Jerusalem as the Capital of Two States

Episcopal Church
The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America
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General Convention 1997

Resolved, That the 72nd General Convention recognizes Jerusalem as the seat of the Abrahamic peoples, acknowledges the historic presence of Jews, Palestinian Christians, and Muslims and affirms:

1.  that Jerusalem should serve as the capital for two sovereign and independent states, Israel and Palestine; 
 

2.  the government of Israel should remove forthwith all roadblocks and obstacles preventing free access to Jerusalem for Palestinians; 

3.  the government of Israel should change its planning policies so that Palestinians have equal rights to build housing in Jerusalem and develop their institutions which have been restricted since 1967; 

4  .East Jerusalem, as an integral part of the occupied territories, should be included in all political arrangements relating to those territories, including self-determination, release of prisoners, right of return, and eventual sovereignty, and be it further 

Resolved, That the Convention urge the government of the United States to use its diplomatic and economic influence in support of the above and to demonstrate a firm commitment to justice for Palestinians as it does for the security of the State of Israel; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Israel, the President of the Palestinian Authority, and appropriate members of the Congress of the United States.

(The international gathering of Anglican bishops for the Lambeth Conference in 1998 issued a resolution affirming that Jerusalem should be the capital city of both Israel and an independent Palestinian state with free access for Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The resolution said that the continued building and expansion of Jewish settlement within Jerusalem and the occupied territories "remains a major obstacle to any just and lasting peace.")