory task force. Courtesy photo
JERUSALEM - Leading figures among the Armenian and Greek Orthodox
ecumenical movement in the US have joined a pride of other leaders
of Christian, Moslem and Jewish religious and lay organizations
and institutions, pledging to mobilize support for peace in the
Middle East.
Armenian Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Director of Ecumenical
Affairs for Armenian Orthodox Church in America Father Mark Arey, the
Director of the Office of Ecumenical Affairs for the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, believe time is running out for both Israelis
and Palestinians.
The loose umbrella of the US National Interreligious Leadership
Initiative (NILI) for Peace in the Middle East , which includes
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, Imam
Mohammed Magid, President, Islamic Society of North America, and
Rabbi Peter Knobel, Past President, Central Conference of American
Rabbis, warns that the possibility of a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict was waning, and urged "immediate,
sustained U.S. leadership before darkness falls on the hopes for a
peaceful resolution."
Among the other leaders are Kathryn Mary Lohre, President, National
Council of Churches of Christ (USA) and Richard Stearns, President,
World Vision US.
Aykazian was in Jerusalem last week to participate in the elections
for a new Armenian patriarch and had been one of the contenders for
the position, and had he won, his voice would have carried further:
the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is one of the three Guardians
of the Christian sanctuaries in the Holy Land. The other two are the
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Catholic (Franciscan) Custodia.
The group believes the most viable solution to the Arab-Israeli
conflict is a two-state agreement that provides for a secure and
recognized Israel living in peace alongside a viable and independent
Palestinian state.
"With the support of the international community, Israelis and
Palestinians can achieve a lasting peace. A new dawn is possible,"
they said in a statement they released.
Mourning the lives lost and shattered during the recent violence
that gripped the region, the group warned that what had been seen,
over the past years, "will keep happening if movement towards a viable
two state-solution continues to stagnate."
As things stand now, "the status quo is unsustainable and dangerous
to both Israelis and Palestinians," they conceded, but stressed now
is not the time for "another cycle of recriminations. It is time to
break the cycle of violence with bold initiatives for peace."
"The current dangerous stalemate, including the legacy of past failed
peacemaking efforts, undermines our security and that of others,
destabilizes the region, fuels terrorism and extremism, allows
continuing Israeli settlement expansion, and prolongs Palestinian
disunity. These realities and the absence of negotiations threaten
to kill the prospect of a viable two-state peace agreement, the only
realistic solution to the conflict," they said.
They urged strong and determined action, proposing a peace of the
brave, because as people of faith, "we proclaim that we should never
underestimate what is possible."
"We know the challenges are daunting, but we believe a bold new
initiative for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement should be
an immediate priority of the new [US] Administration in 2013. We
fear the opportunity for a peaceful resolution is rapidly waning and
the current stagnation encourages the rejectionists on both sides,"
the statement said.
They noted that the US "has unique leverage and credibility in the
region" and that no past progress towards peace has occurred in
the Arab-Israeli conflict without U.S. leadership, facilitation or
staunch support.
"Once again, we need active, fair and firm U.S. leadership to help
break the current deadlock and to achieve a two-state peace agreement
now before it is too late," they added.
They pledged to mobilize the strong support that exists in churches,
synagogues and mosques across the US, in the push for peace.
"Twilight is upon us; but the hope for a new dawn remains. Let us
together bring the new light of hope and work for negotiations leading
to a final status agreement," they added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Arthur Hagopian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-02-01-armenian-church-supports-two-state-solution-in-palestine
Published: Friday February 01, 2013
Archbishop Aykazian is a member of Pres. Obama's inter-religious
affairs advisory task force. Courtesy photo
JERUSALEM - Leading figures among the Armenian and Greek Orthodox
ecumenical movement in the US have joined a pride of other leaders
of Christian, Moslem and Jewish religious and lay organizations
and institutions, pledging to mobilize support for peace in the
Middle East.
Armenian Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Director of Ecumenical
Affairs for Armenian Orthodox Church in America Father Mark Arey, the
Director of the Office of Ecumenical Affairs for the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, believe time is running out for both Israelis
and Palestinians.
The loose umbrella of the US National Interreligious Leadership
Initiative (NILI) for Peace in the Middle East , which includes
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, Imam
Mohammed Magid, President, Islamic Society of North America, and
Rabbi Peter Knobel, Past President, Central Conference of American
Rabbis, warns that the possibility of a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict was waning, and urged "immediate,
sustained U.S. leadership before darkness falls on the hopes for a
peaceful resolution."
Among the other leaders are Kathryn Mary Lohre, President, National
Council of Churches of Christ (USA) and Richard Stearns, President,
World Vision US.
Aykazian was in Jerusalem last week to participate in the elections
for a new Armenian patriarch and had been one of the contenders for
the position, and had he won, his voice would have carried further:
the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is one of the three Guardians
of the Christian sanctuaries in the Holy Land. The other two are the
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Catholic (Franciscan) Custodia.
The group believes the most viable solution to the Arab-Israeli
conflict is a two-state agreement that provides for a secure and
recognized Israel living in peace alongside a viable and independent
Palestinian state.
"With the support of the international community, Israelis and
Palestinians can achieve a lasting peace. A new dawn is possible,"
they said in a statement they released.
Mourning the lives lost and shattered during the recent violence
that gripped the region, the group warned that what had been seen,
over the past years, "will keep happening if movement towards a viable
two state-solution continues to stagnate."
As things stand now, "the status quo is unsustainable and dangerous
to both Israelis and Palestinians," they conceded, but stressed now
is not the time for "another cycle of recriminations. It is time to
break the cycle of violence with bold initiatives for peace."
"The current dangerous stalemate, including the legacy of past failed
peacemaking efforts, undermines our security and that of others,
destabilizes the region, fuels terrorism and extremism, allows
continuing Israeli settlement expansion, and prolongs Palestinian
disunity. These realities and the absence of negotiations threaten
to kill the prospect of a viable two-state peace agreement, the only
realistic solution to the conflict," they said.
They urged strong and determined action, proposing a peace of the
brave, because as people of faith, "we proclaim that we should never
underestimate what is possible."
"We know the challenges are daunting, but we believe a bold new
initiative for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement should be
an immediate priority of the new [US] Administration in 2013. We
fear the opportunity for a peaceful resolution is rapidly waning and
the current stagnation encourages the rejectionists on both sides,"
the statement said.
They noted that the US "has unique leverage and credibility in the
region" and that no past progress towards peace has occurred in
the Arab-Israeli conflict without U.S. leadership, facilitation or
staunch support.
"Once again, we need active, fair and firm U.S. leadership to help
break the current deadlock and to achieve a two-state peace agreement
now before it is too late," they added.
They pledged to mobilize the strong support that exists in churches,
synagogues and mosques across the US, in the push for peace.
"Twilight is upon us; but the hope for a new dawn remains. Let us
together bring the new light of hope and work for negotiations leading
to a final status agreement," they added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress