Evangelicals join Chorus of Calls for End to Middle East Violence

|PIC1|The Evangelical Alliance, representing more than 1 million evangelicals in the UK, has become the latest Christian group to speak out against the escalating violence in the Middle East region of Lebanon and Israel.

In expressing the organisation’s deep concerns with the devastation being reaped, the EAUK has released a statement saying: “Our thoughts and our prayers are with all those concerned, for those families who have suffered loss and whose homes and livelihoods are being threatened and destroyed; for those in government and leaders seeking a political resolution.”

In a call for prayers across the Christian world, the EAUK also stated: “We are calling upon Christians and others to join with us and continue praying for peace and for the emergency services, that they would be strengthened as they carry out their tasks in trying circumstances.”

The General Director of the Evangelical Alliance UK, Rev Joel Edwards said, “Praying for the ‘peace of Jerusalem’ is a biblical mandate. Let us also pray that political leaders will find a way to end the current conflict and pursue a just and lasting peace.”

|TOP|The statement came as Israel rejected a United Nations call for a three-day truce in southern Lebanon to evacuate injured civilians and those in need of urgent aid, at the weekend. The decision was made as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel to continue efforts to find a resolution to the conflict.

The United Nations called for an immediate three-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, but an Israeli spokesman said there was no need for a truce as a humanitarian corridor to the area had been opened.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that world leaders must apply "maximum pressure" to bring about a UN resolution for a sustainable ceasefire in the Middle East.

Blair said the resolution must be agreed "as quickly as we can" and also called for "maximum restraint".

|QUOTE|His comments were made on his visit to San Francisco after intensive telephone talks with US President George Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It also came after an Israeli air strike killed more than 50 in south Lebanon.

Referring to a UN statement saying it was "shocked" by Sunday's attack on Qana, Mr Blair said: "You know the position of Israel, now there's a statement from the UN Security Council which shows the right degree of unity in the international community."

|AD|Mr Blair added: "What's important now is that we have a real chance of getting a UN Security Council resolution, which will give us an opportunity both to have a complete cessation of hostilities and to do so on a sustainable and lasting basis."

Achieving a resolution would take "a lot of work", he said. It must ensure security for Israel as well as "the taking back, by the Lebanese government, of full control of their country".

"Everyone is going to have to exercise the maximum restraint and maximum pressure and will to get the UN Security Council resolution agreed," he said.

"There is a chance, there is a will and I think the elements of this package can be agreed as quickly as we can and get the situation forward towards where we can see an end to the hostilities."

The UN statement expressed "extreme shock and distress" at the deaths in Qana but did not call for an immediate ceasefire, despite an earlier appeal by Secretary General Kofi Annan.