As direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians begin, the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Gradye Parsons, sent a letter to President Obama expressing appreciation for the president's work toward a just and peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The letter notes that:
"In order to transform this seemingly intractable conflict, I pray that all of those involved in the negotiations will have the moral imagination to believe that a just peace is possible. I pray that all will be empowered and lead to transcend the landscape of violence and mistrust and move into a creative vision of a new and peaceful paradigm of relationships."
The letter closes with a prayer that in the future, children of Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank will be born into "a world of love, hope and joy."
May it be so.
Download Letter to President Obama on Middle East Peace
Read about the action of the 219th General Assembly (2010) on peacemaking in the Middle East.