The following is an excerpt from a book to be published by Palestinian Christian Samia Khoury.
...what drew a lot of attention and controversy was the letter sent to the Congress on October 5, 2012 by 15 prominent American Christian leaders. “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, as continuing such aid will only serve to sustain the status quo and Israel’s military occupation of the Palestinian territories.” The letter also called on Congress to make military aid to Israel “contingent upon its government’s compliance with applicable U.S. laws and policies.” Unfortunately the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church did not endorse the letter, and the Episcopal public policy director, Alexander Baumgarten said that the request for congressional hearings was not in line with Episcopal policy. I have never heard of a church policy that can possibly contradict with the demand for human rights. After all did not our Lord come “to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.” (Luke 4:16)
As a result of this letter, Leslie Scanlon reported in the 19th of October issue of the Outlook National Reporter that tensions are running high between Jewish groups and an alliance of mainline denominations, and that in response, leaders of Jewish groups have canceled a meeting of an interfaith group that had been scheduled for Oct. 22-23. Leaders of Reformed and Conservative Jewish groups, the American Jewish Committee and other Jewish groups sent a letter Oct. 17 expressing their distress and saying they would not attend a planned meeting of the Christian-Jewish Roundtable, an interfaith discussion group formed in 2004.
“Considering the vehemence of such a response, one might assume that the Christian leaders’ letter was filled with outrageous and incendiary anti-Israel rhetoric. But in fact their letter is a sensitively worded and faithful call supporting “both Israelis and Palestinians in their desire to live in peace and well-being” writes Rabbi Brant Rosen in the Jewish Journal on October 24. He explains that there has long been an unwritten covenant between the Jewish establishment and Christian leaders when it comes to interfaith dialogue: “We can talk about any religious issues we like, but criticism of Israel’s human rights violations is off limits.” He goes on to explain why the Jewish establishment reacted so violently to a relatively balanced and religiously based call? Because by speaking their conscience, these Christian leaders had the audacity to break the unwritten covenant: “If you want to have a dialogue with us, leave Israel alone.”
If that is the case then unfortunately those Jewish leaders who decided not to attend the roundtable meeting will not be missed. And if interfaith dialogue is simply another tool or another body not much different from the US administration in shielding Israel from accountability, then it would be a futile exercise. One would hope that interfaith dialogue is supposed to bring together the moral values of each faith so as to enhance understanding promote peace, and encourage people to work for a better world for all. Unlike politics, there should be no double standard in genuine interfaith dialogue and no vested interests, otherwise it will end up being a cosmetic and hypocritical dialogue.
A similar reaction took place earlier when the Board of Deputies of British Jews pulled out of meetings in July 2012 with Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the archbishop of Canterbury, because the Anglican’s highest legislative body voted overwhelmingly to strengthen ties with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel, an initiative of the World Council of Churches. “The (EAPPI) program brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace.” Once again, exposing the truth is basically what worries the Jews who support Israel.
