We have faith a peaceful means can be found which will not only settle this dispute, but also encourage political peace making in other arenas of conflict. We believe that 'fighting for peace' is a contradictory notion. The MECC statement called attention to the suffering of the Iraqi people as a result of economic sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Unfortunately, the sanctions that were imposed to coerce the Iraqi government to comply with the cease-fire agreement have, in seven years, done nothing to change Iraqi policy or mobilize the people to change the government. Egypt's Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda also voiced opposition to air strikes against Iraq, saying that such action would humiliate all Arabs.
Christians are a tiny minority in Iraq.
Meanwhile, dozens of prominent rabbis in Israel took action of their own, circling Israel seven times by plane Feb. 18 in an effort to topple Hussein and protect Israel from Iraqi weapons. Their two-hour mission was based on the Bible's story of Joshua's march at Jericho. The purpose of the flight was to cause Saddam to surrender and to assure that we would be victorious. We recited special prayers so that if, God forbid, poison falls on the Israeli people, they will not be injured. The Governor's Office does not accept E-mail correspondence at this time.