Israel-Palestine: For Human Values in the Absence of a Just Peace | Page 39

Israel-Palestine: For Human Values in the Absence of a Just Peace

among Israelis and Palestinians, among them the Parents Circle Families Forum, Rabbis
for Human Rights, Combatants for Peace, and Seeds of Peace. Working with such
organizations that emphasize a holistic vision of security for all can help change the facts
on the ground, and thus eventually change the facts at the checkpoints. Presbyterian
efforts can work with partners in East Jerusalem and in other areas not yet completely
divided in efforts build bridges, show methods of human security, and lessen the constant
recourse to militarization and control.
B. Water
Although Israelis and Palestinians should have equitable access to adequate and
affordable water, as noted above, Israel limits access to water for many Palestinians, so
that water consumption differs dramatically in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, as
detailed above. Presbyterians have a long and exemplary history of helping to bring clean
water to those in need, through its programs like Living Waters for the World. We can
bring the wisdom of this work to bear on water needs in the Holy Lands, joining with
other individuals, states, and nonprofit groups who are working to support the equitable
development of water resources and the distribution of that water. We encourage
congregations to study reports by the World Bank and the United Nations Development
Program and to work with organizations like ANERA, EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth
Middle East, USAID, and indigenous organizations to provide sustainable and affordable
clean water to those who need it most.
C. Economic Wellbeing
Allowing Palestinians to develop their economic potential and increase
employment would give reasons to hope and work for peaceful coexistence with Israel.
Even in situations where no government has centralized control of all the organizations
with violence capacity, developing profitable economic opportunities can give competing
organizations substantial incentives to refrain from using violence, in order not to spoil
their economic gains.xcv
To help reduce economic disparities in the region, Presbyterians in the United
States can participate in many ways. We can become better informed about where the
products we use come from and can advocate with the US government to enforce our
own trade laws with respect to our economic relations with Israel, the West Bank, and
Gaza, including accurately labeling countries of origin. Products made in the West Bank
settlements should not carry “Made in Israel” labels, according to our laws, but they often
do.xcvi Our Office of Public Witness in DC and Presbyterian Ministry to the UN in NY
can encourage the United States to require that products from Israeli companies operating
in Area C be labeled as such, in accord with U.S. law and to push the Israeli government
and the Palestinian Authority to reduce trade barriers for exports and imports from the
West Bank and Gaza. We can purchase agricultural and manufactured goods made in
Palestine and produced by Palestinians, which should be able to reach American markets
with the same ease as goods made in Israel. We can avoid buying goods manufactured in
Israeli settlements as in the PCUSA resolutions of 2012xcvii . And we can, as we stated at

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