March 3, 2021
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) is a network of Christian leaders representing over sixty million Americans on mainstream Christian viewpoints on Israel.
We commit our prayers to you, your family, and your administration as we are called to do so in I Timothy 2:1-3 (NIV) “that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.”
We write today to respectfully propose several guiding principles that ACLI sees as significant for your administration regarding the security of the United States, Israel, and the Jewish people:
- To not re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal, or any other agreement that would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons now or at any time in the future, and keep in place the sanctions against Iran while continuing to monitor violations and imposing new ones as necessary.
- To insist on direct bilateral negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and oppose any third-party solutions imposed on Israel, including through the United Nations Security Council.
- To honor the current commitments made by the United States as party to the Abraham Accords and build on this foundation to bring additional countries to sign peace agreements with Israel, ushering a new era of peace in the Middle East.
- To adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti- Semitism across all Executive Branch agencies. We ask that all your appointees and nominees commit to implement and act upon the IHRA definition in the performance of their duties to combat the evil scourge of anti-Semitism prevailing in the United States and around the world.
- To combat anti-Semitism at the local, state, and federal level, and internationally – in particular related to efforts to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel—including efforts through United Nations agencies and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Recently a coalition of 17 Christian churches/organizations submitted a letter to you listing six proposals regarding Israel. This coalition is not representative of mainstream evangelical Christians represented by ACLI. (Link provided below to letter dated 12/11/20 from 17 Christian churches/organizations.)
The letter states that “the Christian community in Israel/Palestine continues to suffer as a result of the ongoing occupation” (par. 2). i We note that while the Christian community in Palestinian Authority controlled areas continues to suffer under that corrupt leadership, the Christian communities in Israeli governed areas are thriving.
The recent peace agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco are proof that Israel is not the obstacle to peace, and that Palestinian claims to the contrary are not valid. They are also proof that a strong Israel is a source of peace and stability in the region.
We know that your Administration will be facing many opportunities and challenges in the days, weeks and months ahead. We would welcome the opportunity to work with your team on these matters.
Thank you.
Most respectfully,
i Gryboski, M. (2020, December 16). 17 Christian groups ask Biden to change US policy in Holy Land: Restore funding to Palestinian Authority, allow BDS advocacy. The Christian Post. Link to “Open Letter dated December 11, 2020 to President Elect Biden” https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/globalministries/pages/15744/attachments/original/1607962370/Biden_Transit ion_Letter_-_Dec_2020.pdf?1607962370 ; https://www.christianpost.com/news/17-christian-groups-ask-biden-to-change-us-policy-in-holy-land.html