Britannia Radio

Church Regrets Asking Arabs to Recognize Israel as Jewish State

The United Church of Canada (UCC) has voted to boycott products exported by Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

First Publish: 8/19/2012, 10:26 AM

Boycott supporters

Israel news photo: Flash 90

 

The United Church of Canada (UCC) has voted to boycott products exported by Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

The vote was one of thirteen resolutions, which single out “Israeli settlements” as the primary obstacle to peace in the region, that the UCC adopted on Friday at its 41st general council meeting in Ottawa.

 

The UCC also called on Israel to suspend “settlement” expansion, and express regret for previously asking the “Palestinians” to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state.

 

"The UCC's so-called apology to Palestinians is actually a slap in the face to the 6 million Jewish citizens of democratic Israel, to UCC's Canadian Jewish neighbors and to World Jewry," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. "The adoption of this anti-peace resolution is proof-positive that UCC leadership is endorsing and promoting an extremist political program wrapped in theological discourse.

 

By the UCC catering to the extremists who deny the validity Israel’s Jewish identity, no Israeli will take any of the church's initiatives - present or future - seriously."

"It comes as no surprise that the Church will apparently be calling on its members to boycott products from Israeli communities on the West Bank. That fits neatly into a carefully orchestrated international political campaign to demonize Israel. We can assure members of the church that Israel will continue to seek peace with its neighbors whether or not UCC members buy Israeli beauty products or dates," Cooper added.

“The real loser,” added Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, the Center’s director of interfaith affairs, “is the moral standing of the Church, which is removing itself from any relationship with the Jewish community, voiding the gains of a half century, while broadcasting the message loud and clear, ‘Lovers of Zion', Jews and Christians, not welcome here.’”