A sad but incomplete story

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Anglican Friends of Israel

By Dexter Van Zile, CAMERA:

One of the most moving and sad moments at the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference that took place in Bethlehem early last month came on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 when Lynne Hybels, co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, addressed the crowd.

During her talk, in which she described to the audience women she has met over the past few years who have inspired her peacemaking efforts in Israel and the West Bank, Hybels spoke movingly about a family whose one-story home in East Jerusalem was demolished by Israeli officials on Oct. 12, 2009 because it lacked a building permit. This is a common problem, Hybels said, because it’s “very difficult” for Palestinians to get building permits.

But does the story Hybels told to several hundred people attending the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference actually check out?

Read more »

Posted in Jerusalem | Comments Off

CCJ Statement about Antisemitic Website

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Anglican Friends of Israel

From the Council of Christians and Jews:

The Council of Christians and Jews has been committed to Jewish Christian dialogue for 70 years. The Council is fully aware of the wide range of feelings on the issues influencing our relationship with each other.

We are conscious that The Revd Stephen Sizer’s contributions have caused widespread disquiet and hurt in both communities and led to confusion and polarization of views. We have paid particular attention to a link posted by Mr Sizer on his Facebook page to ‘The Ugly Truth’, an antisemitic website. We consider this to be wholly unacceptable. We cannot accept it was an accident, because Mr Sizer was alerted to the antisemitic nature of the website in November and again in December, but only removed the link in January when contacted by the Jewish Chronicle.

The Rt. Revd Nigel McCulloch, the Bishop of Manchester and Chairman of CCJ said:

“The content and the delay in removing the link from Mr Sizer’s Facebook page was disgraceful and unbecoming for a clergyman of the Church of England to promote. Members of the CCJ have described the website as ‘obscenely antisemitic.’”

The Revd David Gifford, CEO of the Council of Christians and Jews said:

“The Revd Stephen Sizer is fully entitled to his views on the Israel/Palestine conflict but he has to be aware that criticism of Israel is one thing while publicizing websites with antisemitic content goes beyond what is tolerable.

CCJ has expressed grave concern to the Bishop of Guildford in whose diocese Mr Sizer is a priest – and has drawn the attention of the Surrey police to what they claim was an action tantamount to encouraging race ‘hatred’.”

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Christian Churches | Comments Off

The Final Straw: Tonge refuses Clegg’s call for Apology

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Steve Nimmons
Baroness Tonge addressing a Liberal Democrat c...

Image via Wikipedia – Baroness Jenny Tonge (former Liberal Democrat)

Anglican Friends of Israel welcomes the news that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has taken decisive action against Baroness Jenny Tonge for remarks she made at an “Israel Apartheid Week” event.

Mr. Clegg demanded that Tonge apologise for her remarks, which he said were “wrong and offensive and do not reflect the values of the Liberal Democrats.”

Labour leader Ed Milliband and the Board of Deputies of British Jews were among those calling for Mr Clegg to take action against Tonge.

Tonge was sacked in 2010 as the Liberal Democrat’s health spokesperson in the Lords over her demands for an investigation into allegations of body parts harvesting by the Israeli Defence force in Haiti. These allegations were utterly reprehensible and shocking and should have been met with an immediate withdrawal of the Liberal Democrat whip.

Tonge has been accused by Nick Clegg in the past of making ‘ludicrous claims’. He may regret not acting sooner.

Jenny Tonge’s resignation statement (from the Jewish Chronicle)

“The comments I made have been taken completely out of context. They followed a very ill tempered meeting in which Zionistcampaigners attempted continually to disrupt proceedings. They mouthed obscenities at the panellists, to the extent that University security attempted to remove them from the premises.

“The comments I made were in protest at the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and the treatment of Israeli Arabs.

“I am disappointed the leadership of my party did not consult me before issuing a press release and seems always to abet the request of the pro-Israel lobby. Israel is acting against international law, the Geneva conventions, and Human Rights. They do this with impunity and if our political parties will not take action then individuals must.

“I have been asked to apologise but refuse to do so and resign the whip of my party.

Tonge will no doubt remain a vocal opponent of Israel. Her rhetoric may develop even more extreme characteristics. She will however no longer have the ‘respectability of association’ with mainstream party politics.

Posted in Anti-Israeli Action, Media, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Israeli Experts Sharing Experience in South Sudan

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Steve Nimmons
South Sudan independence day. Sarah Taylor/USA...

Image via Wikipedia – Celebrating Independence Day

Arutz Sheva has a very interesting article today about IsraAID’s contribution to the ‘new’ nation of South Sudan:

A delegation of Israeli experts from the IsraAID organization is set to fly to Juba, South Sudan this week to conduct the first-ever Gender Based Violence (GBV) training program for social workers in Africa’s newest nation.

The trip is being subsidized by a private family foundation, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, FIRST and the Israel-based NGO, Operation Blessing Israel.

Israel has a long tack record of global humanitarian intervention and:

The 30 South Sudanese social workers who are to participate in the workshop, set for March 2, work with the most vulnerable communities in the Juba region, particularly women and girls who are victims, or at risk of becoming victims of sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.

Three highly skilled and experienced Israeli therapists will carry out the training on the delivery of social work, post-trauma assistance and in-situ treatment of gender-based violence.

As South Sudan takes its first steps as an independent nation, it is essential that gender equality and the protection of vulnerable women and girls is given high priority.

This is an exciting contribution, one that will no doubt grow in scale as the Sudanese social workers share the learning and experience within their communities.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Posted in Articles, General | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Anti-Semitism and hatred on the stage at the English National Opera

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Anglican Friends of Israel

From Not a Sheep:

Anybody who doubts that anti-Semitism is rife in Britain should read this piece from The Telegraph. Words fail me so here’s an extract from The Telegraph article:

‘Now, the English National Opera (ENO) is to risk public protests with a new production of The Death of Klinghoffer, based on the murder of a disabled Jewish tourist during the hijacking of a cruise ship by Palestinian militants.

Jewish groups have accused ENO of “giving a voice to terrorism” and have threatened to mount protests after the company’s decision to stage the rarely-performed work, which the opera company itself says will “shock”.
Leon Klinghoffer, a 69-year-old American, was celebrating his wedding anniversary in October 1985 aboard the Achille Lauro, when he was shot twice and thrown overboard in his wheelchair during the ship’s hijacking off the Egyptian coast by members of the Palestinian Liberation Front.
But the company has defended its decision to press ahead with the production, despite several requests to cancel the opera.

John Berry, ENO’s artistic director, said: “One cannot shy away from the fact that this was the most brutal of terrorist attacks, and nor does the production, but the purpose of art is often to shock and challenge audiences. The story is handled with sensitivity and gives an even-handed portrayal of those on both sides of the conflict.” ‘

Let’s pause for a moment there;  ‘an even-handed portrayal of those on both sides of the conflict’. Oh how modern and sensitive of you, even-handed between an innocent Jewish wheelchair bound man and the terrorists who shot him in cold blood and threw him off a  cruise ship. Even-handed?

Read more »

Posted in Anti-Semitism | Comments Off