Christians for Fair Witness urges Israelis and Palestinians to control their future

World powers are preparing to convene at a summit in Paris later this month to discuss the future of Israel and Palestine. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have been invited to take part in the actual summit. They were merely invited to a separate meeting following the summit where they would be presented with the conclusions and recommendations of the countries which did participate.

NEW YORK — World powers are preparing to convene at a summit in Paris later this month to discuss the future of Israel and Palestine. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have been invited to take part in the actual summit. They were merely invited to a separate meeting following the summit where they would be presented with the conclusions and recommendations of the countries which did participate.

While we do not doubt the good intentions of the international community, it would be fair to call this approach somewhat colonialist and condescending. Christians for Fair Witness on the Middle East urges the parties themselves to take their futures into their own hands.

Mr. Netanyahu — we implore you to stop the reckless and indefensible settlement building and threats of annexation. Put the future of the state of Israel ahead of your own political ambitions. Acknowledge the need for a two-state solution and back this up with corresponding actions on the ground.


Mr. Abbas — we call on you to repudiate former patterns of walking away from peace offers. Stop setting pre-conditions for negotiations which you know will not be met and stop looking to the international community to do that which only Israelis and Palestinians can themselves do. International resolutions and statements will not achieve sovereignty for Palestinians or an end to the occupation.

We beseech both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas to start demonstrating statesmanship and leadership and begin the hard work of preparing their people for the compromises necessary for a lasting full status agreement and the possibility of peace.

Ultimately recommendations from the international community will not end this conflict. Only a peace treaty between the parties can do that. Therefore we look to Israel and the Palestinians to return in good faith to the negotiating table and sign off on a just final status agreement within a pre-determined period of time.

Please visit our website for more information.

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