The General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC) has just recently adopted a resolution that acknowledges the certain past resolutions adopted by the UCC on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were imbalanced and “may have overlooked many aspects of an extremely complicated situation. . .” The new resolution acknowledges that UCC policies on economic leverages and the security barrier spoke only to one side in the conflict. It also addresses the Hamas-Fatah conflict, condemns teachings that perpetuate violence, and calls for an ongoing and balanced study of the conflict and UCC’s stance toward it.

The resolution was endorsed by the UCC’s executive committee, bypassed committee review, and sent to the General Synod. It was adopted without opposition and sent directly to an implementation committee.

This resolution calls upon the 26th General Synod of the United Church of Christ to:
• encourage all settings of the Church to engage in ongoing and balanced study of the causes, history and context of the conflict between the Arab and Israeli people in the Middle East,
• publicly condemn the use of the media, textbooks and other educational materials that encourage children and young people to hate and destroy those with opposing viewpoints,
• publicly condemn all ongoing and escalating violence that prevents a peaceful resolution from being agreed upon and implemented, and
• establish a Task Force to study the complex situation in an in-depth and balanced manner...

...Because the “Tear Down the Wall” resolution focused solely on the actions of Israel, we also have a responsibility to more fully understand and name the ways other nations and forces have contributed to the situation. Further study of the causes and history of the conflict would bring forth a balanced response that holds all parties accountable in appropriate ways, supports mutual understanding and dialog with people of various perspectives, and contributes in a positive way to the wider community that is committed to justice and peace in the Mideast.

In recent months, we have seen a dramatic increase in violence in the Palestinian territories bordering at times on civil war, including in the Gaza Strip, from which Israel completely disengaged in 2005. This tragic violence reveals underlying tensions between the Palestinian political groups of Hamas and Fatah that threaten the welfare of the Palestinian people and diminish prospects of a viable Palestinian state. In the first five months of 2007, more than 200 Palestinians were killed and 1,065 injured as a result of internal fighting. Fifty-five of these deaths occurred during the week of May 13 alone. The potential for Palestinian civil war has never before been so real. If civil war comes to pass, it would be disastrous for everyone in the region. [oops]

As the possibility for a brighter future for Palestinians is diminished not only by actions of Israel but also by violent internal battles being waged between Palestinian political parties and militias, members of the United Church of Christ must develop a broader understanding of the violence that plagues this part of the world. We cannot raise our voices only to point out the transgressions of one side. Rather, when innocent lives are being shattered by an atmosphere of intolerance, incitement and internal strife, we are called to an honest and searching critique of all of the forces in conflict...