Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
The Pursuit of Peace in the Middle East
Adopted by the CCAR at the 99th Annual Convention of
the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Jerusalem, Israel, March, 1988
WHEREAS the reborn Jewish State, now celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding,
represents the sacred fulfillment of our people’s millennial dream to return to its
ancient homeland whose very soil regularly yields up proof as to the authenticity
and the antiquity of our historic right to the exercise of sovereignty in this area,
and
WHEREAS the shared dream of Herzl and Ahad Ha-Am was not only to create a place of
refuge to which all Jews might freely flow, certain of always being greeted by doors
opened wide, but to create as well a cultural, religious, and spiritual center here
which would nourish and sustain our people’s continuing quest for a world of justice,
of mercy, of love, of devoted service to God and to our fellow human beings, and
of peace, and
WHEREAS the status quo produced a demographic reality that threatens Israel’s Jewish
character and democracy, and
WHEREAS in the past the Conference has supported the principle of exchanging territory
for peace.
THEREFORE do we urge all peoples involved in the current struggle– be those people
Muslims, Christians, or Jews, be they citizens of Israel, citizens of those nations
which share common borders with Israel, or the stateless who are the concern of us
all–to join forthrightly, openly, and without precondition or prior threat, in the active
search for a fair, enduring, all embracing peace:
THEREFORE do we urge that even in this election year the pursuit of justice and peace
be vigorously carried forward, whether through bilateral or trilateral arrangements,
or under international auspices, and
THEREFORE do we join with those citizens and officials of the State of Israel who
hold that the pursuit of justice and peace by the Jewish State must now be undertaken
with renewed commitment. It is intolerable for the status quo to be maintained. We
welcome the efforts of Secretary of State Shultz to advance the peace process. Feeling
the urgency of the moment, we call upon all parties to the conflict to respond affirmatively
to these efforts.