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July 16th 2006

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. . . ,

to work with our Muslim, Jewish
and Christian partners to end the
occupation.
• Refocus: For two full years,
thousands of Presbyterian con-
gregations have been in dialogue
with Jewish friends and partners,
listening to the expressions of
concern prompted by the actions
of the 2004 General Assembly. We
also have heard the gratitude and
hope that our actions gave to our
Palestinian Christian partners who
have often felt abandoned and side-
lined by the wider Christian world.
We came to the Birmingham
assembly truly committed to honor
both of these commitments. The
statement passed by this year's
assembly refocuses, rephrases and
reinterprets the actions we made
in 2004, but it does not repudiate

those actions.
The 2004 decision to "initi-
ate a process of phased selective
divestment" has now been more
accurately described this way: "To
have those financial investments
of the Presbyterian Church USA
as they pertain to Israel, Gaza, east
Jerusalem and the West Bank, be
invested in only peaceful pursuits,
and affirm that the customary cor-
porate engagement process of our
denomination — in conjunction
with appropriate reinvestment of
funds where necessary — is the
proper vehicle for achieving this
goal." •"
• Renewah.The new Presbyterian
statement begins with important
words: "We acknowledge that
the actions of the 217th General
Assembly caused hurt and misun-
derstanding among many members
of the Jewish community and
within our Presbyterian commu-
nity. We are grieved by the pain,
accept responsibility for the flaws
in our process, and ask for a new
season of mutual understating and
dialogue."
It is our passionate hope
that Presbyterian and Jewish
congregations across the country
will re-engage with one another in
worship, dialogue and action for
peace. And that we will renew our
commitments to be partners in
covenant love, pursuing together
God's vision of shalom. ❑

, Ui

The Rev. Susan Andrews, the General

Bloomfield Plaza Maple & Telegraph
248426-9500

You

won't want to miss this... You'll have to
wait another year for the next one!

Thursday July 6th • Sunday July 16th 2006

28

July 6 s 2006

Assembly moderator, is pastor of

Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in

Bethesda.

Where Is OPEC's
Palestinian Aid?

I

t is interesting
Jordanian rule. What was
to see how the
done to establish an inde-
European nations,
pendent Palestinian entity
England and the United
during a time when these
States are circling their
territories were absolutely
wagons in order to pro-
and totally under Arab con-
vide humanitarian aid to
trol?
the Palestinian people.
To say that the Arab
Not to say that this aid
nations had no resources is
is not needed. Quite the
ridiculous. The oil, which
Dr. Leonard
contrary!
flows beneath the ground
Lachover
It is a longstand-
of
all the combined Arab
Community View
ing tradition for the
nations, could have eas-
Palestinian leaders to
ily financed a stable and
keep money sent to them from well-
dynamic economy in the West Bank
intentioned sources in order to line
and Gaza if there had only been a
their own pockets and enrich their
desire on the part of the Arab nations

secret numbered accounts in Swiss
banks. So it is not surprising that the
Palestinian people themselves are left
wanting for the bare essentials, such
as food, sanitation, homes, jobs and
health care.
The problem is not a new one, so
let us not delude ourselves. Any aid
that Western nations send to the
Palestinian Authority in the name of
humanitarian aid will be swallowed
by the leaders and will disappear into
the P.A. coffers so quickly that the
world will wonder what happened.
I do not mean in any way to belittle
or insult the Palestinian mother,
father or child. They are the victims.
In fact, they have been victimized
by their own leaders for well over 50
years; there does not appear to be any
end in sight.
As a matter of fact, history is my
best advocate. Between 1947, the end
of the British mandate in Palestine,
and 1967, the year of the Six-Day War,
the Palestinian people were com-
pletely under Arab control. That is to
say, that for 20 years, the fate of the
Palestinians was entirely in the hands
of the Arab nations, and they did
absolutely nothing to establish a free
and independent Palestinian entity!
For 20 years, Gaza was entirely
under the control of the Egyptians.
What did Egypt do to establish a sta-
ble economy and raise the standard of
living in the Gaza area?
And during these same 20 years,
the entire West Bank, including
Bethlehem, Jericho and half of
Jerusalem, was completely under

to do so. But obviously this desire has
never been there. Instead, Jordan and
Egypt, together with Syria, planned a
combined and coordinated attack on
Israel, starting with the closing of the
Straits of Tehran at the Gulf of Aqaba
in 1967.
And where are all these interested
Arab nations today? It is intuitively
obvious that there is no sincere
interest on their part to further the
Palestinian cause. For if there truly
was, they would be at the forefront of
organizing aid to their Arab brothers.
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries) is a well-orga-
nized cartel that could forward emer-
gency relief money to the Palestinians
as quickly as it can turn the oil spig-
ots on and °ill. Is there even one Arab
nation that is participating with the
Europeans and Americans in organiz-
ing financial aid to the Palestinians?
This is a rhetorical question.
America and Europe should wake
up to the realization they are being
manipulated and deceived, as they
have been so many times in the past.
Let the well-organized and rich
OPEC countries lead the way. If they
truly have a concern for their Arab
brothers, let them prove it. I doubt
that they will. ❑

Leonard Lachover is a West Bloomfield

resident.