The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev Mark S. Hanson, has joined other Christian leaders in the United States in an ecumenical appeal to US President George W. Bush, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel's new Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to take immediate actions to restore hopes for peace in the Middle East.

The churches? initiative coincides with a dramatic statement today from the Israeli leader, indicating that he is preparing unilaterally to declare a border with the Palestinians, in a move which will concern many in the international community.

Indications are that the preferred border will coincide with the separation wall on the West Bank, which Israel claims is about security and its opponents say is part of an intended territorial manoeuvre.

In a 2 May 2006 letter, the leaders of 21 denominations, churches, archdioceses and organizations from Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant traditions raised concerns with the political leaders about the pending humanitarian crisis, the threat of violence, the establishment of a mutually negotiated border and the status of Jerusalem. The letter was issued through the Churches for Middle East Peace network.

Recognizing new obstacles in the peace process, Hanson said, "We affirm [the] vision of a two-state solution that provides for a viable Palestinian state living in peace alongside a secure Israel. But we are concerned that Hamas' rejectionist rhetoric and Israel's actions on the ground are making that goal seem impossible."

Citing the "looming humanitarian crisis" as their primary concern, the faith leaders urged Bush, Abbas and Olmert "to adopt policies and take actions that provide both space and opportunity for the newly elected Hamas government to make positive changes, while finding mechanisms that allow financial assistance to reach the Palestinian people immediately."

The group encouraged Abbas to maintain his "persistent commitment to peacemaking and non-violence," and urged him and the Palestinian people to "remain steadfast in pursuit of peace and to press the officials of Hamas to accept previous agreements regarding Israel and to renounce violence."

The letter addressed the need for the establishment of a mutually negotiated border between Israel and Palestine. "It is extremely important that decisions on the final status (on) issues of borders, Jewish settlements, refugees, water and the sovereignty of Jerusalem be agreed upon in the context of negotiations and with the strong leadership of the United States in cooperation with the Quartet and the Arab League," the religious leaders said in the letter.

The Quartet - the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations - proposed a "Road Map" for Middle East peace in 2003. The Arab League is an organization of 22 independent countries whose peoples speak mainly Arabic.

"While the separation barrier may prevent some terrorist attacks," the religious leaders wrote, "we believe Israel's security lies ultimately in a negotiated end of the occupation that is accepted by the United Nations as the fulfilment of Security Council resolutions and is consistent with the requirements of the Geneva Conventions."

Hanson noted that the separation barrier, where it extends beyond the Green Line, "is having a tremendously negative impact both psychologically and economically on the potential for a viable Palestinian state."

The religious leaders showed concern for the status of Jerusalem in the letter. "We believe that a negotiated solution for Jerusalem, that takes into account the profound dimensions of the Holy City for Jews, Christians and Muslims globally, is the key to Middle East peace and the eventual reconciliation of the Abrahamic family," they wrote.

"President Bush, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert," the letter concluded, "you alone are capable of reawakening your peoples to the promise of peace. Our urgent appeal to you is witness to the great numbers of people of the Christian tradition, in the United States and globally, who pray for peace and for your strength and courage to be peacemakers."