Guiding Principles

In response to the many difficult choices faced by every advocate for justice and peace in the Middle East in charting the way forward, EPF/PIN’s Advocacy and Changing Middle East Policy group formulated a series of principles to guide us in responding to the almost daily calls for support, endorsements and action.  As always, our starting point was our baptismal covenant in which we promise to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.  These principles may be reconsidered as we move ahead, but the EPF/PIN Steering Committee has approved them and agreed to use them in making decisions for the Network.

You will notice the Steering Committee takes no position on advocacy for either a one state or two state solution.  We believe those are decisions that should be left to Palestinians and Israelis to decide, agree and enact.

Please feel free to comment on any of these principles by writing Tom Trueblood, PIN’s convener of the Advocacy group or Grace Said who originally drafted them.

• A fundamental respect for the human rights of all people in line with the foundational principles of the United States of America and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Full compliance with international law including United Nations resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention
• Acknowledgement of the dispossession (naqba) of the Palestinian people in 1948
• Justice for Palestinian refugees and equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel
• An end to the military occupation of all territories captured in the 1967 war, including East Jerusalem
• The right of every person to enjoy citizenship in a state that embraces equality, liberty, due process of law and is fully recognized in the family of nations.
• Affirmation of the role of international civil society in developing non-violent  means to address these principles
• Peace and security for all people in the Middle East

Ann Coburn
Cotton Fite
Kerith Harding
Donna Hicks
Ed Lamonte
Cabell Tennis
Bob Tobin
Maurine Tobin
Tom Trueblood
(trueblood.tom@gmail.com)
Grace Said
(grace.said@verizon.net)
Newland Smith