Washington D.C., May 28, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The U.S. bishops have called for modifications to the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to alleviate the urgent needs of the Palestinian people.
"These goals are in the best interests of both Palestinians and Israelis who long for a just peace," said Bishop Thomas Wenski said in a May 19 letter to Senator Richard Lugar. Lugar is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Bishop Wenski is the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Policy.
Bishop Wenski said the perspective of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the legislation is shaped by two overriding concerns.
The bill should promote the ultimate goal of a two-state solution "that provides security for Israel and a viable state for the Palestinians, two states living alongside one another in peace," the bishop said. The USCCB is concerned that some of the provisions of the legislation would undermine a two-state solution.