Highlights

2008

Following the Annapolis Conference, Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders of NILI wrote to President Bush on January 30, 2008 supporting his commitment to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a peace agreement by the end of the year and urging several steps they believe are essential to peace. Letter to President Bush

On March 20 the religious leaders wrote to Secretary of State Rice urging active, determined U.S. support for the diplomatic initiative led by Egypt to achieve a permanent, comprehensive ceasefire covering Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. The letter also urges U.S. support for the formation of a new unified Palestinian government capable of representing Gaza and the West Bank, and committed to rejecting violence and negotiating a two-state solution with Israel. Letter to Secretary Rice

2007

On January 29, 2007 a delegation of leaders of the National Interreligious Initiative meet with Secretary of State Rice to advocate on behalf of the consensus statement and express support for renewed, active U.S. leadership for comprehensive and just Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace. Following-up this meeting Under Secretary Burns offers to meet regularly with NILI leaders to continue the dialogue on U.S. efforts for peace and how religious communities can help.

Senate Resolution 321, sponsored by Senators Feinsten, Lugar, Dodd and Hagel, closely parallels the NILI statement in calling for robust U.S. leadership for peace. In August and November NILI leaders meet with Under Secretary Burns and present recommendations for the Annapolis Conference. (See 8/17 NILI Press Release and 11/1 Letter to Secretary Rice)

Fall 2006

Twenty-five leaders of the National Interreligious Initiative meet in Washington, DC on September 7 hosted by Cardinal McCarrick to develop a united, consensus response to the current situation. In December, the consensus statement, Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace: From Crisis to Hope, is endorsed by 37 Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, including heads of 25 national organizations, and is released and circulated nationwide.

Winter 2006

In February, 2006, in response to Hamas' victory in Palestinian democratic elections, leaders of the Interreligious Initiative call for a careful response to the situation and urge the President to declare Israeli-Palestinian peace a top priority of U.S. policy, to work for an immediate, lasting ceasefire, to find alternative non-Hamas mechanisms for providing aid to the Palestinian people, and to appoint an on-the-ground envoy to manage and monitor negotiations. The new Appeal to the President is released nationally and in 40 cities, coinciding with a meeting by 25 national Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders with Karen Hughes, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

Fall 2005

October 26 program at Notre Dame, sponsored by the Kroc Institute for Conflict Resolution, "When Faiths Unite: Religion and U.S. Policy Toward the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," with reflections by Rabbi David Saperstein, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Ron Young on the National Interreligious Initiative.

A series of Conference Call Briefings for national and local religious leaders is initiated in support of interreligious cooperation, starting with a Briefing Call following the Summit between President Abbas and President Bush. Speakers on this call were Ziad Asali, President of the American Task Force on Palestine, and M.J. Rosenberg, Director of the Washington, DC office of the Israel Policy Forum.

In November leaders of the Interreligious Initiative thank Secretary of State Rice for her hands-on leadership in achieving agreement on opening Gaza and call for restarting negotiations to implement the Road Map. The Initiative mobilizes Congressional support across the country for the Hyde/Capps letter to Secretary Rice along these lines.

June 26, 2005

TransNational Video Conference (via the Internet) takes place with 50 local U.S. host sites (more than 3000 participants) at churches, synagogues and mosques across the country, as well as live audiences in Jerusalem and Washington, DC, and internet sites in Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Jordan and the Netherlands. An approved, updated version of the national leaders April "Letter to the President" is offered as a model letter for participants at the fifty U.S. host sites, both to send to the President and as a basis for communication with their Senators and Representatives.

April-June 2005

A Different Future, in cooperation with the Interreligious Initiative, organizes a Town Meeting for Peace (via the internet), with speakers from Jerusalem and Washington, DC, and interfaith gatherings at local host sites nationwide. Intensive contacts with key members of Congress leads to bipartisan "Dear Colleague Letters" initiated by Representative Hyde and Senator Lugar that acknowledge public support and urgency for more active U.S. leadership for peace.

April 2005

Letter to President Bush signed by (now) 38 national religious leaders, supporting Israeli disengagement from Gaza, increased aid to the Palestinian Authority, and the President's call for both sides to fulfill their obligations on the Road Map. Letters to key leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives.

February 2005

The Office of Social Development and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops launches the Catholic Campaign for Peace in the Holy Land in cooperation with the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative. The Campaign "calls on diocesan bishops and Catholic leaders to partner actively with local religious leaders in the Jewish, Muslim and other Christian traditions" guided by the principles and advocacy posture of the Initiative.

January-March 2005

Meetings with religious leaders in ten more cities, including four in Texas, to form local initiatives.

January 2005

An "Urgent Appeal to the President" is announced by national religious leaders at a Press Conference in Washington, DC and simultaneously by more than 250 local religious leaders in fourteen cities. The Appeal is sent by local leaders to their Senators and Representatives. Local, national and international media coverage again is extensive, with Google listing it as the #1 story of the day.

June-December 2004

Meeting with key Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders in fifteen U.S. cities to form local interreligious initiatives modeled on the National Interreligious Initiative.

June 2004

Meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell and Press Conference, again with extensive media coverage.

January-June 2004

Circulation of "Twelves Steps for Peace" endorsed by the national religious leaders. Conversations with the White House about a meeting with the President and additional contacts with Congress.

December 2003

First face-to-face meeting of the Interreligious Initiative national leadership and Press Conference in Washington, DC, with very good national and international media coverage. Contacts with and public support from key Republican and Democratic members of Congress. Peter Steinfels, Religion Editor of The New York Times, devotes his column to the National Interreligious Initiative with the title, "Mideast Initiative Pushes Beyond Platitudes."

September-December 2003

Agreement by consensus among the twenty-five national Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders on "Twelve Urgent Steps for Peace" in support of the Road Map to Peace. The leaders request a meeting with President Bush.

June-September 2003

In the Fall of 2003 the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East (NILI) is organized by A Different Future, the U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East (founded in 1987), and the United Religions Initiative. NILI receives an initial grant from Nathan Cummings Foundation, and public relations assistance from Ruder Finn. Based on Principles of Cooperation and united support for the Road Map to Peace, 25 national Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders form the unprecedented, high level Interreligious Initiative for Peace.