Monday, May 7

Canada's Largest Protestant Church Releases Report Calling for End to Israeli Occupation


On May 2nd, a working group of The United Church of Canada (UCC) released a long-awaited report on the Israel/Palestine situation. The report is significant because the UCC has one million members and is Canada's largest protestant denomination.
 
The 23 page report has a very moderate tone, but it calls for the Church to take "concrete steps". Although PCC do not agree on some of its content, as we find (among other things) the report comes weak in supporting the Right of Return for Palestinian. Nevertheless, we find the report an excellent start of build awareness and support for the Palestinian human rights in Canada. We commend the UCC working group for:
  1. The call for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories pointing out the loss of Palestinian land
  2. The call for an economic boycott of products from the illegal settlements
  3. Maintaining that it is possible to criticize Israel without being anti-Semitic
  4. Stating that the choice of a 1 state solution or a 2 state solution must be up to Palestinians and Israelis to work out
  5. Encouraging Canadian Christians to go to Israel/Palestine and meet and talk to Palestinians as well as Israelis 
  6. Pointing out that the UCC's recognition of Israel "as a Jewish State" is problematic if this means that Arab citizens of Israel are denied economic and civic equality.
     
Over a period of nearly 12 months, the working group led by David Giuliano consulted with a wide range of organizations and groups. In January 2011, PCC deligation met the working group and discussed various issues related to the Palestinian human rights.

The report is not yet a church policy. It will be submitted for discussion at the August 2012 meeting. Not surprisingly, the report is already being attacked by right-wing columnists like Jonathon Kay of the National Post ("Israel haters have lost the argument") and by lobbyists like Shimon Fogel, of the Council for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). 
On the same page are links to the full report, and to a Q&A as well as a video interview with some of the report's authors.
 
PCC has sent a congratulatory message to United Church officials. We encourage our community members to read the report carefully and to write to the United Church of Canada to thank them for their efforts to support the Palestinian human rights. Please, send your email to info@united-church.ca.
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:06 pm

    http://hiddennolonger.com/

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  2. LOL...United Church??? Are you kidding me? They have murdered THOUSANDS of children here in Canada. THOUSANDS....like 50 THOUSAND or more, documented. That scam should be shut down, permanently.

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  3. Anonymous7:53 am

    IF, Israel wanted peace, it would FLOOD Concentration Camp GAZA with food and healthy economic activity. Did America launch massive assaults and shoot Black American Women and Children dead in the streets or use Jet Fighters and launch Artillery and Missiles into CIVILIAN areas? NO! Israel does so because Israel wants Ethnic Cleansing, NOT peace. Where is Israel's Recognition of the PALESTINIAN'S RIGHT to EXIST!? Israel demands the Palestinians "repudiate" this and that ...Does Israel REPUDIATE the TORAH???? Israel was White RACIST, APARTHEID, South Africa's ONLY ally, trading weapons, torture techniques, NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, with them. Today Israel continues Racist APARTHEID with it's wall. Israel enforces laws that are straight out of Nazi Germany such as Palestinians must have different colored ID cards and license plates, JUST like the yellow stars the Jews WAIL about having to wear. Palestinians have to use separate roads, IDENTICAL to Black OR Whites Only drinking faucets.
    Israel and South Africa were virtually twinned as military allies for Pretoria helped supply Israel militarily in the immediacy of its 1973 setback and Israel came to support apartheid South Africa at the height of sanctions with weaponry and technology – from naval ships and the conversion of supersonic fighter planes to assistance in building six nuclear bombs and the creation of a thriving arms industry. Israel resembles apartheid South Africa at its zenith – even surpassing its brutality, house demolitions, removal of communities, targeted assassinations, massacres, imprisonment and torture of its opponents and the aggression against neighbouring states.
    Israel just PRETENDS to care about African Americans (but look how Israel treats Blacks at home), so they can STEAL the taxdollars that SHOULD have been repairing schools and infrastructure and providing police protection in the Cities. Year after year BILLIONS of African American Tax dollars buy more APARTHEID-suppression for the NATIVE PEOPLE of PALESTINE instead of improving life for the Black American People who earned those dollars.
    Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:15 CDT © Jewish Middlesex
    Ethiopian Jewish student - not allowed to study at new school
    Several months ago, a religious school in the illegal Israeli settlement of Immanuel was criticized for segregating white Jewish students from non-white Jewish students in classes. Originally, the school was fined for this policy of racial segregation, because the school was state funded. Now, the Israeli education ministry has agreed with the white parents' request to allow the school to continue with its racial discrimination under private funding.
    There is no law preventing racial discrimination by priyvate organizations, even schools, in Israel.
    The Israeli court has interpreted these laws to also apply to illegal West bank settlements, like Immanuel, which are located in areas that are supposed to be under Palestinian control. The Palestinian Authority does not allow racial discrimination, but due to the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian Territories, it has no authority over the area in question. 74 white girls who have been studying in a building next to the school will now be allowed to study in whites-only classrooms that are privately funded, as their parents claim they do not want their girls to study in racially-mixed classrooms.

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