Brit Tzedek v'Shalom
Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace
Action Alert
Action Alert - Completed 3/15/2003
[POSTED: March 6th, 2003]
SUPPORT THE ROAD MAP
ACTION REQUESTED: Fax or email President George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell urging them to take immediate action on the 'Road Map'.
Dear Brit Tzedek members and supporters,
The terrible suicide bombing of a bus full of Haifa young people last week, and the disturbing number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip as a result of two weeks of military incursions into refugee camps there to search for Hamas militants requires us more than ever to speak out for a peaceful resolution of a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 700 Israelis and almost 2000 Palestinians.
Recently, a task force of the Council on Foreign Relations, chaired by Henry Siegman, and including former National Security Advisors Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft, along with a list of other distinguished national figures, has issued an open call to the President to take action on the "road map" designed to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The road map was developed by the U.S. in concert with the so-called Madrid Quartet, which includes the U.N., the European Union and Russia.
The signers of this open letter argue that "there are important national security reasons to spell out without further delay the broad shape of the peace agreement for which the U.S. intends to work."
The full text of this call to President Bush to pursue the road map initiative can be found on the website of the Council on Foreign Relations [click to read]
In addition, it is the subject of an op-ed by Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft that originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal (February 13, 2003). [click to read]
Please add your voice to that of these key political figures. It is crucial that President Bush hear that there is a significant base of support in the United States for strenuously pursuing the road map for a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We ask you to FAX or EMAIL President Bush and Secretary of State Powell to let them know that you support their taking action on the road map, and making it a high priority at this time.
We also ask you to circulate this Action Alert as widely as possible. These initiatives only work when we all pull together to spread them as widely as we can.
Please let us know that you have responded to this action alert by cc'ing your email message to advocacy@btvshalom.org, or by sending us an email to let us know that you have phoned or faxed the President and the Secretary of State.
L'Shalom,
Diane Balser and Steve Masters
Chair and Co-Chair of the Advocacy/Public Policy Committee
Below is a brief sample message you can send; feel free to personalize it.
SAMPLE MESSAGE:
| Subject [for e-mails]: Support the Road Map to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 president@whitehouse.gov Fax: 202-456-2461 Mr. President: As a Jewish American, I applaud your June 24 commitment to a "viable, credible, Palestinian state." Now more than ever, progress must be made on the road map for a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so as to allow for some hope for a solution to the current crisis in the Middle East. I urge you to bring renewed and increased pressure on the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority in order to make that happen. I would like to add my voice to the call emanating from the Round Table of the U.S./Middle East Project of the Council on Foreign Relations. I ask you "to insist on a 100% PA effort to end violence that is unconditional and independent of actions demanded of Israel" at the same time as insisting on "an equally unconditional cessation of Israeli settlement expansion (including so-called natural growth) that is independent of actions required of Palestinians." This would provide the necessary first step to renewing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and providing hope for a resolution to the conflict. In addition, I respectfully ask you to make a renewed public commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A peaceful solution to the crisis in the Middle East is crucial not only to the well-being of the Israelis and the Palestinians, but also ultimately to the United States and the whole world, now more than ever. Your leadership on this issue is vital at this time. Sincerely, [SIGN YOUR NAME]
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