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Friends and Colleagues,
Pray, Study, Act: The Episcopal Peace Fellowship calls its members to ministries of prayer, study and action.
Pray: Check out the Sabeel Wave of Prayer this week from the link to the right.
Study: The Faith Forum on Middle East Policy's 3rd Thursday for Israel/Palestine is appearing on the 4th Thursday this month.
As Congress considers the budget for fiscal year 2018, it is critical that advocates speak up for the needs of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, relies largely on funding from UN member states, including significant annual contributions from the United States.
UNRWA assistance reaches roughly five million Palestinian refugees living in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Services include, "education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict."
Most of the refugees served by UNRWA are those who were displaced in 1948, or their descendants. Some of these were displaced a second time, in 1967, following the war when the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank began.
At its core, the Palestinian refugee issue is one of rights continually denied, specifically the fundamental right to return to their lands and homes. New generations of Palestinians have been born into refugee status, awaiting a comprehensive peace agreement when outstanding issues, including the issue of Palestinian refugees, would presumably be resolved.
50 years into the occupation and nearly seven decades after the establishment of the state of Israel, Palestinian refugees continue in limbo while resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved.
UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness said in a recent statement, "The situation of Palestine Refugees needs to be resolved as part of a political resolution of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It is time for political action to resolve this long-standing crisis."
In the meantime, which has stretched to generations, UNRWA services are critical to the welfare of millions of Palestinians. The US contribution to UNRWA is vital. Ambassador Phil Wilcox, currently chairman of the board of UNRWA USA, wrote, "The United States, as UNRWA's most generous donor for six decades, should be proud of its support for UNRWA's human development programs for Palestinians. Notwithstanding perennial calls for cutting our contributions, all administrations, Republican and Democrat, have maintained America's support for UNRWA as a vital counterpart to our peace-making diplomacy."
Act: Contact your
senators and
representative today and urge them to:
- Support constructive political action to achieve a just and lasting peace that will include a fair resolution to all outstanding Israeli and Palestinian concerns, including the rights of Palestinian refugees, and
- Preserve funding for UNRWA in the 2018 budget so that it can continue to support the welfare and development of millions of Palestinian refugees.
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Sample letter:
Dear Senator/Representative,
I am writing to draw your attention to the plight of Palestinian refugees and to urge your support for US action to address their rights and needs. As a person of faith who believes in the dignity of all persons, I am moved to speak out for those most vulnerable including refugees.
At its core, the Palestinian refugee issue is one of rights continually denied, specifically the fundamental right to return to their lands and homes. New generations of Palestinians have been born into refugee status, awaiting a comprehensive peace agreement when outstanding issues, including the issue of Palestinian refugees, would presumably be resolved. I urge you to support constructive political action to achieve a just and lasting peace that will include a fair resolution to all outstanding Israeli and Palestinian concerns, including the rights of Palestinian refugees.
In the absence of a political agreement, I urge you to continue US funding for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. UNRWA services are critical to the welfare of millions of Palestinians, and I would ask that you preserve US contributions to UNRWA in the 2018 budget.
Thank you for your consideration,
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Episcopal Peace Fellowship
PO Box 15, Claysburg, PA 16625
312-922-8628
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