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 In a Time of War
The devastating loss of life in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since Oct. 7 grieve us all. U.S. churches including the ELCA have spoken on the conflict several times (including 10/7/23 and 10/12/23); the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, ELCA presiding bishop, issued a statement on Israel-Hamas war (10/13/23); and an Action Alert for all of us to reach out to U.S. policy makers was advanced through the Peace Not Walls network; among faith-based responses to this situation.
Corresponding to calls from Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition in which the ELCA is a member, we are calling on Congress to act in ways that will help de-escalate the violence and stop further loss of life. Specifically, we call on Congress to:
- Publicly call for ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all sides;
- Call on all parties to abide by the laws of war, including the Geneva Conventions and customary international law; and
- Prioritize steps to secure the immediate release of hostages and ensure international protection for civilians.
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