FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Report From Working Group On Israel/Palestine Policy Further Erodes Commitment Of The United Church To Strengthen Its Relationship With The Jewish Community
UCC Pastor Launches Faithful Witness to voice the views of church members who are concerned about the biased and prejudicial agenda of activists
(Ottawa, ON- May 7 2012) – Sadly, the Report of the Working Group On Israel/Palestine Policy represents a biased and one-sided perspective that further erodes the commitment of the United Church to strengthen its relationship with the Jewish community.
Today, Faithful Witness (www.faithfulwitness.ca) has been launched to gather support from other people concerned about the United Church's drift away from the commitment it made in 2003 to strengthen its ties to the Jewish community.
“As a United Church pastor, I can no longer be a lone voice on Israel-Palestine policy. I am hoping others will join me in calling on General Council to adopt a more balanced policy” said, Rev. Andrew Love. “To borrow words from rabbis-letter.org, the Working Group report “shamefully paints Israel as a pariah nation” that is solely responsible for the violence and conflict with the Palestinians. The authors of the report never hold Palestinians or surrounding Arab nations to moral accountability”.
In fact that report argues that, because Israel is a democracy, it should “be held to a higher standard”. Are the authors suggesting that the United Church should not pass moral judgement on the non-democratic regimes that oppress their Arab citizens? Why is Israel isolated for moral condemnation with calls for divestment and boycotts?
The report does offer some constructive insight. Continued building of some settlements beyond the main blocks around Jerusalem and Ariel warrants criticism. The report also correctly identifies how the system of security control and water management in the West Bank constrains the freedom of Palestinians. But the virtues of the report are masked by three serious and glaring failures:
1. It is highly offensive to suggest that the “deepest meaning of the Holocaust was the denial of human dignity to Jews”. The “deepest meaning” was the systematic mass murder of over six million Jews. The report further inflames the offense by implying that the occupation of the West Bank can be equated with the Holocaust.
2. In the 26-page report, there is only one brief mention of the core issue of the legitimate fears that Israeli citizens have for their security from acts of terrorism and the threats of annihilation coming from Iran. None of Iran's proxy terrorist groups (Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Brigade, Hamas) are named.
3.The report continues the mistake of the last General Council meeting by not clearly and explicitly rejecting the language of apartheid when applied to Israel. Instead, they suggest such language should be avoided only because it is not helpful in promoting dialogue.
To that end, Faithful Witness would advocate that the United Church of Canada seek to endorse some of the more important joint Israeli-Palestinian peace initiatives that are happening now rather than sanctioning a boycott as its official policy.
Contact:
Rev. Andrew Love
613-853-1700
andrewlove@rogers.com
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