The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Social Justice and International Policy presented its Report #12 on Resolution D018 (Negotiating the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict) and moved adoption with Amendment

Original Text of Resolution:

(D018)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recognize the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and to live as sovereign peoples in their homeland, with full human and civil rights and with democratic rule of one person, one vote; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church reaffirm our commitment to a negotiated solution between the two parties guided by international law and supported by the international community; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church acknowledge that such a peace agreement, agreed upon by both parties, may include a two-state solution as envisioned in the Oslo Accords, leading to a viable, sovereign state for Palestinians, comprising the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, alongside a secure and universally recognized State of Israel, or may encompass other solutions such as one binational state or confederation, recognizing that these possibilities are being raised as the material conditions for a two-state solution have deteriorated due to accelerated settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since the Oslo Accords were signed; and be it further

Resolved, That no people’s right to self-determination should be exercised at the expense of another’s right to self-determination, and that any negotiated solution be founded upon mutual recognition of the humanity and past and present sufferings of both parties and provide guarantees for the human and civil rights of ethnic and religious minorities within any state, federation, or national boundaries that may be created.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recognize the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and to live as sovereign peoples in their homeland, with full human and civil rights and with democratic rule of one person, one vote; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church reaffirm our commitment to a negotiated solution between the two parties guided by international law and supported by the international community; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church acknowledge that such a peace agreement, agreed upon by both parties, may include a two-state solution as envisioned in the Oslo Accords, leading to a viable, sovereign state for Palestinians, comprising the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, alongside a secure and universally recognized State of Israel, or may encompass other solutions such as one binational state or confederation, recognizing that these possibilities are being raised as the material conditions for a two-state solution have deteriorated due to accelerated settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank since the Oslo Accords were signed; and be it further

Resolved, That no people’s right to self-determination should be exercised at the expense of another’s people’s right to self-determination, and that any negotiated solution be founded upon mutual recognition of the humanity and past and present sufferings of bothall parties and provide guarantees for the human and civil rights of ethnic and religious minorities within any state, federation, or national boundaries that may be created., and that this right to self-determination has been robustly supported by the testimony of Palestinian Christians, Palestinian Muslims, American Jews and Israeli Jews at this Convention.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #134)