|
May 1, 2003
Rabbi's Letter to President Bush
Dear President Bush,
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, former Chief of Staff of the
IDF Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, and former Absorption Minister Yuli Tamir have urged
a major departure in American efforts to bring peace to the Middle East. They
have outlined the conditions upon which it is possible to end the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They then point out the sad truth -- there is no
prospect that such an agreement will be negotiated within the foreseeable
future. On this basis, the three former ministers in the Barak Government,
call on the United States to
lead the international community in formulating a detailed peace agreement
along the lines they have sketched and then "to vigorously encourage both
sides to accept it."
In support of this departure from the traditional US role as mediator for
bilateral negotiations, they call attention to polling data showing that most
Israeli Jews favor this kind of hands-on American role.
We the undersigned write to indicate our support for what these Israeli
leaders have proposed -- peace can be achieved, but only if the United States
is prepared to take bold leadership. We urge the development of a detailed
peace agreement along the lines of the Ben-Ami/Lipkin-Shahak/Tamir proposal.
Then with international support, go to the Israeli and Palestinian people
themselves. With their support an end to the conflict can be attained.
Signed by 100 American Rabbis (list available from JPL) |
|
