The group appointed by the council to consider-amendments to the resolution on Lebanon met on Tuesday, August 24th, chaired by Dr S Habib. The other members were MM Reymond, Gilbey, Kriener, Toth and West.

The group had before it nine amendments to the original text. It considered that it would be difficult to incorporate these in a meaningful way into the original text and therefore concentrated on producing a fresh text which would contain the necessary elements.

The discussion revealed considerable differences of approach by members of the group itself; the text given below, which the group recommends, reflects those tensions, which may in turn be found in the council itself.

"The general council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches expresses its deep sympathy towards Lebanon, which has become the theatre of a war which is not of her making, and its horror at all the death, suffering and destruction for which the government of Israel has been responsible in the present invasion.

"It asks its member churches to urge their respective governments to use their influence to obtain:

1. That all foreign troops be withdrawn from Lebanon as soon as possible;

2. That the Palestinians at last have a land which belongs to them, and in which they may found a state.

"The council recalls that a durable solution of the conflict presupposes that the right of existence of all peoples in the Middle East shall be recognized, and that there should be established between them, especially between the Israelis and the Palestinians, relationships of mutual respect, collaboration and confidence.

"The council invites its member churches to pray and work to relieve the victims of the conflict and to enable them to rediscover a normal life."