We write to you as partners with Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and as frequent visitors to Israel and Palestine.

On November 1, Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, along with his colleagues in the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative, wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirming their support for “high-level U.S. efforts to achieve Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace.” They also wrote of their support for “the United States convening a conference for peace and providing leadership in negotiations for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, and for peace agreements between Israel and Syria and between Israel and Lebanon.” We fully support those and the other points lifted up in their letter which is attached.

Earlier this month, Bishop Younan visited the United States as part of the visit of the Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land. During that time we were privileged to discuss with him recent developments in the Middle East and his perspectives on them. With Bishop Younan, we are grateful that the Council’s visit was successful and appreciate the U.S. government’s support of its visit.

During visits on Capitol Hill, Bishop Younan raised concerns about Palestinian Christian emigration. He expressed the churches’ deepening concern for the welfare and future of the Palestinian Christian community. He cited the two main factors for emigration—the deteriorating economic situation and the continued Israeli-Palestinian conflict—and the important role the Christians play in prospects for pluralism and religious freedom in Palestinian society and throughout the region. The Christians’ role in Palestinian society was further evidenced by the participation of Bishop Younan and several other Jerusalem church leaders in the just-concluded visit of the Council.

We commend your efforts and those of others in Congress who wish to see a successful conference in Annapolis and pray that it will indeed contribute significantly to a reinvigoration of efforts by the parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the international community toward renewing on-going negotiations and a final agreement.

Signed,

Rev. John H. K. Schreiber
Bishop
Southeast Michigan Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Bruce Burnside
Bishop
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Duane Pederson
Bishop
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Duane C. Danielson
Bishop
Western North Dakota Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Harold L. Usgaard
Bishop
Southeastern Minnesota Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt
Bishop
Central States Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Stephen P. Bouman
Bishop
Metropolitan New York Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Rev. Dean W. Nelson
Bishop
Southwest California Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The letter above was sent to:

• Rep. Tom Lantos, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Rep. Gary Ackerman, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia
• Rep. Mike Pence, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia
• Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
• Sen. Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
• Sen. John F. Kerry, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs
• Sen. Norm Coleman, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs