The following letter defending the work of the UNRWA was delivered to House International Relations Committee members, House Appropriation/Foreign Operations Subcommittee members and Senate Appropriations/Foreign Operations Subcommittee members.

July 23, 2002

The Honorable (Name of Senator or Representative)
Room Number and Building Address
United States Senate or United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC Zip Code

Dear Senator (Last Name) or Representative (Last Name),

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is writing to urge your support for continued and increased United States funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)- the UN agency responsible for providing schools, health care and other essential humanitarian services to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza. CMEP considers UNRWA service delivery as a necessary and stabilizing component of a renewed peace process that alone can bring security and normalization to Israel and self-determination to Palestinians.

CMEP has been distressed by recent allegations that UNRWA is complicit in the Palestinian uprising or suicide bombings and by suggestions that UNRWA should be policing the refugee population to prevent violence. We ask members of Congress to base their deliberations about UNRWA on the humanitarian mandate of the agency. UNRWA has no authority - much less capability - to police or supervise the refugee camps.

The national churches and organizations of CMEP have been involved with UNRWA staff and programs for many years. As our staff can testify, UNRWA's humanitarian and social services have been essential to creating and maintaining the social stability and human capital (educated, healthy population) essential to a successful peace process. To this end, UNRWA's services are needed now more than ever since Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are unable to get to work or provide food for their families.

Members of Congress should ask themselves how they can best help give the Palestinians confidence to undertake internal reform and commit to a political, diplomatic peace process. Churches for Middle East Peace urges you to support any efforts of President Bush and Secretary of State Powell to launch a credible peace initiative. More immediately, the moral and indispensable policy choice is to support continued and increased funding for UNRWA.

James Matlack
Director, Washington Office
American Friends Service Committee

Greg Davidson Laszakovits
Coordinator, Washington Office
Church of the Brethren

Lisa Wright
Associate Director
Education and Advocacy Program
Church World Service

Derek N. Duncan
Common Global Ministries Board of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Stan De Boe, OSST
Director, Office of Justice and Peace Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Jere Skipper
Office of Government Relations
The Episcopal Church USA

Mark B. Brown
Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation

Jim Koftke, MM
Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns
Maryknoll Missioners

Daryl Byler
Director, Washington Office
Mennonite Central Committee

Brenda Girton-Mitchell
Director Washington Office
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Eugene Heideman
Representative to CMEP
Reformed Church in America

Jack Edmondson
Representative to CMEP
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

Mia Adjali
Womens' Division
General Board of Global Ministries
United Methodist Church

Catherine Gordon
Associate for International Issues
Washington Office, Presbyterian Church (USA)
110 Maryland Ave. Suite 104
Washington, DC 20002
www.pcusa.org/washington
Phone: 202-543-1126
Fax: 202-543-7755