Statement by North American Dominican Justice Promoters on the US-Israeli Peace Plan
The North American Dominican Promoters of Justice, Peace, and Care of Creation (NADJPCC) oppose the “Deal of the Century,” a plan for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis proposed by the United States. Our belief as Dominicans, echoes the words of Pope Francis, spoken in 2019: “Peace, in effect, is the fruit of a great political project grounded in the mutual responsibility and interdependence of human beings.” The “Deal of the Century” included no input from Palestinians and ignores the sovereignty of the Palestinian people.
As Dominicans, we support the Kairos Palestine Statement of Christian Palestinians about what is happening in Palestine. In this statement, we read: “This deal is in fact an insult to history, humanity, the Palestinian people, and American dignity itself.” For the full statement, log on to https://www.fosna.org/articles/kairos-palestine-deal-century.
In addition to our own sense of Gospel justice and our support for the Kairos Palestine statement, NADJPCC also agrees with the Catholic leaders of the Holy Land who insist that any peace plan must include input from the Palestinian people. In a January 29, 2020 article in the Catholic News Service entitled “Holy Land Catholic Leaders: Trump peace plan needed Palestinian input,” the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land stated: “This plan will bring no solution but rather will create more tensions and probably more violence and bloodshed.” The group includes Catholic bishops and patriarchs of different rites as well as the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land and the Union of Religious Superiors of Women in the Holy Land.
As North American Justice Promoters, we believe deeply that to build a just and lasting peace, the unresolved final status issues must be decided through direct negotiations between both parties. Any plan must set forth a path of freedom for both Palestinians and Israelis. Anything less would be unjust and continue to contribute to the instability in the area.
Please join us in supporting the human rights of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.