RELIGOUS LEADERS IN PEACE PROCESS

Religious leaders take part in Mid East peace process The World Today - Monday, 2 October , 2006 12:30:00Reporter: Eleanor Hall

ELEANOR HALL: As Condoleezza Rice prepares for her visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, regional religious leaders have suggested they may be able to play a role in the peace process. The right Reverend Riah Abu El-Assal is the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, and he says has already held some promising talks with the Hamas Prime Minister.The Bishop is visiting Australia at the moment and I spoke to him earlier.(To Riah Abu El-Assal) What role can religious leaders like you play in peacemaking?

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: In the first place, to normalise relations between the monotheistic faiths; to help people recognise the otherness that is in the Other; to do away with what we call wrong theology that puts blame on Almighty God, that God by divine order promised this land to this party or that party, as if God is a real-estate agent.So we resist this. We try to help people understand that all people are created in the image of God, that life with dignity is a sacred right for every human being, and that violence and war will not bring peace closer.
ELEANOR HALL: Of course, not all religious leaders preach that sort of tolerance. There are religious leaders inside the territories and inside Israel who preach exactly the opposite.

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: Well, there are a few people here and there, I mean, in both camps, who preach a different theology, a different sermon.But those are the minority, they are not the majority. We stand with the majority and the majority of the people of Israel are wanting peace. The majority of the people of Palestine are wanting peace.There are a few factions here and there who resist. We say no until we get so far, and then we say yes.

ELEANOR HALL: What sort of influence can you as a fellow religious leader have over those more extremist leaders?

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: We do, I think we're under an obligation to see to it that we relate to them first.
We... I personally do not ignore them. When the Hamas government came about, I was the first religious leader in the Christian community to go and say, okay, congratulations. Now in what way can we be of help? And what way can we assist to bring the reality of the situation with the Palestinian people to the world at large?And I found in the Prime Minister someone who is able to listen and ready to stretch a hand and say, Well, we need your help.For example, he would say, Would you introduce me to A and B and C? Now, if we were to do what the American administration and the Israeli Government did by saying well, they do not exist after they've been allowed to run for election, in my opinion, that's foolish.It will add to the extremism that is already there. But if we were to recognise them and challenge them to become more pragmatic, to become more realistic about a peaceful settlement, in my opinion, we would have won.

ELEANOR HALL: What sort of response did you get from the Prime Minister when you put some of those challenges to him?

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: He was extremely encouraged and encouraging. He asked me, for example, to prepare a letter, which he's ready to sign, he said, You put it on paper and I will sign, which I will do...

ELEANOR HALL: What... recognising Israel?

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: I mean, recognising the reality that the Israelis have right to a state of their own in as much as the Palestinians have a right to a state of their own in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.

ELEANOR HALL: If the Prime Minister though is prepared to have you write a letter which he will sign, do you understand why he won't come out publicly and say, "The Hamas Government recognises Israel"?

RIAH ABU EL-ASSAL: I don't think he will hesitate. Israel will have also to be challenged to recognise the state of Palestine.So far there is no recognition. They speak of a viable... sometimes they speak of a viable state for Palestinians.The Palestinians have lived in Palestine for so long, and in my opinion, are entitled very much the same like the Israelis to a state on Palestinian soil in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.Only then there is hope for a better future for both communities.

ELEANOR HALL: And that's the right Reverend Riah Abu El-Assal, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem who is in Australia at the moment as the guest of the Anglican Board of Mission.