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Browning Joins Other Church Leaders in Praise of Slain Israeli Prime Minister Rabin

Episcopal News Service. November 9, 1995 [95-1294]

(ENS) Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning joined church leaders around the world in expressing shock at the November 4 assassination of Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

"The world has lost a courageous peacemaker," he said in a statement (see Newsfeatures for text), whose "true moment of glory and hardest battle began when he took up the cause of peace...."

Peace in the Middle East has been a cornerstone of the presiding bishop's international ministry. He was present on the White House lawn two years ago when Rabin shook hands with his old enemy, Yasir Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

During a peace pilgrimage to Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank in the spring of 1994, Browning met with Rabin in Tel Aviv. The meeting was "shortly after the Hebron massacre and we shared our deep sorrow over that tragedy. And he stressed in that strong and articulate voice of his that no act of terrorism or violence could be allowed to derail the peace process," he said. "Now he is a victim of violence and a martyr for peace -- and his words become a challenge for those left behind to continue in his work."

Contending that Rabin's "stature as a peacemaker is forever etched in history," Browning said that the best memorial would be "a relentless pursuit of a just peace for his people and for his former enemy."

Too much bloodshed

Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, speaking to the House of Lords, echoed the presiding bishop's sentiments, expressing his hopes that "the momentum towards lasting peace will continue as Yitzhak Rabin would have wished."

Carey added that Rabin, the "tough, battle-hardened warrior," was able to pursue peace "as boldly and courageously as he had fought in war." His murder "is a reminder of how demonic religion can become when it is perverted by hatred and fundamentalism."

"Those who murder in the name of religion dishonor their religion, whatever that religion may be," said NCC General Secretary Joan Campbell who attended the funeral. "The Middle East, the home of our common Abrahamic tradition, has seen too much bloodshed in the name of God."

"Once again the cruel hand of intolerance and hatred has struck down a leader who had the courage to choose the path of peace out of the wilderness of endless war," said WCC General Secretary Konrad Raiser who led a delegation that met with Rabin last spring. He added that Rabin "was wise enough to see that in these lands, considered holy by those who follow the three Abrahamic faiths, there must be room for all and a way to live together in peace."

Extremists can't stop peace process

Lutheran World Federation General Secretary Ishmael Noko quoted from a letter he received from Rabin in August in which Rabin called attention to the difficult times faced by Israelis who believe in peace. "However, we have no intention of allowing murderers from extremist groups to achieve their goal of stopping the peace process."

Pope John Paul II also expressed his hope that "all the citizens of Israel and all those who, with Prime Minister Rabin, have sought peace, will have the same courage to continue on the path of peace."

Following a noon-time Eucharist at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, Browning led staff members to a nearby memorial site across from the Israeli consulate. Before a makeshift display showing photos of Rabin and the colors of the Israeli flag, the ground was covered with candles and bouquets of flowers left by mourners.

Browning added a candle and, with the group, recited Psalm 46. The group also gave thanks for the witness of Rabin and prayed for justice and peace, asking that "barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace."

Browning and his wife, Patti, then delivered a letter of "deepest sympathy and condolence" to the consulate and signed the memorial book.

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