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October 18, 2012
Christian-Jewish Roundtable Splitting on U.S Aid to Israel
Mainline Protestant leaders' letter to Congress prompts Jewish leaders' boycott.
An established interfaith group is in danger of disintegrating as major American Jewish groups and prominent mainline Protestant churches differ over U.S. aid for Israel--a long-standing argument that the group was established, in part, to diffuse.
Leaders of Reform and Conservative Judaism, the American Jewish Committee, and other Jewish groups sent a letter Wednesday (Oct. 17) to their Christian counterparts on the Christian-Jewish Roundtable saying they would not be attending a long-planned Oct. 22-23 meeting.
At issue is an Oct. 8 letter that many Christian leaders--from the National Council of Churches, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other denominations--sent to Congress, asking that U.S. aid to Israel be re-evaluated in light of the Jewish state’s alleged human rights violations.
Israel has long been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, almost all of which is military aid and contracts, according to the Congressional Research Service.
“As Christian leaders in the United States, it is our moral responsibility to question the continuation of unconditional U.S. financial assistance to the government of Israel,” the letter from the Christian leaders read, criticizing Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
“Realizing a just and lasting peace will require this accountability, as continued U.S. military assistance to Israel--offered without conditions or accountability--will only serve to sustain the status quo and Israel’s military occupation of the Palestinian territories.”
The Jewish groups withdrew from the planned October meeting and are now asking the Christian members of the roundtable for a different meeting: to discuss the letter and “reset the framework for ongoing dialogue.”
“There is no question in our minds that this is an unbalanced demonization of Israel completely lacking in context,” said Rabbi Noam Marans, the interfaith director at the American Jewish Committee.
“It pretends that Palestinian human rights violations do not exist, but above all, our concern is that when the world currently is focused on the Iranian nuclear threat, Christian leaders have chosen to mount another political attack on Israel,” Marans said.
Marans said he isn’t sure whether the eight-year-old roundtable will survive the congressional letter flap. “The current conversation with some Christian leaders is unacceptable and needs to change,” he said.
Representatives from the NCC, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Comments
I think it is unconscionable for Christians to denigrate Israel for its treatment of Palestians, when it is the only country in the Middle East that is tolerant and welcoming of all religions. I would expect that Christians would be rising out together to speak out against Egypt at this time. Egypt receives $1.3 billion in aid and in return has engaged in persecuting its Chrisitan minority and denying them equal rights.Your silence on this matter is mystifying. I can't imagine a motive other than anti-Semitism for your extremely one-sided and ill informed approach.
Posted By: Gina Friedlander | October 18, 2012 6:31 PM
It is without moral compass or spiritual logic that America would continue it's assault on Israel - especially from some liberal Christian groups, who apparently do not follow the scriptural clarity of God's special love of His chosen people. Their narrow spiritual focus, apparently driven be political agendas, is bringing God's judgement and condemnation upon America. Many Christians in America are opposed to this Administration's foreign policies regarding choosing Muslims over Israel - which is at great peril to democracy and freedoms we believe to be God given rights of all people.
Posted By: Linda Boudreau | October 19, 2012 9:54 AM
ISAIAH 59:15-21
There is so little honesty that those who stop doing evil find themselves the victims of crime.
The Lord has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice. He is astonished to see that there is no one to help the oppressed. So he will use his own power to rescue them and to win the victory. He will wear justice like a coat of amour and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer. He will punish his enemies according to what they have done, even those who live in distant lands. From east to west everyone will fear him and his great power. He will come like a rushing river, like a stron strong wind.
The Lord says to his people, "I will come to Jerusalem to defend you and to save all of you that turn from your sins. And I make a covenant with you: I have given you my power and my teachings to be yours for ever, and from now on you are to obey me and teach your children and your descendants to obey for all time to come."
Posted By: Karen Esther Davy | October 20, 2012 12:47 AM
I am Jewish and strongly support ending aid to Israel, but not for any of the nonsense reasons these 'mainline' churches cite - 'human rights violations' etc. (the first commentator dispenses with that nonsense in a few sentences). No, I support stopping aid to Israel (and to Egypt for that matter) because I think foreign aid distorts Israeli domestic politics and economics. Foreign aid is a kind of welfare that warps the reality of the receiver. Relying on that money creates its own coalitions and allows them to forgo necessary domestic economic reforms. Furthermore, I think if you dig deeper you'll find that there is an unspoken quid pro quo between certain domestic (US) defense contractors and the Israel aid lobby. Israel turns at least some of that money around and uses it to by US military technology. The US defense contractors appreciate it because Israel doesn't develop certain domestic military industries that it could develop - and thus removes competition from those US companies. I think stopping the aid flow would bring a necessary dose of geopolitical reality to all parties: the Israelis, the US mainline churches (who now have one less bogeyman to occupy themselves with), and the companies that were impacted by the distortion.
Posted By: Moreman | October 20, 2012 9:02 AM
I am a Christian churchman and wish to make it plain that Christian leaders--from the National Council of Churches, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other denominations do not speak for me in lobbying Congress to cut off foreign aid to Israel. All of these religious entities are losing membership at an alarming rate. Maybe they would be better served to mind their own business of preaching the gospel and to leave the foreign policy of the United States to elected govenment officials.
Posted By: Van | October 20, 2012 10:11 PM
Leave all Biblical connections to this issue out of the concern most Americans have over the unconditional and without any accountability of the money we hand over to these foreign people in israel who are mostly a bunch of ex-Communists from Russia.
The point of the matter is why do we give israel so much money????
Does AIPAC's money/campaign contributions to our elected leaders in Congress decide our fate????
What do we get in return, except 9-11 events for our support of these maniacal zionists who use are assistance to kill innocent women and children while stealing Arab lands??
The time is past due to STOP ALL FOREIGN AID to these people.
No more, No Mas!
Hey israel, get a job or do what you do on your own dime!
The whole world hates israel and now the whole world hates America because we prop up the zionists. Now they want us to wage war on Iran, so they can be the only nuts in the Middle East to have nuclear bombs.
NO MAS!!!
Posted By: Jonathan Pollard | October 22, 2012 8:07 AM
PRESIDENT OBAMA SUPPORTS ISRAEL
The Natonal Jewish Democratic Council said on December 16, 2011 the following:-
1) "President Obama provided Israel with the largest amount of
American military aid in U.S. history,"
2) "Over $3 billion per year to assist Israel's military to ensure it
has the latest and most efficient technologies and weapons available."
3) "$250 million in supplemental funding to develop the Iron Drove
missile system. Israel's defense leaders praised its exceptional
success at saving the lives of Israelis who live under the threat of
Hamas rockets."
4) "President Obama restored Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME)
with advanced weaponry by:
(a) selling Israel bunker busting bombs.
(b) selling Israel F- 35 fighter planes.
(c) fast tracking arms sales,
(d) Jumper Cobra 2012 Austere Challenge joint military exercises- the
largest and most expensive exercises ever with Israel."
(e) "Authorizing Israel to use American weapons stored in Israel
during an emergency."
(f) "Working with Israel to combat smuggling arms into Gaza."
5) "Forcefully opposed the Palestinians attempt to unilaterally
declare a state."
6) "Voted with Israel 100% of the time in the United Nations, a first
in modern history."
7) "Answered Israel's "3am phone call" and personally intervened to
rescue Israel's diplomats in Cairo."
These are the facts. President Obama has an impeccable record in his
support for Israel. Our vote should be based on facts and truth.
Apostle Stephen Paul Delsol
Posted By: Stephen Paul | October 22, 2012 10:29 AM
The prophets rarely had any good thing to say to Israel and were often sending enemy countries to teach them a lesson. They were condemned again and again for seeking assistance fronm foreign countries instead of God. God also destroyed Egypt so Israel would not depend on Egypt.
What would Isaiah say to Israel if he landed there today?
Posted By: Hopeful | October 25, 2012 10:13 PM
It's about time Christians began to act "Christian" ... The Roman Catholic Church has stood for decades for justice and human dignity and been a fair and objectie judge of the mess in the Middle East... Too many of the mainline protestant churches have been nothing more than lobby groups for Israel in their continued abuse of people native to that land and given the a blank check to the abuse of even Christian Arabs living in the birthplace of our Lord.... this is unacceptable and needs to end now. I commend those brave leaders!
Posted By: sam | October 26, 2012 9:23 AM
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