Ground Fighting Widens a 9-Day War on Hamas

That is the headline of a NY Times front page story this morning.

I continue to remain heartsick about the escalating war on Hamas. What on earth are we going to do? What can we do? A girlfriend invited me to attend a protest at Times Square yesterday to support Palestine - I did not attend as I had a myriad of projects I was working on at home.

The UCC and other churches have recently sent the letter that follows this paragraph to President Bush - I urge all of you to write to your elected officials and encourage them to broker peace talks with these feuding nations. We can no longer stand by and act as though Israel is so innocent - I am not saying that they do not have the right to defend themselves as a sovereign nation, but this latest slaughter has gone too far - even the UN Security Council is condemning it.

"Thomas, Watkins sign letter to Bush urging 'decisive U.S. leadership' in Middle EastWritten by staff reportsDecember 31, 2008
Leaders of the UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have signed a letter to President Bush calling for “immediate, visible and decisive U.S. leadership” to help end the escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel.
The Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president, and the Rev. Sharon Watkins, the Disciples’ general minister and president, were among those who signed the Dec. 31 letter from leaders of the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East.
“The toll in human deaths and suffering, the negative effects on progress in negotiations for peace and the risks of wider war caused by this escalation of violence cannot be allowed to continue,” the letter reads.
The full text of the letter is below.

December 31, 2008

President George W. BushThe White HouseWashington, D.C. 20500Dear Mr. President,

We write as leaders of the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace to urge you to take immediate action to help end the escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel. We believe that more than words are needed. We urge you to send a high level personal representative to the region immediately to help negotiate a ceasefire and make provision for humanitarian aid.

The toll in human deaths and suffering, the negative effects on progress in negotiations for peace and the risks of wider war caused by this escalation of violence cannot be allowed to continue. Immediate, visible and decisive U.S. leadership is urgently needed.

As religious leaders, we will encourage our faith communities to support active U.S. engagement to achieve a ceasefire and we are personally prepared to do whatever we can to be helpful to efforts to halt the violence and restore progress toward peace."