In general, the tendency to take sides and fight about issues is at the heart of the intractable problems afflicting humanity at this time. Therefore, to wade into such disputes by taking one side or another ultimately exacerbates, rather than resolves, the problem; the challenge, instead, is to find a way to rise above the specific conflict and unite people in the search for just and lasting solutions.
The Palestinian issue is a political one and should be solved at the political level. Bahá’ís have no advice to give and do not believe that political declarations by them will resolve the fundamental issues involved. The attitude of the Bahá’í community is succinctly stated by Shoghi Effendi in a letter dated 14 July 1947 to the chairman of the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, which may be found on pages 287–288 of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s The Priceless Pearl (London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1969, 2017 printing). This position, quoted below, is in keeping with the general principle of non-involvement in politics.
The Bahá’í Faith is entirely non-political and we neither take sides in the present tragic dispute going on over the future of the Holy Land and its peoples nor have we any statement to make or advice to give as to what the nature of the political future of this country should be. Our aim is the establishment of universal peace in this world and our desire to see justice prevail in every domain of human society, including the domain of politics.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 24 June 2021 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Compilation: Guidance Regarding Conflict in the Middle East and Bahá’í Non-Involvement in Political Affairs, February 21, 2024; Baha’is of US National website)
