Bishop praises Bush’s Mideast peace effort

United Methodist News Service
The Council of Bishops president sent President Bush a letter Aug. 15, praising him for bringing about a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Thank you for your leadership in the United Nations adopting the resolution which has served as the basis for the cease-fire in Lebanon and Israel,” Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of Houston wrote. “We are grateful that you have worked to lay the foundation for further negotiations to bring long-term stability to the region.”
Huie urged the president to continue working through the United Nations to “broaden the participation of those who will build a base for a lasting peace.”
“You can be assured that The United Methodist Church will mobilize relief and recovery efforts as soon as possible,” Huie told Bush, who is a United Methodist.
The cease-fire took effect Aug. 14, after the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Aug. 11. It called for an end to the fighting.
Lebanese troops, backed by international peacekeepers, are to move into southern Lebanon as a buffer force between Hezbollah guerrillas and Israel.
The latest round of violence began July 12. Hezbollah guerillas attacked Israeli forces, killing eight soldiers and kidnapping two.
Israel responded by attacking southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold. Violence escalated with retaliatory rocket attacks on northern Israel.
Civilian casualties mounted on both sides of the border, and large numbers of people were forced to flee their homes.