The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has worked for more than a century to promote a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
FCNL’s work is rooted in this historic Quaker testimony for peace and equality and Quaker witness in the Middle East. FCNL condemns the Trump administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a provocative move that foments violence in the Middle East and endangers lives in the Middle East and potentially beyond.
We ask that constituents urge Congress to denounce this provocation and to refuse to fund Trump’s planned fortress-like embassy in Jerusalem.
In August of this year Friends from New England Yearly Meeting, at their Annual Session, passed a minute as their collective testimony on the conflict in Israel-Palestine. They attest to the following: The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) testimony on peace, justice, and nonviolence is based in our experience of the divine in all of creation and within all persons:
“Thus, we are deeply troubled by the suffering and injustice caused by the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and we are concerned that our government perpetuates that violence by continuing to send billions of dollars of military aid to the region.”
Minute on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Oct 23, 2017
We call upon our nation to:
Cease sending United States military aid and selling weapons to the entire Middle East
Continue diplomatic efforts with all parties and remain in dialogue even with those who have acted violently
- Join the international court system and accept its jurisdiction
We call upon all nations to: - Work with the United Nations Security Council to end military aid and arms sales from all outside countries to all parties in this conflict - Support the United Nations efforts to bring justice, peace, security, and reconciliation to all parties in the conflict - Take measures to assure that international laws are applied universally.
We call upon all individuals and communities to: - Support and learn from the many organizations that bring Israelis and Palestinians together for justice and peacemaking. - Examine how anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, and privilege affect our understanding of the conflict
We are deeply grateful to the Friends who have worked over many months in preparing and seasoning this minute.
We ask Friends to report back on what insights and conclusions they have in addressing this conflict.
