Advocacy is Working Together

Tuesday May 24, 2011

Today was Lobby Day for Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). Interestingly enough, it was also the day of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress and AIPAC’s lobby day. (In case there is any confusion, Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel and AIPAC is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobby.) So, it was a busy day on the Hill and certainly a good one to be discussing a very challenging but relevant issue!

Along with my fellow Washingtonians, I visited four offices today: Congressman Jim McDermott, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell. At each office we were met by staffers who gave generously of their limited time and listened attently to the issues we raised. Some were more familiar with the issue than others. Some were feisty, some were eager to learn. But all were kind and warm. I felt heard and as though I spoke for an issue that was important to them, even though it can be quite divisive.

As Christians, we value the Holy Land as sacred, as a place where God appeared to us and taught us to live as people of faith. In living out this faith, we are called to promote peace, justice, and human dignity for all people. For us at the CMEP conference, the title of which was “For the Peace of Jerusalem,” this means calling for a resolution to the violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Following this call could not come at a more crucial or appropriate time. We are fortunate to have a President who has recently made this a priority once again. Hopefully his call to both sides will help steer them back to the negotiating table so they can embark on reaching a mutually agreeable and equitable resolution.

This is something we pressed upon our members of Congress – support the Obama Administration’s efforts and lead the way in brokering an agreement. We also urged them not to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority. On May 4, Hamas and Fatah agreed to pursue a coalition. We do not yet know what this coalition will look like or what the implications will be for the conflict. We do know that Fatah has endorsed non-violence and recognizes Israel’s right to exist. If Hamas has chosen to align itself with such a group, perhaps this indicates broader progress towards peace. But we will have to wait and see. Until then, we must continue to support our Palestinian brothers and sisters just as we continue to support our Israeli brothers and sisters.

Finally, we have seen Christians emigrating from the region in droves as their political and economic opportunities dwindle. Some face restrictions on their freedoms of movement and residency. One such Christian is the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, Bishop Dawali, whose residency visa for the city of Jerusalem has been revoked, which prevents him from tending his flock. We hope our leaders will listen to their stories and recognize their plight and do whatever they can to encourage a peaceful solution so that all the faithful may visit our shared Holy Land.

This was quite an eye opening experience and I expect to reflect on it more than once in the coming days. The title of this post comes from a handwritten note I noticed in the Office of Government Relations for the Episcopal Church. It said "Advocacy is: raising awareness, education, sharing our stories, working together." I think the final point is the most important. Advocacy is all of these things but I emphasize the last point because, as Archbishop Chacour has said, "together, we are stronger than the storm."

Please keep our leaders in your prayers, as well as our Muslim, Jewish, and Christian brothers and sisters across the Middle East in this time of great violence but also great hope. Together, we are stronger than the storm.