Diapositive 1 - World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace

The World Congress
Of Imams and Rabbis for Peace,
Declares:
“2008 to be the year of Peace initiatives for the reconciliation
between Israelis and Palestinians”
01/10/2007
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The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for 60 years
60 years of war, mutual destruction, hate
and violence…
Agreements, memorandums, declarations and road maps:
negociations are still in a blind alley…
and yet, the vast majority of Palestinians and
Israelis long to live in safety, long for a life marked
by cooperation and mutual respect ......
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THE COMMITMENT OF RABBIS AND IMAMS
The World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, a gathering of religious dignitaries
and representatives from 43 countries, hereby proclaims the year 2008 as the year of Peace
initiatives for the reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
They pledge:
To participate in, initiate and communicate actions based on dialogue and brotherhood in favour
of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
They invite peace-seeking people of the world, believers and non-believers, to join them in this endeavour.
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OBJECTIVES
Peace must be the doing of populations around the world.
Free of judgements, positions or arbitration,
we seek testimony, expressions of suffering,
fears and aspirations of these two kindred peoples,who have been coexisting for 60 years.
We seek to support their discussions, a process that must lead to mutual forgiveness, which is the only source of genuine peace.
- Recognition will be given to actions and initiatives of thousands of people and associations striving for peace in the Middle East.
- Proposals will be made for new actions aimed at bringing the peoples of Israel and Palestine closer together.
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Individual creativity and massive mobilisation will allow these initiatives
to reflect the solidarity of
thousands of citizens the world over who are determined
to stand behind Palestinians and Israelis.
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‘The year 5768 (2007-2008) of Hope for Peace between Palestinians and Israelis’
Written by Chief Rabbi René Samuel Sirat
René Samuel Sirat was Chief Rabbi of France between 1981 and 1988.
He’s now Director-Founder of the Unesco Chair "Reciprocal Knowledge of the religions of the Book and teaching of Peace" and President-Founder of the Rachi European University
Institute of Troyes.
The year 5768 (2007-2008) of Hope for Peace between
Palestinians and Israelis
and Egyptians. Alas, he was assassinated by a fanatic who claimed to
belong to the religion of Islam. This peace treaty was followed by a similar
agreement between Jordan and Israel.
The Fathers of the Synagogue teach us that the age of 60 corresponds to
old age (ZiKNaH means wisdom). In fact, the rabbis play on the double
meaning of the root ZaKeN, which they explain by: The age when a person
acquires wisdom1.
Sixty years have passed since the United Nations took the historic decision
to create two states on the soil of Palestine : a Jewish state and Arab State.
Without going back to all the tragedies that have marked the last sixty years,
I would simply like to remember that forty years ago, after the Six Day War,
the Israeli prime minister of that time, Levi Eshkol, speaking of the occupied
territories, proclaimed and endlessly repeated, in the same way as his
foreign minister, Abba Eban, that ‘everything was negotiable’. Unfortunately,
in Khartoum in 1968, the reply to this vision from all the Arab states was
three times ‘No’.
At the death of Levi Eshkol in 1970, it was alas Golda Meir who was elected
to succeed him, she who considered that the Palestinian people did not
exist…
After the Yom Kippur War, Anwar Al Sadat, President of the Arab Republic
of Egypte, had the courage to propose peace and make a brilliant
declaration before the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, which resulted in the
Israeli-Egypt Peace Treaty that has lasted for thirty years between Israelis
After the Oslo Agreement, we had hoped that peace between Palestinians
and Israelis was close. Alas, a murderer claiming to be an Orthodox Jew,
killed hope by killing Ishaq Rabin, the prestigious Prime Minister of Israel.
Since, bloody attacks, reprisals, and the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers on
Israeli soil have succeeded each other in an infernal cycle.
On the eve of each Jewish year, an ancient tradition demands that religious
leaders find a verse in the Hebraic Bible that will serve as a guide during the
twelve months to come and which announce and indicate the direction that
the actions of the faithful should follow. In effect, everybody knows that the
Hebraic letters have a numerical value. Therefore the object is to find a word
drawn from a Biblical verse whose letters have a numerical sum that
corresponds to the new year in the Hebraic calculation. The verse that I
selected to mark the year 5768 is drawn from Isaiah2.
This passage is particularly important since it proclaims the advent of justice
and universal peace: People who walk in obscurity unexpectedly see a great
light; those who live in a dark world suddenly see the light that shines over
them. Lord, You raised this people, You give them great joy: they rejoice in
your presence with the intense joy of the harvest…
-(2) IX, 1-2
- (1)Maxims of the Fathers of the Synagogue V, 22
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‘The year 5768 (2007-2008) of Hope for Peace between Palestinians and Israelis’
(Next)
Intense joy: this syntagma is composed of the letters K S M H T the sum of
which corresponds to the year 768 (20 + 300 + 40 + 8 + 400) of the fifth
millennium. The prophecy continues to chapters X and XI that announces: a
surgeon will be born from the family of Ychai (Jesse: the father of King
David). Justice will be his belt and righteousness the sash on his side. The
wolf will live with the sheep and the tiger will repose with the deer…3
Under his reign, no crime will be committed or misdeed on My Holy
Mountain, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord like water
covers the ocean bed…4
It is more than a hope, more than a fervent prayer, almost a certitude that
moves us and takes hold of us on the eve of the New Year and of Yom
Kippur 5768.
However, to my mind a question remains: what will happen if the
30 September 2008 (= 1st Tichri 5769), peace between Palestinians and
Israelis is not signed? Will we give in to despair? The answer is given by
Rabbi Akiba, one of the great doctors of the Law of Talmudic times, who died
a martyr in 135. He taught: Everything is determined, but freedom is given to
man ; the world is judged with benevolence and all depends on the action to
be carried out.5
However, freedom is given to man could go against this divine project : in a
certain manner, for God it is the price to pay to have chosen man as his
privileged partner here below and to have given him the supreme privilege,
which even the angels do not have : the possibility of choosing between good
and evil. Alas the 20th century has shown us that man has often chosen evil.
We count on the forgiveness of God in order that the world be judged with
benevolence and we exhort all the actors in the present Israeli-Palestinian
drama to act for good and to acquire the wisdom necessary, at a moment
when the two states, as was foreseen by the UN in 1947, should finally
coexist and live side by side in justice, fraternity, mutual generosity and in
peace.
Chief Rabbi René-Samuel SIRAT
July 2007
Everything is determined: we have seen that the Prophet Isaiah makes a
call for universal peace and that the sign of the New Year puts light into this
appeal.
- (3) Isaïe XI, 5-6
- (4) verset 9
- (5) Maxims of the Father of the Synagogue chapter 3, verse 5
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« 2008 : A Mutual acknowledgement »
To a Peace fulfilment
Written by Dr Ahmed Abaddi
General Secretary of the Mohammedia League of Moroccan Ulama.
Permanent Committee Member of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace.
« 2008 : A Mutual acknowledgement »
To a Peace fulfilment
Today, we heard that the Israeli Prime Minister and the President of the
Palestinian Authority agreed on an 8 points agreement devoted to the
continuation of Peace discussions. The number 8 seems to be of good
meaning for the Middle East conflict resolution. That’s why, together, let’s
make the 1428 Hegira year (2007-2008) the year of all hopes.
60 years have lasted since UN decision to create two states in Palestine:
a Jewish state and an Arab state. During these years, undertaken actions
can be considered both good and bad.
“The right action is not like the bad one. Push away this one by what is
the best: The one who was separated with an enmity from you will then
become your warmly friend.
But this is offered only to the one who already owns an immeasurable
gift”. (Koran: Verses well explained ; 34-35).
Many historical figures behaved according to the Coranic verses in
« pushing away the bad action by what is the best ». They chosed to
consider « the one who was separated with an enmity from them as a
warmly friend ». They took initiatives of great importance on the path of
peace and paved it with light and hope.
A Hadith of Prophet Mohammed (SAWS 13) tells in substance that « the
believer do not let himself bite twice by a poisonous animal from the same
shelter ». Do not let extremists from both sides bite and instil poison to the
great majority of the communities who aim at peace by all means.
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Past generations wrote a large part of History with their tears and their
blood; it is our duty to read it well and to train future generations to a culture
of peace. The task is huge and ticklish.
We should push the evil away – hatred, resentment and desire of revengeand replace it by what is the best.
We should engage a deep sudden awareness or question our way of
thinking and leave conflicting schemas.
We should invest in Childhood and introduce what is the best in
educational programmes and schoolbooks, as citizens of the 21st century
only have a small margin of error.
Previous generations taught us from their blood and life, passing on in
heritage their experience and wisdom that it is compulsory to benefit.
« In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding ». (Koran:
Joseph; 111).
Regenerate ourselves in our respective holy texts to follow the example
of the « history of the past generations » and as men of understanding,
learn its lessons in order to build a future of coexistence and mutual
acknowledgement where Human Beings could benefit great progresses in
different matters.
Imams and Rabbis, with people of good willing, have the duty to act as
bearers of this immeasurable gift and to show believers the path of
wisdom and peace. Eminent spirituality is the active spirituality for peace
fulfilment.
Dr Ahmed Abaddi
Rabat, 13th September 2007
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Project Follow up
by
HOMMES DE PAROLE FOUNDATION
A Swiss Foundation created in 1999, promoting dialogue and peace culture.
Hommes de Parole has organized an ‘Israeli-Palestinian Forum, in 2003 at Caux (Switzerland), and the
two World Congresses of Imams and Rabbis for Peace:
The First World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
3rd to 6th January 2005 in Brussels
110 Imams and Rabbis from 25 countries, together with 70 key
personalities and experts from the whole world under the High
Patronage of their Majesties Albert II, King of the Belgians and
Mohammed VI, King of Morocco.
01/10/2007
The Second World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
19th to 22nd March 2006 in Seville
220 Imams and Rabbis from 43 countries, together with 80 key
personalities and experts from the whole world under the High
Patronage of their Majesties Juan Carlos I, King of Spain and
Mohammed VI, King of Morocco.
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…The World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace
received support from the following partners:
Kingdom Holding Company
Kingdom of Belgium
Kingdom of Morocco
Evens Foundation
European Union
Alliance of Civilizations
Qatar
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Hommes de Parole
Foundation
38 rue Liancourt
75014 Paris
France
>> Contact
Chris Sacarabany
+ 33 (0) 1 43 35 40 96
csacarabany@hommesdeparole.org
www.imamsrabbis.org
Israel-Palestinian territories: Old City, P.O. Box: 14359 - 91142 Jerusalem
Tel/Fax: 00 972 26 285 598
Registered offices, 1293 Genève Suisse ch@hommesdeparole.org
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Author Right and Copyright - The Pictures used belong to :
Photograph in the background : Antoine de Saisset
Photograph on the right - slide 2 : Abed Omar Qusini
Photograph on the left - slide 2 : source AFP (Agence France Presse)
Photograph on the right - slide 3 : Jérôme Paillon
Photograph on the left - slide 3 : Pierre-Jean Rey
Photograph on the right - slide 10 : Jérôme Paillon
Photograph on the left - slide 10 : Jérôme Paillon
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