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BRIT SHALOM
Toward a Covenant of Peace in the Middle East
December 2003
For the mountains may disappear, and the hills crumble,
but My faithful love will never leave you,
My covenant of peace, my promise of well-being
will never disappear, says the EverPresent, who has mercy on you.
...Isaiah 54:10
Jewish tradition upholds the sacredness of life. With
reverence for all humanity, Kehilla Community Synagogue of Berkeley, California
enters into this brit, or covenant, toward peace in the Middle East. We
express herein our deepest concerns and greatest hopes for the peoples
of Israel and Palestine.
We present our vision with an intention to open hearts and
encourage dialogue among all who are concerned with strife in the Middle
East. Our vision is founded on the wisdom of the Hebrew prophets, the
Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, and leaders
of non-violent struggle throughout the world.
Shema: A Call for Reconciliation
Jews and Palestinians alike have suffered from oppression and violence.
Yet both peoples are so plagued by fear that they fail time and time again
to see the other’s plight. Neither society has fully acknowledged
the history of the other or taken responsibility for pain inflicted on
the other.
A resolution to the Middle East conflict depends on listening and understanding
with an eye toward reconciliation. Both peoples must consider the other’s
sorrow and dreams.
May people of all faiths mourn together the tragic deaths of every woman,
man and child who has died in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
May all acknowledge the great pain in their own hearts.
By this covenant, we commit ourselves to help foster reconciliation. In
that spirit, we acknowledge that Palestinians have lost much of the land
where they lived for centuries, first by the United Nations partition
of Palestine in 1948, and later by Israeli military victories. We see
that Palestinians have been frustrated in their attempts to restore some
of this territory through peace negotiations, and that this frustration
has sparked resistance, both peaceful and terrorist. Though we condemn
violence in all forms, we do not ignore its roots.
In the same spirit, we recognize that Jews established the state of Israel
in answer to a history of oppression—the Holocaust in particular,
as well as the subjugation and genocide of Jews over centuries across
Europe, the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. We perceive that
in recent years, terrorist actions have intensified the fear of Jews for
their survival as a people.
We plead with those concerned for Middle East peace to initiate spiritual
and educational programs that encourage constructive dialogue. Israelis,
Palestinians, American Jews, Palestinian-Americans and caring people of
all backgrounds can contribute by participating in such programs. There
are a number of well established models for listening and dialogue, including
Non-Violent Communication, Principled
Negotiation and Compassionate Listening.
In fulfillment of our covenant, Kehilla offers educational materials and
training to all who wish to engage in study, dialogue and action toward
peace.
Programs for constructive dialogue would affirm each people’s longing
for a secure homeland. They would provide an opportunity for participants
to learn about one another’s experience. They would encourage Israelis
and Palestinians to place their national narrative into a broader, common
narrative. In this way, both peoples might see their plight in all its
complexity, and understand the part they have played in their own difficult
history.
Such programs would be bring to light the common origins of Jewish, Muslim
and Christian cultures, so that we might move toward a future free of
poisonous antagonism among these groups. Stereotypes that disparage Jews
or Arabs would meet their challenge, so that, in their place, a vision
of common humanity might emerge.
We encourage all who are concerned for Middle East peace to promote training
for Israeli and Palestinian leaders in methods of constructive dialogue
and negotiation. Each partner in dialogue would listen with respect and
a genuine intention to understand the concerns of the other. The partners
would seek to identify common interests; their highest aim would be to
arrive at a mutually acceptable agreement. Only when Israeli and Palestinian
representatives see themselves standing on the same side–the side
of justice and peace–can they examine reasonably the issues that
have so long divided them.
We encourage Israelis and Palestinians to build bridges of cooperation
in politics, economics, culture, education and spiritual life. May people,
ideas, and resources flow freely between the two peoples.
May leaders in Israel and Palestine draw deeply upon the wisdom and experience
of women. May women be fully represented at every level of civic leadership
and peace-building.
A Call to Renounce Violence
We pray for justice for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The cycle of
violence stands to continue unless both peoples are free to pursue their
national aspirations.
All those who support the Israeli and Palestinian peoples
must renounce violence. To pursue justice and sovereign rights, there
must be a halt to all violence and vengeance without preconditions, limits
or terms. Military action, suicide bombings, collective punishment and
retribution all constitute violence and vengeance.
Palestinians cannot secure a state by the destruction of the Israeli state
or by violence against its people. Such means are morally reprehensible
and stand only to increase the anguish of both peoples. Likewise, it is
futile for Israel to rely on military might to secure its peace. Continued
occupation of land captured by Israel in 1967 is unviable for Israelis
and Palestinians alike. Any consideration of removing or diminishing the
Palestinian population by transfer away from Israel or Palestine is immoral
and ultimately constitutes a threat to Israeli security.
Religious extremism has no place in the pursuit of peace. Jewish, Muslim
and Christian leaders must disavow any claim of an exclusive right to
the Holy Land. In accord with the scriptural teachings of all religions
that trace their origins to Abraham, these leaders must reject the notion
that their religion or God sanctions ethnic cleansing, transfer, genocide
or taking of land by force.
In closing, we affirm these principles:
To revere all life and grieve every death
In the face of fear or differences, to listen with respect and a true
intention to understand.
To promote constructive dialogue among all those with a concern for
the Middle East.
To build bridges of every kind between the peoples of Israel and Palestine.
By genuine dialogue, may we transcend the fear, anger and hatred that
shackles our hearts. May we cultivate faith in the underlying Unity of
existence and the virtues that flow from such faith: non-violence, reason,
trust and lovingkindness.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
DOCUMENT I: Finding the
Third-Way Path, by David Cooper
DOCUMENT II: Martin Buber, Zionism and the
Palestinians
DOCUMENT III: Statements by Martin Buber
DOCUMENT IV: Principled Negotiation, Non-Violent
Communication, Compassionate Listening.
DOCUMENT V: Citizen Peacebuilding
DOCUMENT VI: Our Hopes for Reconciliation
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